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A few weeks ago I made a list of Ten French Foods that I personally avoid,  so now, here is the list of my Top Ten Favourite French Foods.

 

Each of these choices has a story and happy memories of discovering them on my many trips to France over the years.

 

Favourite French Foods/#1 Gratin Dauphinois

1. Gratin Dauphinois

 

I gained thirty pounds almost directly related to discovering this French version of scalloped potatoes when I was in my twenties.  It came with most meals I ordered and I devoured it.

Made with cream, butter,  Gruyere cheese and garlic, it is irresistible and one of my French comfort foods.  I am salivating just thinking about it.

 

Favourite French Foods/#2 Trout Amandine

 

2. Trout Amandine

 

When I first went to a more upscale restaurant on my journeys in France, I ordered this.  The fish is usually prepared with the head attached, which might put some people off.  Not me. I don’t mind

the fish staring back at me as I eat him (or her).  It is cooked in a butter sauce with sliced almonds, lemon and parsley.  Delicious.

 

 

Favourite French Foods/#3 Confit de canard – Courtesy Chef Simon

 

3. Confit du canard

 

Confit de canard is a French delicacy made from salt-cured duck legs and then cooked and preserved in duck fat.   Confit involves pre-cooking the meat and then preserving it in fat, most commonly

duck or goose fat. Anyway, ignore all that and tuck into this fowl that will delight the palate.  I order this regularly, especially on a cold day.

 

 

Favourite French Foods/#4 Foie gras

 

4. Foie Gras

 

Ok. I know this is controversial.  Foie gras is made from duck livers, and supposedly the farmed ducks are force-fed to make them fat. So I am loath to order this but when I have … oh boy.

A ten on the yum scale.  I remember having lunch with a friend and she ordered a large piece of foie gras (I had the duck confit coincidentally) enough for two, along with half a baguette.

That was her lunch.  I didn’t dare ask her to share it!

 

Favourite Fench Foods/#5 Steak-Frites

 

 

 

5. Steak-Frites

 

This is technically a Belgian specialty (I will be going to Belgium to find out!) but in any French bistro or brasserie, you will find this standard on the menu.  It is often made with rump steak, but

depending on the restaurant also porterhouse, rib eye, and flank steak will be used The frites|French fries vary from place to place but generally must be thin strips and crispy.  I tend to eat this

when I’m super hungry and tired. It gives me a little boost … must be the iron. 

 

Favourite French Foods/#6 Escargots

6. Escargots

 

I was invited to a long lunch in the country years ago, and this was the first course. Picked from the forest that morning, the snails were very large and their shells were pumped full of butter, garlic and parsley.  There were multiple trays of them.

I thought THIS was all we were having for lunch, and so I ate 16 escargots (yes 16! Normally you get a serving of about 6 ) with lots of bread to mop up the butter. However, as it turned out this was only the first of many many courses, a 5-hour affair as it turned out.

I do not recall anything else about that meal, but I do remember how I happily gorged on escargots that day. And as long as I don’t think of them as slimy slugs crawling on damp earth I still order them from time to time.

 

 

Favourite French Foods/#7 Croque Monsieur

7. Croque Monsieur

 

I always tell people; if you are in France, and you missed lunch and it’s still too early for dinner,  you can always find a bar/ brasserie to order a Croque Monsieur, the French equivalent of  ham and

cheese sandwich.   The French elevate it with Gruyere cheese, parmesan and a simple béchamel sauce, toasted in the oven.

The origins of this snack go back to when French factory workers brought their ham and cheese sandwich for lunch and left it on a hot radiator in the morning while they worked.

They were surprised to discover how yummy it was at lunchtime!

 

 

 

I couldn’t find a picture of a tomato salad with black olives so imagine these sliced tomatoes with …

these olives/Favourite French Foods #8

8. Salade de Tomates

 

When I was really trying to stretch out a budget, this would be my lunch with slices of fresh baguette.  What makes it so special are the wrinkled dry-cured black olives and the emulsified French

vinaigrette.  The latter is a staple for my salad dressings, and the recipe and ratio of mustard, vinegar and oil are very specific — 1 to 1 to 3 in measurements whether it is teaspoons or tablespoons.

Recipe for French Vinaigrette Dressing

Finely chopped shallots
Dijon mustard (1)
Red- or white-wine vinegar (1)
Sea salt, or to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil (3)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

 

Favourite French Foods/#9 Salade niçoise

9. Salade Nicoise

 

Again, a real go-to for when I want a satisfying but simple lunch.  It is always fun to see the variations of this salad when I travel in France but the ingredients are always the same; lettuce, boiled egg,

tuna, green beans, tomatoes, black olives and boiled potatoes.  The best one I ever had was in Nice of course.

 

 

Favourite French Foods/#10 Scallops cooked in White Wine

10. Scallops in White Wine

 

When I was TV News Correspondent, I had to go to Paris to cover a conference. I had finished my report which was sent by satellite back to Canada and it was late. About 11 pm and I was starving having not eaten any dinner.  I landed around the corner from the Paris news bureau in a tiny bistro and asked the chef if he had anything left that he could make for me.  He disappeared back into the kitchen while the waiter poured me a glass of crisp cold wine. About 10 minutes later the chef arrived with a plate of succulent sea scallops, braised slightly on the outside, cooked to perfection, in white wine and of course butter.

I still hold up that meal as one of the best I ever had.   If you ever see this on a menu in France, order it!

 

*Note: Images are all from Google Images.  The feature pic of the pizza is my own! I think the French make a great pizza, especially on the Riviera near Italy.  This one was consumed in a restaurant in Cannes.

 

 

Top Ten French Foods To Avoid

Hey! If you missed my blog on the Top Ten French Foods

that I avoid CLICK HERE

Your Comments Please!

I love hearing from you

and I know many of you have a French dish

or meal that you have enjoyed.

Please comment below by clicking where it says either

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10 Comments

  1. martinn key2paris on October 9, 2022 at 7:41 am

    I prefer this blog, a lot more positive ! But French like to argue, bicker about everything. So for a salad dressing, ingredients are important but technique as well. Then you have an argument about Gratin Savoyard or Dauphinois and others, with or without eggs, cream and cheese. Then you have an argument about the ingredients for an authentic Niçoise. A world discussion about how much we should or not alter recipes ?
    I just ordered Foie gras and Duck confit directly from a farm in the South West. Will be delivered by mid-October. I also make delicious Croque Monsieur or Madame, following a starred chef recipe. You could come for lunch… 🙂

    • Diana Bishop on October 11, 2022 at 12:07 pm

      Haha I know. I get a lot of readers to the other one too though! I envy you living in France where you can get all of these wonderful dishes.
      Thank you so much for your comment Martinn as always! Diana

  2. Catherine Willis-O'Connor on October 9, 2022 at 9:08 am

    All are yummy!

  3. Gretchen Greene O'Brien on October 9, 2022 at 9:55 am

    Love every single one of your “10 Best French Foods”, Diana!!!

  4. Patricia Davenport on October 9, 2022 at 10:31 am

    Yum yum… or the French equivalent
    Patricia

  5. Claire LS on October 9, 2022 at 1:11 pm

    And Belgian frites are best with mayonnaise!

    • Diana Bishop on October 11, 2022 at 12:05 pm

      Yes, I agree with that! My partner is Belgian and a big fan!
      Great to hear from you Claire! Diana

  6. Linda Ann Viandier on October 10, 2022 at 6:06 am

    Living in Burgundy, my fav French dish is Boeuf Bourguignon and I have my own version that my French husband says is the best he’s ever tasted. The recipe is in my book ‘Damson Skies and Dragonflies’, that you reviewed a while back Diane. Another fav of mine is ‘coquilles St Jacques’ that I make also. Let me know when you’re next in Paris, and I’ll take you to where, in my opinion, serves the best croque monsieur in the city (and I’ve tried a lot!)
    Lindy

    • Diana Bishop on October 11, 2022 at 12:04 pm

      I can’t wait for that Lindy!!!

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