Happy Bastille Day ~ Vive le France!

Bastille Day is a national holiday in France and celebrates the storming of the Paris bastille in 1789 an event that changed France forever.  Although it had little practical use, it represented a popular uprising against what was viewed as an oppressive institution. A major catalyst in the French Revolution it saw the birth of the republic and the end of the monarchy.  In France no-one works, elsewhere Francophiles around the world have celebrations of their own in homage to french history and culture.

This Francophile thought it would be nice to share with you my top ten favourite French epicurean delights, in no particular order:

The Billecart Salmon Rosé Champagne

There are few pleasures in life better than rosé champagne, and this is my unequivocal favourite.  A delicate salmon-pink in colour it has an intense flowery bouquet and vibrant fruit flavours from strawberry through to citrus.  It has a wonderful palate from a lush creamy start through the fine bubbles to a lingering finish that has slight minerality and is dry but not overly.  If you want to make me happy, give me a bottle of this.  Or maybe two.

The Soufflé

A dish that scares even the best of cooks, the perfect soufflé is something to get excited about.  I like both the savoury and sweet versions, but don’t bother giving me a twice cooked one.  To me, it’s not the real deal.  The best sweet soufflé I have had the pleasure of eating was a raspberry one at Vue de Monde.  The best savoury version, I am pleased to say is one I made myself:  a gruyere soufflé with a Riesling sauce.

The Cheese

It would have been ridiculously easy for me to make this top ten list ALL cheese, so long is the list of ones that I can’t help but want more of:  Roquefort, Munster, Raclette, Neufchatel….  I’m the kind of girl who instead of checking the dessert menu before she orders dinner, finds out what’s on the cheese plate.

The Baguettes

The crust should be golden, even and crunchy. The interior or mie as the French call it, should be airy, even holey. The mie should not stick to your fingers or to your mouth. The good (or bad, depending on how you look at it) thing is baguettes do not store, they are made to be bought and eaten that day.

The amuse bouche

An amuse-bouche is a single, bite-sized hors d’œuvre.   It means to “amuse the mouth”. Regular readers may be aware that I am more than a little partial to bite size morsels of nom that amuse my mouth.  Amuse-bouche are different from appetisers in that they are not ordered from a menu by patrons, but, when served, are done so according to the chef’s selection alone.

The Boeuf bourguignon

One of the first French dishes I mastered and didn’t I feel clever when I did! The version I first cooked was out of the Women’s Weekly Basic Cookbook which my Mum bought for me when I first moved out of home.  These days when I make “beef burgundy” it is from my head which is no doubt an amalgam of the many recipes I have read since, with my own touches added in for good measure.

The Aperitif

The Aperitif is a before-dinner drink to stimulate the appetite.  I cannot claim that my appetite has truly ever needed stimulating, but since most aperitifs were originally produced for medicinal purposes surely this is justification enough?  Pastis is an anise flavoured aperitif.  It gained popularity after the whole absinthe wormwood debacle and ban.  Serve it to me in summer, over ice and diluted with water and I will play pétanque and say Santé!

The Duck confit

To make confit de canard the duck is cured for 24 hours with salt and seasonings such as garlic, thyme, and nutmeg before having the salt washed off and being cooked very slowly covered in a lot, I mean a LOT of duck fat.  When it comes out of the fat it may not look too appetising but you are but minutes away from something truly delicious.  All you need do is  crisp the skin under a hot grill.  Or you could add it to the next on my list

The Cassoulet

From the Languedoc region of France, this is a traditional slow cooked stew of haricot beans, and a variety of meats including Toulouse sausages, confit duck legs and pork with a gratin topping.  It is a winter must.  If you cannot find the time or energy to make it, go somewhere that does.

The Gougère

Heavenly little cheese puffs of pâté a choux.  It’s my cheese fetish rearing it’s head again!  Choux pastry is perhaps more commonly associated with éclairs:  stuffed with cream and drizzled with chocolate but I prefer it this way with loads of gruyere folded in.

Apologies to Bouillabaise, French Onion Soup, Perigord truffles, Croissants and Steak et frites – you all deserved to be on the list too!  I have enjoyed you all many a time.

A question for you to ponder that my dear friend L brought up whilst we were shopping today.  If we can no longer call Australian bubbly “Champagne”  why is it we can still buy “Champagne Ham” from almost every supermarket and deli in town?