French cuisine consists of French culinary traditions and practices. French cuisine dates back to the Middle Ages to the present. In the Middle Ages, French cuisine resembled Moorish cuisine, which is one of the first cuisines of Mediterranean countries. According to ECPI University in this period meals were served based on what food was plentiful, this event was called “service en confusion”. In the Middle Ages their meals consisted of spiced meats such as pork, poultry, beef and fish, which were often smoked, salted and preserved. The vegetables were salted and placed in jars for the winter months. They used foods such as egg yolk, saffron, spinach and sunflower to add color and appearance to their dishes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Moving on to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, food came under the influence of culinary art in Italy. Their food was influenced by Italy because Catherine de Medici brought chefs from Italy when she married King Henry II of France. In the 17th and 18th centuries the first French cookbook, “Le Cuisine François” was written by Francois Pierre La Varenne. His goal was to make meals “less extravagant” and focus on more individual ingredients. Meals began to be served in courses to prevent the food from getting cold. In this period the fork began to be used regularly at all meals. In its spread from the 16th to the 18th century, the Ancien Regime took place. This was where the government handled food distribution. They allowed two guilds or groups that have similar requirements and play a similar role in a community to perform certain tasks. One of the corporations sold unprepared ingredients to buyers to prepare foods and the other sold prepared foods. This rule was interrupted by the French Revolution. This allowed chefs to practice outside their assigned area. In the 19th and 20th centuries Georges Auguste Escoffier experimented with recipes. In 1903 he wrote Le Guide Culinaire, a cookbook with more than 5,000 recipes. According to ECPI University “the 19th and 20th centuries initiated a modernization of haute cuisine”. This means that the 19th and 20th centuries renewed the art of skillful cooking. French cuisine is a variety of many cooking styles with the freshest ingredients. The French take pride in their craftsmanship with their cheesemakers, winemakers, pastry chefs and bakers. “French, The Secrets of Classic Cooking Made Easy,” expresses the fact that the French have a different attitude towards food. French families spend a large part of their budget on high-quality ingredients for their food. France is a place with a wide variety of home-grown produce. "French cuisine is simplicity: bringing out the best of the ingredients." “French” authors Carole Clements and Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen lay out the norms of basic meals prepared for families. An informal family meal usually consists of two courses, a starter and a main course. This could also include adding cheese and possibly fruit. If there will be dessert, the starter will be something light. The French have a wide variety of ingredients that they use on a daily basis. They are known for these ingredients as their most important staple foods. Olive oil, is used for many things, but mainly for cooking or sautéing food or for drizzling on top of it to complete a dish. Dijon mustard is one of France's main ingredients. It is commonly used to thicken marinades and emulsify vinaigrette. Next on this list is Fleur de sel, these are large salt crystals made from algae. They use it for sprinklingover the finished dishes. Number four, Crème fraîche. It is a mixture of cream and buttermilk. It is usually used in soups, sauces and to garnish desserts, such as a bowl of fresh fruit. Another of their main ingredients is their truffles. Truffles are mushrooms used to flavor cooking oils and first courses. Then there are the herbs of Provence. These are dried herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, lavender used to flavor tasty dishes. A common ingredient also used is shallots. Shallots belong to the onion and garlic family. They have a more delicate flavor and are used like onions. The next main ingredient is their bread. The French use bread in many dishes and also as a garnish to dishes. A couple of examples of these are baguettes and flaky croissants. One of the most popular ingredients is wine. According to the MasterClass article “France has one of the most productive wine regions in the world. Red and white wine is a drink that is also used to simmer meat and create rich sauces. Wine is important to the French because they drink it, but it is part of many common dishes. The last of the main ingredients of many is cheese. “The French produce and eat more cheese per capita than in any other country. Known as fromage in French, varieties include camembert, Brie and Roquefort. Cheese is very important when it comes to their diet, they use it as a starter and sometimes as a side dish. When it comes to dining, etiquette and good manners are vital. There are some rules you should always follow when eating "French style". The first rule is to toast correctly. When toasting you should always look your partner in the eye and try not to link arms with anyone. A common toast is “à votre santé” which means “to your health” or “Santé” for short. The next rule is to pay attention to your bread. Don't let it stay on top of the food. Leave it on the side of the plate and use it to clean the plate when the food is finished. The next rule concerns good table manners. Always keep your hands on the table. To arrange the cutlery, always keep the knife in your right hand and the fork in your left. Once you have finished your meal, place the knife and fork parallel to each other on the right side of the plate. The most important thing is to make sure you don't eat until the host says, "Enjoy your meal!" There are many traditions that make up a culture. French traditions are quite different from the American traditions we have. On Christmas Eve or “le réveillon de Noël” families gather late in the evening and eat a festive dinner. Families usually eat caviar, oysters, lobsters, foie gras, snails, coquilles saint jacques, roast turkey with chestnut stuffing and birds such as quail, pheasants, chickens and geese. At the end of this celebration, thirteen desserts are served. The thirteen represent God and the twelve apostles. These desserts consist of sweets such as dried fruit, traditional cake and Bûche de Noël, a chocolate rolled cake. Cuisine standards differ in different regions of France. In the southwestern region of France, there is an emphasis on rich foods, such as duck, foie gras, plums, oysters, mushrooms and truffles. In the Northwest they are known for apples and seafood. Some examples of their popular seafood are oysters and mussels. A dessert commonly eaten here is their crepes. Crêpes are thin folded pancakes usually filled with sweet cream or fruit. In the Northeast their food is less exciting than others. Their main products are potatoes, cabbage, beets and cured meats. In eastern France the food is heavily influenced by German cuisine. Some of the.