1. Bag the baguette
There’s a reason the French schoolgirls from Madeleine prefaced each meal with: “We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all we love each other” – they were about to break baguettes. The ability to BYO (bake, not buy) is a skill every home cook should master, particularly if belonging to the Francophile camp. Here’s a step-by-step guide from The Larousse Book of Bread.
2. Indulge in the water of life
A popular spirit during the late 19th and early 20th century, absinthe was the drink of choice for French tastemakers Charles Baudelaire, Vincent van Gogh and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Unleash your inner bohemian with Eau de Vie's ‘Versailles Experience’, a heady mix of gin, absinthe, apple and lemon juice, plus jasmine tea and pear purée.
2. Keep it simple, stupide
“Less is more,” asserted France’s founding fashionista, Coco Chanel. The lady was right. French elegance doesn’t come from conflicting flavours, but rather the pairing of high-quality, harmonious ingredients. Gabriel Gaté understands subtle simplicity, marrying onion, Spanish sherry and Pyrenees cheese in this gorgeous French onion soup.
3. Rise to the occasion
It’s a well-known (yet, admittedly contestable) fact that French women don’t get fat. So what can we learn from our skinny sisters? Cheese is good. Ditch the dieting and make Anneka Manning’s soufflé with not one, not two, but three soul-affirming cheeses. (It's cheddar, Gruyère and Parmesan, for the record.)
4. Pop the Champagne
Napoleon Bonaparte knew what was up when he declared: “Champagne! In victory one deserves it, in defeat one needs it.” Treat yourself to the tipple at breakfast, use it for sabayon-topped oysters, or follow Gabriel Gaté’s lead and pour half a bottle into your chicken casserole.
5. Don't get cross, add cinnamon
Bon vivants aren’t afraid to break with tradition and veteran French blogger Fanny Zanotti is no exception. The awe-inspiring baker shares her recipe for “croissants a bit like cinnamon buns” and boy, is it maqnifique! Set aside your Saturday and fall in love with these flaky pastries.
Start a food revolution with out our Bastille Day recipe collection, or search farther afield with 500+ French dishes.
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