French Cuisine
What's known in other countries as "French cuisine" actually comprises the embellished dishes served by exclusive Paris restaurants. It is based on the regional cuisines of the northern part of the country but otherwise differs from the many regional cuisines, which divide into four groups:
- northeast, with dishes using sauerkraut and sausages, as in Germany
- northwest, with dishes using apples, butter and cream
- southeast, or Proven9al, with dishes using herbs, olive oil and tomatoes
- southwest, with dishes using duck fat, foie gras and mushrooms.
Aside from the main four groups, there are many local cuisines, such as the Basque cuisine using chilli and tomatoes and the Loire Valley cuisine using freshwater fish. There are magazines that attempt to describe all the regional cuisines in detail, such as Cuisine et Vins de France, 10 boulevard des Freres Voisin, 92792 Issy-Les-Moulineaux Cedex 9, Tel: 01 41468888, www.cuisineetvinsdejrance.com, as well as many online references and shops, including Cuisine AZ at www.cuisineaz.com and Toutes les recettes at www.toutesrecettes.com.
That said, in French, cuisine is the everyday word for kitchen as well as for a specific manner or style of cooking. Consequently, the cuisine department of a white-goods shop sells cookers, refrigerators, freezers and kitchen appliances, and the cuisine department of a DIY shop sells kitchen furniture. The adjective cuisine (with the final e being acute) simply means "cooked": a plat cuisine is a ready-made dish as sold by a caterer [traiteur].
Gastronomy
Gastronomy, the art of fine dining, is the most prominent facet of Art de vivre, the art of living for which France is famed. The passion for it is long standing, reflected in the histories of its renowned restaurants. Opened in 1888, L'Auberge de la Mere Poulard is a scenic as well as culinary attraction at 50170 Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Tel: 02 33896868, www.mere-poulard.com in French, English and six other languages. Maxim's opened in 1893 near the Eiffel Tower at 3 rue Roy ale, 75008 Paris, Tel: 01 42652794, www.maxims-de-paris.com selectable in French or English.
Founded in 1895, the famed Le Cordon Bleu culinary academy now has 26 international schools in 15 countries; for further information, contact the head school at 8 rue Leon Delhomme, 75015 Paris, Tel: 01 48530396, www.cordonbleu.edu in English. Across the country, there are fine restaurants, listed in the Gault Millau Guide and in the Michelin Guide.
