5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe.
Jean Joho knows a thing or deux about French food.
For one, he is French (that generally helps).
And two, Chef Jean Joho began his formal chef training as an apprentice at the acclaimed L'Auberge de L'Ill in Alsace, France - when he was THIRTEEN.
Unsurprisingly so, he's become a well-adorned chef in his own right - currently overseeing Eiffel Tower in Vegas, Brasserie Jo in Boston, as well as Everest and the Paris Club in Chicago.
"There are so many great dishes from France. It is really impossible to narrow it down to just 5, though I have tried my best," says Joho.
"If this list were to be renamed '10@10,' I would also include the French croissant, coq au vin, French macarons and French wine - because in France, nothing is served without it."
Five French Dishes Everyone Should Eat Before They Die: Chef Jean Joho
1. Dover sole meunière
"Meunière is French for 'miller's wife' and is a simple classic dish where the sole, which is only found in coastal European waters, is seasoned, lightly dusted with flour and sautéed in butter. It is then served with beurre meunière, which is flavored with browned butter, lemon and parsley."
2. Lobster Thermidor
"A classic dish and one that hails from Paris. Lobster shells are stuffed with cooked lobster meat in a creamy white wine sauce, spiked with cognac, then served with a oven-browned Gruyère crust. It is expensive in restaurants because there are so many steps, but if you put your mind to it, it is actually not too complicated to cook at home. Always use fresh tarragon in this iconic, luxurious dish."
3. Poulet de Bresse
"The celebrated white-feathered, blue-footed chicken from the Bresse area of the Rhône-Alpes region is reared to exacting standards, which results in a very tender bird with a firm texture and a slightly gamey flavor. It is so highly esteemed that it cannot be found outside of France and commands high prices, not including airfare! However, when you have it roasted you will see that you have never had a chicken like this - it is worth every Euro!"
4. Boeuf Bourguignon
"My good friend Julia Child introduced French cooking to America and this dish is a French staple. However, make no mistake, there are no short cuts! Braised in red wine for hours, the beef has a rich melt-in-your mouth flavor, with a depth that cannot be created any other way. Finished with pearl onions and mushrooms at the final stage, this stew is the ultimate French comfort food."
5. Chocolate profiterole
"These pastry puffs are filled with vanilla bean ice cream and then drizzled with chocolate poured from a pitcher. It is decadent and sweet, but also the flaky pastry gives it a sense of lightness as well. One of my all time favorites."
6. Soufflé
"What did I tell you - I could not stop at five French dishes! This is one that could not be left off any list, a signature French dessert known around the world. Light and airy, delicately flavored, soufflé is a sauce base into which stiffly beaten egg whites are added. It also has the reputation of being extremely temperamental and apt to deflate without notice. Great care must be given to the ingredient list, preparation and baking procedure."
Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down.
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Where can we make the insurance claim? We are good friends.I fear that he drinks too much.How long have you been here?No littering on the campus.I need your helpI need your helpI smelled a smell of cooking.They hurt.Come to see me whenever you like.
Goose Jakker http://canadagooseparkadame.moonfruit.com/
ahhhh French food... the "best" in the world.. more like the most overrated ... ever wonder why you see tons of Chinese, Italians restaurants but never a French restaurant?
I am Acadian and one of our traditional staples is Chicken Fricot. Would highly recommend it! Delicious!
Ya'll don't be silly. The gentleman was referring to how he ordered Coq au Vin as a child. It was/is a sweet reminder of how innocent an uncomplicated children are.
Who can forget escargot on a list like this? YUM
Glad to see crepes mentioned by other posters. Should by on the top 10 anyway. We make crepes at farmers markets and fairs in the western US. It is a good feeling making crepes and listening to people recall their first crepe eaten while on trips to France or somewhere, or made by their grandmother. Bet they rarely hear that at the drive-thru burger places...
When I was younger there were some French dishes I thought I'd like to try out but my wife objected. Oh well, c'est la vie.
Whipped much, Paul?
He's probably talking about trying a ménage à trois. I can't imagine his wife would seriously object to him eating french food.
Thanks for the advice, I shall try to eat these. Especially the chicken since I would have to be in France to get it. Have you ever tried Coquilles Saint Jacques? I have a great recipe.
I've always wanted to try making Coquilles St Jacques.but can't find a good recipe..if it's no trouble, send recipe to:
anthonynj88-tony@yahoo.com
Thanks! Tony
I LOVE A FRENCH MANS ACCENT
In Paris about ten years ago, I decided to look for dinner on Isle St Louis. No question about which restaurant when I saw an outdoor menu with lamb sweetbreads (ris d'agneau) as a special. They were outstanding!
There was a French restaurant we went to as kids and I always ordered the same thing, Co Co Au Van. I just could never get myself to order anything else as it was so darn good. But the one thing I wanted to try all my life is Chateaubriand. La Maison de Surrey went out of business before I could ever try it. Maybe it was because you had to order it for two. I had kind of a running gag through life when people would tell me about a French restaurant they ate at and bragged. I would ask them if they had the Chateaubriand on a stick. that usually shut them up.
so. did you have Chateaubriand on a stick?
co co au van?
I'm pretty sure he means "coq au vin" and simply misspelled it.
Well, Coco the gorilla lived in a van for awhile. He could be referring to this.
Me and my sister learned how to "profiterole" or pate choux from our Italian mother when we were in grade school. Mom them "cream puffs" All I remember is having to beat the eggs into the hot paste one at a time until your arm hurt!!
7. Cuisse de grenouilles. Ahhh, zere is nozzing like a beautiful pair of legs to make your heart go pitty-pat, pitty-pat. Especially if they are from a nice fresh frog, and we're not talking about Kermit! Ummmmmmm.....bon appetit!
A crepe from a street vendor in Paris.
Socca from the woman at the market in Nice.
I love crepes with Nutella & Banana.
Or the one's off the street that they sprinkle with sugar/cinnnamon
I'm pretty sure Julia Child's boeuf bourguignon calls for onions and carrots, not onions and mushrooms...either way, it's delicious and, while a bit time-consuming, not at all difficult.
actually, it requires both. You braise the meat with carrots in the liquid, but the brown braised onions and braised mushrooms are prepared individually and separately and incorporated just before serving.
What about coq au vin? Classic French dish. I'd say Foie gras but eating that makes me feel very guilty.
He did mention: "If this list were to be renamed '10@10,' I would also include the French croissant, [coq au vin], French macarons and French wine – because in France, nothing is served without it."
Mickey D's french fries bro, nothing's better IN THE WORLD!
ewww
But you have to eat them within 7 minutes of service, any longer and they are absolute garbage.
Escalope de veau a la creme, fondue bourguignonne, bifteck frites, salade Nicoise sont tous delicieuses
j'ajoute la bouillabaisse, un napoleon
French bread (the stuff you get here tastes like cardboard) with butter, fresh green oysters, tournedos Bernaise with flan as a dessert – served with a 1959 Bordeaux. Then view "A Man and A Woman". The music alone takes me back...
French food is not accessible to the average American, the article would have you believe. That is probably the reason for the negative comments. Where, pray tell, can we get a blue-footed chicken? All of our chickens are wrapped in plastic, probably because of the FDA. Someday, I will go to France, and I hope I won't be disappointed.
I live in the Bay Area. There are oodles of chickens to buy here that aren't wrapped in plastic. Perhaps you should try a different location?
That's just not true, except for the blue footed chicken, an equally unique substitute can be found here among the heritage breeds. You're not trying hard enough to find what you seek.
Don't smoke pot and try to eat those little powdered sugar donuts unless you have someone around that knows the Heimlich maneuver.
ok
You crack me up. That's funny.
I like french toast.
Now THAT'S my kinda frog cooking.
Ok, so it's not really a French dish, but one of the best French products that I can think of (along with many mentioned below) is the most simple.
A warmed baguette, crusty on the outside, with an airy, chewy center, served with room temperature, full-fat butter and maybe some sea salt on the side. Yum.
First of all, Sampsonite – merely stringing unrelated words together does not make for poetry. Don't give up your day job.
Discussing frites as French cuisine is similar to the Europeans who think Americans eat only hamburgers. I've eaten in France for the past 30 years, from 3-stars restaurants to small village cafes and the food is 99% of the time excellent. French cooking technique is studied by chefs in many other countries, they use an amazing array of food products in a stunning variety of preparations. And those who always claim that their food is too heavily sauced haven't experienced contemporary French cooking. And even though we have recently discovered locally sourced, fresh, regional ingredients, the French have employed these principles for at least the last two centuries. If the French had not influenced our cooking, we would still be thinking tuna-noodle casserole was gourmet food. Go to Italy, to 50 restaurants and pasta will always be on the menu and probably pizza as well. There is no one thing that appears on French menus in all restaurants, possibly with the exception of good bread, not to mention fabulous cheese and wonderful wine. I rest my case.
Fois gras is on every French restaurant menu.
Not really, I know several French restaurants without foie gras.
According to the book French Women Don't Get Fat, you can eat anything you want, and enjoy wine, bread, cheese, chocolate and butter but in very small quantity. Portion control is key to maintaining proper weight.
Veal saltimboca is one of my favorites, with the French version slightly ahead of the Italian version.
1, 2, 4, and 6 done, must try the Chocolate profiterole, looks like it would be heaven on a plate. I'll have to skip the blue footed chicken for now, doubt I'll find that at Safeway...
How could you not include Foie Gras?
I don't know. It's a serious errror, though.
I just can't remember the name of that lil french dish I missed out on..... her name escapes me to this day.... :(
A hearty country cassoulet should have been on this list.... It's a very old dish, and still served with pride. It's wonderful!!!!!
Absolutely! I'd also add choucroute garnie.
Bresse is NOT in Rhone-Aples! It is in Bourgogne (Burgundy). Completely different region.
Sorry but you are wrong.
Bresse is an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlée) or Name of Controlled Origin that comprises the départements of Saone et Loire, some of the Jura and l'Ain, all of them in the East of France. Burgundy is South West, as you know. It does cover the Rhône-Alpes région as l'Ain is part of it, just like Joho mentioned.
Are you sure you aren't thinking of Bordeaux? That's in the SW, Burgundy is as I remember in the east central area – Beaune is famous for its wine. We were stationed in Orleans, 80 k's south of Paris for 4 years from 1959-64.
Bresse is definitely in Burgundy. My husband is fromBresse and we go there every year. My husband's aunt and uncle have a farm there where they raise the famous "Poulet de Bresse" in the village of St. Bonnet-en-Bresse, which is a part of the region of Burgundy, in the Departement de Saône et Loire. If Burgundy is in the Southwest, it would be quite a surprise to millions of French people.
Ok, I see that the AOC Includes the three departments, l'Ain, Saone-et-Loire (in Bourgundy) and le Jura, so you were correct about the other two Départements, but I was correct about including Sâone-et-Loire. Voilà!
I can tell that nobody has ever tasted ratatouille, and its not made by a rat !!!!
Fouquet's for ever!!!
The Ratatouille is a prefered dish which is found in the South of France and is served mostly in the region of Nice. It is a vegetables dish and wonderful to eat, and great for dieters.
I have had all but the Poulet de Bresse. Actually, I preferred Dover Sole prepared in the south of England (not to mention Beef Wellington), and got tired of Lobster Thermidor having too many dinners of it back in the 70's. I have never had a souffle that I really liked, but Boeuf Bourguignon and Chocolate Profiteroles I would die for. Those two dishes bring back fond memories of Paris, which are rare. ( I generally preferred the Loire Valley to Paris or the south of France) And finally, I agree with Bill... foie gras can't be beat.
A wonderful RATATOUILLE was left out. After all Jacqeline Kennedy served it at the White House, but it has to be made the proper way.
Je voudrais la frappe!
Is it just me, or does the title of this article sound like a threat?
So disappointed that they left out
1. a proper bouillabaisse
2. croque monsieur
3. sidewalk/street vendor crepes
4. foie dras
5. fresh croissant and/or baguette
These things may sound a bit simpler than some of the things listed in the article, but I can tell you that there is a difference when they are made right. A mass-produced croissant wrapped in plastic from Costco, is not a croissant to try before you die.
lmao. Uh, I think you meant foie gras. Which is nasty. And pretty inhumane to the poor goose.
Really? You "laughed your ass off" because I typed a "D" instead of a "G"? You are easily amused, I guess. Maybe you haven't had it prepared well.
Foie gras is not nasty (except, perhaps, to one with no taste), and it isn't inhumane to the geese or ducks.
Watch this video about it : http:// http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABeWlY0KFv8
I really don't care how humane or inhumane it is. Foie is decadent and delicious
Not to be fogotten:
(1) Ortolan
(2) Coquille St. Jacques
(3) Escargot
Please, no escargot – stinks up the joint. Coquilles St. Jacques yes and of course bouillabaisse. They serve a good one at a dockside place in St. Michael's, MD.
No to the ortolans either – poor little things, the whole songbird fried up and eaten whole, feet, beak and all!
Well, given that i had it in a small country restaurant in the Loire valley, and that my French sisters and mother agree that foie gras is absolutely disgusting, I probably had the authentic dish. So that worth the force feeding that that poor goose had to endure.
Nothing quite like the food in Paris. If you've never been, I highly recommend booking a trip! Can't wait to go back...
In my experience the French Riviera actually beats Paris by a considerable margin. Basically the area from Nice to St. Tropez – we were picking eating places almost at random and were consistently amazed.
have made only boeuf bourguignon and profiteroles, will strive to the rest!!!
The best french foods are the ones found in local cafes. When I lived in France my favorite thing to do was sit at a little sidewalk cafe with a good book and a good glass of wine – I could do it for hours. The gourmet, pricey dishes are delicious, but I would much prefer a croque-monsieur with a good glass of wine or a fresh baked croissant dipped in thick hot chocolate. You get a taste of the wonderful cuisine as well as the culture – a two for one deal!
This list is not complete without properly prepared foie gras! I don't care if it is politically correct, it is delicious.
I've had fois gras from a 5-star restaurant that (according to the expert I was with was prepared well) and it nearly made me vomit like a Bush at a Japanese banquet.
Foie Gras is definitely disgusting.
Mr. Bill is exactly correct.
Well, at least you CAN take it with you when you do go....as fat on your hips, thighs, rear end, and gut.
Oh, lighten up. This is not about food every day, this is about foods you should try at least once in your lifetime. If you won't do that, then you're a sad, sad person.
Amen.
Grumpster, how do you explain the fact that Americans are majoritarily obese whereas French people, who eat these dishes, are thin? Enjoy your Dunkin Donuts, buddy.
Stuffy stuffy
spoken by one who clearly has no idea what he/she is talking about
The lobster thermidor recipe to which they linked has neither cognac nor gruyere.
Do your homework!
And of course you left off the ultimate french dish, Cassoulet!
I'll have a side of pretension with that, please.
You forgot the second "S" in your name. F**cking Americans I tell ya.
today was but with bridge to another county and then some.
i can't happen but to with and my house on hill side
they came and house you told friends
but righful compare to rough side of train tracks downtown
came upon to the with castle clouds
told me number seventeen gilded lantern to bear
happen with the right side ground effect
tough sometimes year ten fold five
soothing calm and he with but there was house
finally, see water and animal to end
high up rightful year to be her best thing
plow, harvest, sow – such is way of thing
another time ground land
Bouillabaisse and Cassoulet for me please!
Big freaking deal, French food. Too complicated to cook and much ado about nothing.
American food is better tasting and is healthier for you.
Riiigggggghhhhhtttt..... that's why American's are so grossly morbidly obese.... because our food is so 'good for you'.
By that you mean pemmican and succotash, I'm sure...
GREAT... another MacDonalds ad!
FYI. The majority of techniques learned in culinary school are French techniques. The only things that really differ are the ingredients. So before you go and bash French food, I would make sure you know what you are talking about. American eating habits are some of the worst in the world. Nothing but over processed crap full of high fructose corn syrup and fat. I respect your preferences, but don't go talking about things you just have no idea about.
Obviously written by someone who's never really eaten true French food. I suggest you try it sometime.
Well, I guess I am doing pretty good – I have prepared and eaten all of these, except for the Poulet de Bresse.
I can't believe he left off French Fries. Sacre bleu!!!
Seriously, though, beef Bourguignon is one of my favorite stews to make. Just don't screw it up by using cooking wine! Use a decent wine – if you wouldn't drink a glass of it, don't cook with it.
Just like the Frug used to say, don't cook with something you wouldn't drink...
Didn't you hear? We changed them years ago. They were never French anyway. So, now they're Freedom Fries.
F You, Chuck!
Amen!!!
"French" fries are not even French. They originated in Belgium. And they are typically served with a Mayonnaise based sauce.
French fries! Yes, I'm being facetious. I know they're not really "French" and by no means gourmet food. But perfectly made pommes frites are incredibly good comfort food.
There is a small place in my area (Cafe Brugges) that sells those with a basil mayonnaise...I could practically just eat THOSE for dinner!
4. Boeuf Bourguignon-Man, that sounds wonderful!
A Croque Monsieur is better.
I'd add to this a proper Croque Madame, Parisian Macaroons, Coq au Vin and Moules Marinières.