French Foods
Ingredients in French Cooking

French foods include some special ingredients such as a bouquet garni, crème fraîche, herbes de provence and fleur de sel.

In addition to the many recipes you'll find on EFF, here are some typical foods that are particularly recommended for the gourmet cook and explorer.

Bouquet Garni

Many French soup, stew and sauce recipes call for these little bundles of herbs. Learn how to make your own.

Candied Violets

These are a speciality from the area around Toulouse. As with many traditional French foods, there is a charming amount of history to learn about this confection.

Champagne Vinegar

This gourmet vinegar is made from the small amount of wine that is expelled during the processing of Champagne wine. It is perfect for adding a little punch to so many recipes.

Chestnut Flour

A traditional product of Corsica, chestnut flour is used to make caked and crepess and is especially interesting for people on gluten free diets.

Crème Fraîche (Recipe included)

This rich, firm, and slightly tangy dairy product is used in many French recipes. If you can't find it in your supermarket, you can make it at home.

French Green Lentils

Lentilles de Puy are celebrated the world over for their rugged mineral taste. Find out how and where they are grown and best of all, how to enjoy them for your next French meal.

French Sea Salt

France produces several specialty sea salts that are defintely worth their somewhat high price. Fleur de Sel and Sel Gris are excellent ingredients for all of your recipes.

French Seasonings

French seasonings typically include lots of herbs, both fresh and dried, some spices and of course good old salt and pepper.

French Vegetables

There are a few vegetables that are frequently used in French cooking that you may not be familar with. Learn about celery root, leeks, shallots, Belgian endive and other popular French vegetables.

Herbs de Provence

This mixture of dried herbs originated in the south of France near the Mediterrenean Sea. Find out what's in it and when to use it.

List of Typical French Ingredients

Certainly not exhaustive, but this list of French foods will give you a good idea of the wonderful variety of ingredients a French home cook might use in their recipes.

Mesclun Mix

A mix of baby greens that makes a perfect start to many French salads. Find a list of the salad leaves that might be included.

Orange Flower Water

This is an unusual ingredient that you will most often find in recipes from the south of France. Its perfumey taste marries surprisingly well with a variety of foods.

Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted chestnuts make faboulous ingredients in any number of French dishes. Many home cooks keep a jar of roasted chestnuts on the pantry shelf, ready to snack on or use in a recipe.

Types of Onions

Learn about the different varieties of onions, inlcuding how to select and store this very important and ever so common ingredient.

Walnut Oil

A gourmet accent oil that is a speciality of the regions of Dordogne and the area near Grenoble. Use it ri add nutty flavor to your pasta, salads, vegetables, and cakes.