| Indisputably, one of modern France's | | | | hors d'oeuvre (or for luncheon, a cold |
| greatest treasures is its rich cuisine. | | | | hors d'oeuvre) followed by soup, main |
| The French have an ongoing love affair | | | | course, salad, cheese, and finally |
| with food. | | | | dessert. The French operate with a |
| The cuisine of France is remarkably | | | | strong sense that there is an |
| varied with a great many regional | | | | appropriate beverage for every food and |
| differences based on the produce and | | | | occasion. Wine is drunk with the meal, |
| gastronomy of each region. | | | | but rarely without food. An aperitif (a |
| Culinary traditions that have been | | | | light alcoholic beverage such as Lillet) |
| developed and perfected over the | | | | precedes the meal and a digestive |
| centuries have made French cooking a | | | | (something more spirited -- say, cognac) |
| highly refined art. This is true of even | | | | may follow. This close relationship |
| the simplest peasant dishes, which | | | | between food and wine may, in part, |
| require careful preparation and great | | | | closely parallel the evolution of great |
| attention to detail. It is expected that | | | | cooking and great wine making. It is |
| even the simplest preparation be | | | | probably not coincidental that some of |
| undertaken in the most careful manner, | | | | the best cooking in France happens in |
| which means disregarding the amount of | | | | some of her finest wine-growing regions. |
| time involved. | | | | In Burgundy, Bordeaux, Provence, and |
| Of course, the secret to success in a | | | | Touraine, wine is as prevalent in the |
| French kitchen is not so much elaborate | | | | cooking process as it is in the glass. |
| techniques as the use of fresh | | | | French cooking is considered by many to |
| ingredients that are locally produced | | | | be the standard against which all other |
| and in season. | | | | cuisines are measured (it is also |
| French cooking is not a monolith: it | | | | referred to as haute cuisine). This |
| ranges from the olives and seafood of | | | | standard was introduced into the French |
| Provence to the butter and roasts of | | | | courts by Catherine de Medici in the |
| Tours, from the simple food of the | | | | 1500s, and later perfected by Auguste |
| bistro to the fanciful confections of | | | | Escoffier (1846-1935), who is considered |
| the Tour d'Argent. | | | | the Father of French Cooking. |
| A French meal might begin with a hot | | | | |