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As the name might imply, this French dish consists of a calf’s head, which is boiled for a long time until the meat becomes tender and the skin develops a gelatinous consistency. The tongue and brain are also boiled separately with a combination of spices, and the three types of meat are served together in thick slices on a platter with the vegetables used in cooking, usually potatoes and carrots, and a drizzling of ravigote sauce.
Although the dish has numerous supposed origins, famous French writer Gustave Flaubert traces it back to the British celebrating the decapitation of King Charles I. After the French revolution and yet another well-known decapitation, the French followed suit.
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Andouillette is a French specialty sausage made with pork meat and intestines, onions, wine, pepper, and other seasonings. The sausage contains parts of pig's colon, which is the reason why it is considered to be an acquired taste, as it has an intense, unusual smell which is described by some people as reminiscent of urine.
The sausage can be served hot or cold, and it can be barbecued, boiled, or pan-fried. It is traditionally accompanied by vegetables in red wine sauce or roasted potatoes with a fresh salad on the side.
MOST ICONIC Andouillette
Wurstsalat is a traditional salad from Germany (especially southern parts), Switzerland, Austria, and Alsace in France made with strips of sausage. It's a popular dish often consumed as a light meal in beer gardens or traditional inns, especially during the warm summer months.
The main ingredient in wurstsalat is thinly sliced sausage. The most commonly used type is Lyoner, fleischwurst, or stadtwurst, although the Swiss variant often uses cervelat. These are all types of cooked sausage that are similar to bologna or frankfurter.
VARIATIONS OF Salade de saucisse
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Pâté Lorrain is a French dish consisting of marinated meat that is wrapped in puff pastry. In traditional French cuisine, the meat needs to be a mixture of pork and veal, although modern recipes also suggest other varieties, such as rabbit or chicken.
The meat is sliced and marinated in a flavorful mixture of wine, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and shallots. Before baking, it is completely enclosed in puff pastry. The dish is usually associated with Baccarat, a commune located in the Lorrain region.
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Boudin blanc de Rethel is a white pudding sausage made from prime cuts of pork, pork fat, fresh eggs, milk and a secret blend of seasonings which has been protectively treasured since the 17th century. It is traditionally produced in the Rethel district of the French region of Ardennes.
This sausage is light in color and its texture can be either fine or medium-coarse. It is available in several varieties: plain, forest, mushroom, truffle, or truffle juice. Boudin Blanc de Rethel is typically grilled and served with roasted or mashed potatoes and a glass of champagne on the side.
This classic French honey cake is often described as a cross between bread and a dessert. It is a Dijon specialty, believed to have its origins in China, where a similar spice cake was made in the 10th century. In France, it first appeared in 1711 and was particularly popular in Reims and Dijon.
In the aftermath of World War II it was rarely found in French cuisine, but soon it regained its popularity. Pain d'épices can be made with honey, rye or wheat flour (depending on the region), and spices such as cardamom, anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Choucroute Garnie is a typical winter dish coming from the French Alsace region. At its base is the silky, pungent, fermented cabbage known as sauerkraut, infused with flavors of goose fat, onions, garlic, juniper berries, caraway, and white wine such as the local dry Riesling.
Sauerkraut is garnished with a hefty number of ingredients such as smoked or fresh beef and pork sausages, pork loin, pork shoulder, and bacon. The ultimate version of the dish, called choucroute royale is served with added calf or pork liver dumplings that are poached and sautéed with onions.
MOST ICONIC Choucroute garnie
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Simply put, this French classic is a stew-like dish of boiled meat and vegetables. However, it is not as simple as it might appear at first glance. Pot-au-feu, French for “pot on fire”, is one of the oldest French peasant winter dishes.
It was originally made over an open fire with cheap, inferior cuts of meat, vegetables such as potatoes, onions, carrots, leeks and turnips, and whatever other ingredients were available. The result was a savory stew that helped one make it through the cold season.
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Biscuit rose de Reims or rose biscuit is a traditional dessert that has been produced in Reims, France since 1691. Rose in the name of the dessert refers to its color, not its flavor. Since it is baked twice, the process gives it a characteristical crunchy consistency, making it an ideal accompaniment for champagne.
Today, the biscuits are enjoyed with a cup of tea, or used as a key ingredient in the preparation of Charlotte cake. For a traditional touch, the biscuits are often dipped into a glass of champagne or local red wines. The original recipe is still a mystery, kept by Fossier's confectioners, who first started making these delicious treats.
MOST ICONIC Biscuit rose de Reims
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A macaron is a sweet treat that is prepared throughout France, its name derived from the italian maccarone, referring to the crushing of the almond paste, which is the main ingredient of these delectable treats. Originally, the daughter of Charles III, Duke of Lorraine founded a monastery called Les Dames du Saint-Sacrement, right in the center of the French city called Nancy.
As meat was forbidden in the monastery, the nuns started to bake numerous pastries, amongst them the popular macarons. Upon their abolishment from the monastery, nuns Marguerite and Marie-Elisabeth sought refuge in the house of a local doctor, and started to make and sell macarons in order to survive.
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