Corina Clemence asked:


The Loire Valley known as “the Garden of France” is a fertile place where a rich farmland is spread on both sides of the enchanting Loire river. The region became the favourite residence of French Kings from the middle ages to the Renaissance. Little by little, strongholds had become magnificent castles of the Renaissance, which had been restored during the 17th and 18th centuries.

These chateaux tell about the surprising history of the great kingdom of France and display the charm of its fabulous past. The chateaux still stand in all their glory representing the majesty and grandeur of the architecture of that period.

Everyone knows French cooking is one of the best in the world if not the best. With more than 365 cheeses, thousands of different wine producers, foie gras, sea food, fishes and good meat, and of course specialties like snails, frogs’ legs, bouillabaisse, pot au feu, and boeuf bourguignon, France is heaven for those who like quality and innovative cuisine.

Classic French cuisine is very much on the menu in most restaurants in the beautifulLoire Valley. The French table is a deity – a great social organizer and leisure activity.

Each aspect of a French speciality has a root, origin, tradition, and cult attached to it by the French. This is because of the sheer diversity of excellent products and related recipes available all over France. The french have an amazing affinity for the land. It is part of their identity. . If French gastronomy has such prestige, it is because the French spend their time on it.

Freshwater River and lake fish take pride of place in dishes. Vegetables thrive in the sandy soils around the Loire River. Local asparagus is delicious in spring. Most vegetables have a long season. Goat’s cheeses are a particular speciality of the region.

Meat specialities of the Loire Valley include pork rillettes (a coarse pate), not to be confused with another very tasty, more local tradition, rillons (big chunks of pork cooked in pork fat). With so many forests in the Loire Valley, the region’s restaurants are strong on game. Autumn is the season not just for wild game, notably wild boar and venison, but also wild mushrooms.

The French have a sweet tooth and they love rich, creamy, chocolate patisseries and they insist on quality. Blois has exceptional patisseries.

Tarte Tatin, upside-down apple tart, is a classic of the Loire Valley region. The area is rich in excellent pears and apples, tasty strawberries and melons.

The tourist route around the vineyards of the Loire valley leads foodies and wine lovers from cellars to vineyards, offering wine-related discoveries punctuated by visits to imposing castles, abbeys, cave dwellings and gardens along the Loire, now classed as part of the world heritage of mankind by UNESCO. Because, gastronomy in France is a veritable paradise you should try it at least once in your lifetime.



Alfred

Mary D asked:


I would like a cookbook or website that features recipes and menus typical of everyday French cooking, the sort known as “la cuisine de Maman” or simply home-style cooking. French comfort food that housewives make for their families, not fancy restaurant fare. Thanks!

Emmanuel

Constellation asked:


Guys and gals please don’t vote for your native cuisine!
American
British
French
Italian
German
Greek
Turkish
Indian
Chinese
Middle Eastern
Mexican
Thai
Other. Please specify?

Ansel

sotoroberto_86 asked:


I doing a project for my culinary class i need to know why do they feed ducks corn. wats so important. wat is the porpise

Matthew

Mr. Xavier de Bastos asked:


 

Every year thousands of people enrol in to French schools for French lessons. When it comes to class room study of the French course, most people prefer to opt for the French lesson in Lyon as Lyon proudly boasts the purest accent of French language. If you are interested to join one of the leading schools in Lyon, ESL school is the ideal one to purse French lesson. Lyon treasures not only the French art, culture and history, but also a wide array of French cuisine and contemporary dance.

As French language has gained its widespread popularity, people are seeking the best French course that can meet their requirements from the French lessons. They can understand the value of learning French language with its culture and, this is the precisely why they are selecting Lyon to the best place to learn the language. The French lesson at ESL in Lyon has a number of reasons to be considered as the best choice. The most attractive features of the ESL schools at Lyon are strategic course modules, experienced and helpful teachers, suitable accommodation, classroom activities and weekend programs. You are open to the options of selecting any type of French courses based upon your requirements, interest and time.

Before joining any French course there are certain aspects you need to judge such as teaching method, course material, instructors and other elements. An ideal teaching method of French language is to have direct interaction with the teachers and the learners. The process should ensure to pursue the practical linguistic goals of reading, writing and speaking. ESL understands these aspects of language study and limits the number of students in a class to maximum of 8. The learners and the instructors discuss on current and interesting topics to attain the height of linguistic approach. Most of the learners of the French lesson in Lyon are the non-frenchspeaking people. Keeping in mind the requirements of the novice learners, ESL has designed the course modules for steady and faster learning. As teachers are the base of successful language learning, the teaching members at ESL excel in their efficiency to incorporate the French lessons to the international students.

The French lessons of ESL at Lyon are designed differently for the different groups of learners. Whether the participants are young or adult beyond 50 years of age, they have to go through an entrance test that decides their level of course to pursue. The modules are different for entry level and experienced learners, and also for learners of different age group. French lesson in Lyon is not only a monotonous process of learning French language; it is more like a vacation to the picturesque locations of Lyon. Weekend programs, luxurious accommodation, shopping and going out with friends add to the attraction of learning French lesson in Lyon.

Learning French lesson in Lyon is like being in the lap of the language. Whether you take a short-term or long-term course at ESL you are assured of enjoying the learning process with all its diversities.



Harold

Andy West asked:


Traditional culinary schools have evolved considerably since the 1950’s and 60’s. At that time, gourmet cooking was still based primarily on centuries of tradition firmly rooted in the European cooking tradition. Although there were culinary schools in the United States at that time, they were few and far between because many still felt that the world’s great chefs hailed primarily from Europe and France in particular. Times have changed considerably and the world of gourmet cooking has benefited greatly from the shift.

If you still remember Julia Child’s television series that introduced good cooking to the general public, you may also remember the cooking style she demonstrated which was traditional, satisfying and heavy foods. There were rich sauces and traditional French cuisine that was wonderful, however there was little variety in terms of regional dishes. French, Italian and Spanish dishes were often demonstrated, but Asian and American ethnic cuisines weren’t taught.

It isn’t surprising, like most chefs at that time, Julia Child was traditionally trained in the French tradition. The relatively small number of culinary schools in the United States at mid-century were all based on a traditional French pattern. Over the years, however, the demand for creative dishes and ethnic cuisines grew and culinary institutes began to respond. The finest schools continue to cover the basic and advanced techniques of European cooking, but now also give students in-depth understanding of regional cooking techniques, seasonings and styles.

In the last three decades, ethnic and regional food specialties have gained huge popularity. Where these foods were once found primarily in ethnic neighborhoods, they have now gone mainstream and been elevated to fine cuisine due to their increased popularity and the interest of great chefs around the globe. Culinary schools now teach students everything from unusual cooking methods to sausage making and everything in between.

In an increasingly small world where so many people travel to different cultures and try new foods, it isn’t surprising that the interest in regional and world cuisine has taken off. When travelers return home, they hope to find the delicious foods they’ve learned to love at home as well, and chefs are responding to this trend.

Today’s culinary schools cover a wide variety of food traditions, including French, Spanish, Italian, Asian, Polynesian, Creole and Cajun, as well as many sub-categories of each of these international cuisines. “Fusion” foods are also increasingly popular. Fusion is the combination of two distinct types of cuisine in order to create unique new dishes. Fusion restaurants are now some of the most popular in the country because of their skillful blending of many international traditions that produce flavorful new dishes to tempt diners.

If you enjoy experimenting in the kitchen and trying new ways to prepare traditional foods, culinary school may be the perfect career choice for you. Be sure to ask each school you are considering what kinds of cuisines will be taught. The best culinary schools have evolved and continue to do so in order to tempt the public’s increasingly discriminating and worldly palate.



Curt

Glynis Shaw asked:


As a holiday country, France has everything – broad sandy beaches bathed in sunshine, dramatic mountain peaks and river gorges, gently rolling emerald countryside with a timeless feel, vibrant towns and cities with an up-to-the-minute cultural buzz. Everywhere you’ll find world-renowned cuisine at reasonable prices, friendly service, space to breathe and time for the small courtesies of life. With so much on offer, how to choose your next French holiday destination?

Most of France is easily accessible these days, even on a budget, which opens up plenty of choices. French holiday experts like French Connections can be a good starting point to narrow your selection with regional and travel guides and accommodation listings.

If you want to just nip across the Channel, the Northern coast of France offers some seaside gems like smart Le Touquet, with its golf courses, gourmet restaurants and a huge beach for wind sports. Then there’s Honfleur, with picture-book harbour and arty shops. Drive from here along the Cote Fleurie past beamed and thatched houses, contented cows and apple orchards to Deauville, favourite resort of elegant Parisians. Beyond lies Caen, a good base to explore the Normandy landing beaches of WWII and the tapestry at Bayeux.

Brittany’s countryside and coast are largely wild and unspoilt; the region has a wealth of local festivals and cultural traditions. For wine lovers and those who enjoy historic houses and gardens, the Loire is ideal. Travel from one domaine to the next, taking in fairytale riverside chateaux likeVillandry, with its formal potager combining vegetables with flowers.

The banks of the Dordogne river offer peaceful pastoral idyll alongside pre-history seen in cave paintings and excellent museums. For those who crave the freedom of mountains and nature, the less well-known Cevennes region offers mile after mile of breathtaking pine-clad peaks.

The sun-filled South of France has happening resorts, ancient cities oozing culture, wild horses of the Camargue and countryside heady with heat and the scent of lavender and vines. No wonder Nice, Bandol, Montpellier and Arles are all favourite places. And talking of culture, who could ignore Paris, a world of enchantment on its own and one of the world’s most romantic cities?

So many enticing destinations; better start planning the holiday after next!



Noel