FRENCH RITUALS OF FOOD AND DRINK
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BREAKFAST |
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Coffee, Tea, Chocolate |
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French Bread with Butter, Jam- (often dunked in beverage).
In |
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CAFÉ |
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During breaks at school or work |
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Chocolate, Coffee or Tea |
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LUNCH |
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Sometimes the Main Meal. Wine or beer often accompanies meal. |
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In Provinces most stores are CLOSED |
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Home (as much as possible)/ Restaurant/ Workplace or School Cafeteria for several course meal |
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Café / Brasserie / Fast Food Shop for lighter meal |
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CAFE |
Anytime during afternoon as work/activity allows. See CAFÉ above. |
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SNACK |
After school - for children (Called “Goûter”) |
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Usually includes French bread and chocolate spread, cheese, fruit |
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APERITIF |
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Cooked sweet wines (e.g. Port), Pastis, Kir, Whiskey with salty snacks |
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DINNER |
If main meal was at |
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Or THE ULTIMATE RITUAL (esp. with guests) AT LEAST five courses:
Hors-d’oeuvre, Entrée, Salad, Cheese, Dessert |
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Can include different wine for each course, mineral water |
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Coffee or Tea ONLY with dessert and always after meal. |
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Digestif may follow meal: e.g. |
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Begins |
ABOUT THE MEALTIME
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In the |
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All family/guests must be at one table. |
Family/guests may be at several tables. |
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Several courses - served separately. |
Courses may be served together. |
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Each course brought in order and passed. |
Food often self-served (buffet style). |
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Food quality/appearance/presentation are imp. |
Food quantity/variety are important. |
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Guests eat small portions of every dish. |
Guests eat as much as wanted of pref. dishes. |
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Focus of meal is social conversation. |
Focus of meal is eating, some conversation |
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Dinner takes two to four hours. |
Dinner takes 30 minutes to one hour. |
“…the French may be hung up on food, but they are not hung up on eating…It is conversation
that makes the dinner table the most interesting place in the world.” NY TIMES - Tunstall