French Festivals’ Dishes
Although French “haute cuisine” is not the preserve of specific
holidays and are appreciated all year round, certain French festivals
spur chefs to produce special traditional dishes that are cherished by
one and all. The development of these dishes has been associated to
these festivals sometimes by pure chance and other times out of
religious symbolism. Some of these dishes and their associated cultural
significance are detailed below.
Bastille Day Dishes
The Bastille Day is analogous to the Independence Day of France. The
storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution marked a
turning point in the country’s history. After that day, the King of
France was forced to recognize the Blue, White and Red Flag as the
national flag. This paved the way for the end of the monarchy and the
beginning of the Republic.
At the time of the monarchy, French cuisine was only the preserve of
the rich. When the monarchy fell, many French chefs who used to work for
the rich aristocrats were suddenly out of work. They were forced to open
restaurants that were open to the public. This was an important step
both for the country and its cuisine. The elaborate dishes that were
once served to only the rich and powerful were now available to the
masses.
Thus, to accentuate this newly acquired freedom, the French mark the
Bastille Day by enjoying elaborate haute cuisine, something they could
not have access to before that historical day. Although no particular
dish is prescribed, some of the most common Bastille Day delicacies
include:
(i) The Crème Bruleé—a dessert consisting of rich custard base with a
layer of hard caramel on top. Vanilla flavorings can be added to the
custard base although chocolate, fruit and liquor are sometimes also
added.
(ii) Chocolate Éclair—this dish was relished by the revolutionists as
it was unattainable before the revolution. The traditional éclair uses
vanilla pastry cream as a filling and rich chocolate glazing.
Ingredients include basic choux pastry dough, vanilla pastry cream,
chopped chocolate, and heavy cream.
Christmas Dishes
Out of the eleven national holidays of France, Christmas is the only
one celebrated on two consecutive days. This highlights the importance
of this festival for the Frenchmen. The traditional dishes served on
this occasion are rich with religious symbolism as the country is deeply
anchored in Christianity. Some of the most prominent Christmas dishes
include:
(i) Buche de Noel—this traditional dessert is served during the
Christmas holidays not only in France but in several other
French-speaking countries with a high percentage of Christian
population. This cake is prepared and presented to look like a log that
is ready for the fire. It is made from Genoise (sponge cake) baked in a
shallow pan. It is then refrigerated and rolled to form a cylinder and
frosted again. Many variations of the recipe exist, with different types
of fillings. These cakes are often decorated with ingredients so as to
look like a tree branch that is cut and ready to be put in the fire on
Christmas Day.
(ii) The Thirteen Desserts—this is a typically French dessert served
at Christmas. The traditional French Christmas dinner called “le gros
souper” (the big supper) usually ends with a ritual number of thirteen
desserts that represent the Christ and his 12 apostles. The desserts are
served simultaneously and each guest gets to taste all thirteen of them.
The desserts consist of pastry and fruit as follows:
- Dried Fruit called “the four beggars”—symbolizing the four
mendicant orders of Christianity: raisins for Dominicans, dried figs
for Franciscans, nuts for Augustines and almonds for the Carmelites.
- Olive oil pastries
- Light and dark fudge
- Fresh fruits—apples and grapes
- Candies like marzipan and “biscotins” (cookies).
- The Yule Log
Other festivals are celebrated in France. Some of these festivals
have their own culinary traditions. Others have adopted cultural
influences from abroad. For example, Easter is celebrated across the
country, although it is not a national holiday. Easter bunnies have
become cherished treats on that occasion. Halloween is also becoming
popular in France nowadays but the culinary influence of the USA is not
felt on that occasion.
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