Reading French Menus

As Duchess and I finalize our tour to Paris in April we are trying to prepare our guests as best we can.  This has always been either the bane of our existence or the making of great stories on our return!  We would love to hear from you with your tales.

 One of the most challenging things we find in France is reading the menus.  Not only are the words and sauces foreign to us, they eat things we would never dream of!  Birds are featured a great deal as are all sorts of fish and seafood. Many restaurant feature a regional cooking style and depending on which French region it can be very strange!  All restaurants and bistros have their menus posted outside so you can what they offer and what the prices are for dishes.  If the menu is all in English it might be a tourist place and that's one we try to avoid.  We want to eat with the french!  We do try and stick with the PRIX FIXE menus- the "specials" of the day. They are usually the best price and include a starter, main dish and dessert. By the way, the water is fine to drink!  So do ask for a carafe of plain eau and ice is not generally used.  On one trip I stayed with my favorite salade nicoise  for every lunch as I can't make it like the French do!... Here's an example of one menu:

Choice of Starter

•Lapin en gelée aux feuille's d' estragon
• Chevre frais et fond d'art poele
• Os a moelle gratine
• Maquereau marine aux muscadet et aromates

Main Dish
• Duo de rognon et ris de veau flambes au cognac
Plats mijotes
Tete et langue de veau sauce ravigote
Pied de porc pane, grille

Dessert or Cheese Selection
• Pruneaux a la Vigneron
Millefeuille facon Pomponnette
Charlotte au fromage blanc et coulis de fruits rouges
Coupe Pomponnette

Coffee

Warmly,

Bird