International Cuisine - Paris

Caroline W. Hardenbergh-Perry Panther ID: 3886212

Panther ID: 3886212

10/05/2013 International CuisineResearch Project #1

Group 4 PARIS While most of France’s natural resources are limited; France is blessed with high-quality soils throughout more than half of the country's acreage. Throughout the ages France has been and stillremains a major agricultural region in Europe. Three-fifths of Frances acreage is used for some form of agricultural production for which the French government provides incentives to modernize farm equipment. French agriculture produces sugar beets, wine, milk, beef and veal, cereals, and oilseeds, and of course its wine varietals. Wheat is a predominant crop in the Paris Basin area, which contributes to the fresh baked baguettes loved worldwide. Pork and chicken are the most common livestock raisednear Paris.

France’s abundance of arable soil provides an agricultural surplus making France a major importer of foods and food productsprimarily throughout the EU and to the US. French cuisine is diverse with different geographical regions featuring local foodsserved according to indigenous customs. Paris is situated in an area of rich in farmland harvested for fresh produce, as well as seafood from the Loire River.

Alcoholic drinks and other types of beverages comprise a significant portion of agricultural exports grossing over 5 billion Euros in the early 2000’s. Exports of cereals and flour generated over 9 Bil Euros (12 Mil USD); while meat & animal products as well as prepared foods each generated over 4 Bil Euros (5 Mil USD).

The Ile-de-France region is one of the smallest in France and includes Paris and the surrounding area, yet there are over 9,000


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restaurants serving cuisines from all over the world, including many high-quality Michelin Guide rated restaurants. Paris food and gastronomy is basically derived from simple traditional food,obtained from the surrounding countryside; such as the much loved baguettes and croissants, Cuisses de Grenoulles (frogs legs), Sacisson (Dry Sausage), and Croque Monsieur sandwiches which are grilled cheese and ham sandwiches, using Emmental or Gruyere cheese. A Croque Madame sandwich is a Croque Monsieur with a friedegg on top.

Paris dining includes restaurants that proudly feature elegant versions of the French provincial, or local community, dishes. Restaurant Le Pot-au-Feu in downtown Paris proudly serves its namesakewhich is greatly enjoyed by Parisians and visitors alike. Pot-au-feu (pot-in-the-fire) is a traditional country dish of steak and root vegetables which are slow cooked to aromatic perfection. Toserve, the meat and vegetables are removed from the broth, which is served as a side to the dish. Historically, the stew is cooked nonstop during the winter while being topped off as needed

One of Paris’ most celebrated restaurants for over a century, le Fouquet’s on the Champs-Elysées prides itself on serving a traditional menu which features foods that are regular farm raised staples.

Appetizers:

Warm Vichyssoise With Watercress

Lettuce Heart & Crunchy Vegetables with Bleu Cheese

Glazed Vegetables, Artichokes & Arugula Pesto

Vegetable Cassolette (Casserole)

Crispy Organic Egg with Chutney


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Entrees:

Grilled Beef Tenderloin Fillet, Béarnaise Sauce, and

Potatoes Coin De Rue (Cubed, Crisply Sautéed)

Roast Veal Chop, with Capers and Lemon,

Parsnip Purée & Girolles (Chanterelle Fungus)

Cannon (Eye Of Loin) Of Lamb

Organic Free-Range Chicken

Steak Tar tare

Desserts:

Traditional Fouquet's Millefeuille

(Fruit or Cream Filled Puff Pastry)

Selection of Ripened Cheeses

Pastries of the Day

Grapefruit Salad


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Since France has centuries old prominence in fine wine production, it is important to consider the wines found in the Ile-de-France region. While no wines are produced in Paris, nearby are some regions that produce world renowned vintages. The Calvados brandy is a product of Normandy which is less than 90minutes NW of Paris. While Normandy is “too cool and damp for grapes”, Cavados brandy is produced from between forty-eight to two hundred varieties of unique cider apples.

"Calvados" is the common term for “eau-de-vie de cidre” or ‘water of life cider’ which came into use after the French Revolution. A late 19th century outbreak of phylloxera destroyed most of Europevineyards, which resulted in promoting Calvados to the forefront of popularity. Calvados is usually enjoyed between courses of large meals, served as an apéritif, or with coffee.

Champagne is a sparkling wine enjoyed by everyone, even those who normally don’t drink with the exception of champagne for special occasions. About 90 minutes east of Paris is the home ofthe only sparkling wines can bear the name of Champagne, grown in a region of “vine-covered hills” rising to forested higher elevations. In the 1700’s a Benedictine monk named Dom Pérignon discovered the “double fermentation process”, or méthode champenoise, which produces effervescent sparkling wines.

The French ‘invented’ restaurants as we know them today. In the mid-1700’s, Monsieur Boulanger opened the first free-standing restaurant in Paris which served a variety of foods prepared on premises.

When the French aristocratic social system was abolished in the late 1700’s, restaurants started serving to the middle class. About that time, Haute Cuisine was developed by Antonin Carême, (1783-1833), who popularized cold cuisine, designed kitchen tools, equipment and uniforms, and authored texts on culinary


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arts. “Haute Cuisine features meat and fish prepared with heavy sauces containing cream, egg yolks…and starches.”

Then Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935) defined French cuisine and dining during “La Belle Époque”, The Beautiful Era during the time ofwealthy capitalism in the Industrial Age. Escoffier simplified food preparation and dining and wrote “Le Guide Culinaire” –a collection of classical cuisine recipes and garnishes still in use today. Oscar Ritz’s namesake, The Ritz Hotel, opened in 1898with Escoffier as chef. Since then Ritz hotels have set the standard worldwide for quality in guest service and fine dining. From this tradition of excellence and merit came the Ritz-Escoffier cooking school Ecolede Gastronomie Francaise Ritz-Escoffier in 1988.

The oldest private culinary institution in Paris, however, is Le Cordon Bleu, which opened its doors in 1895. As Le Cordon Bleu’s reputation has grown, over 30 campuses have been opened worldwide, with international students making up 92% of enrollment. Fernand Point (1897-1955) refined and modernized classical cuisine and laid the groundwork for Nouvelle Cuisine. Then, Gaston Lenôtre (1920-2009), who became known as the Father of Modern French pastry, mastered techniques of freezing baked products. He started the culinary school, L’École Lenôtre.

Nouvelle Cuisine was defined by Henri Gault and Christian Millau andis credited to Paul Bocuse who created lighter versions of classic French dishes to be served on the Concorde supersonic airliner. Nouvelle Cuisine features healthier foods and cooking methods “emphasizing lighter, subtler tastes” using fresh ingredients.

Paris is 58 square miles in area with a population of over 2 million, of which 20% are Parisians. Paris is divided into 20


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administrative arrondissements which are situated in a spiral from the center starting with No. 1 arrondissement. No. 1 is located at the center of the northern ‘Right Bank’ of the Seine River which intersects Paris into the ‘Right Bank’ and the ‘Left Bank’.

Le Louvre is located in No. 1 arrondissement, which houses some of thegreatest artwork of all time including the ‘Mona Lisa’, ‘Venus de Milo’,and sculptures of Michelangelo. Le Louvre began as a fortress in the 12th century which was fortified until the 14th century, then transformed into a royal residence and was built upon and renovated by fifteen French Kings over four centuries until 1791 when the newly formed French Republic’s Assemblée Nationale pronounced that the “Louvre and the Tuileries together will be a national palace to house … for gathering together all the monuments of the sciences and the arts.” It is fitting that Le Louvre is at the center of Paris around which all the arrondissements surround, affirming Paris’ world stature as a city of the arts and sciences.

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Traditionally the division of Paris into Left and Right Bank weresegregated into a business world and the world of culture respectively, but this is no longer true. Along with Le Louvre, the Right Bank has la Bastille and the Champs-Élysées, a street featuring unique cinemas, cafés, and luxury shops. It is known as la plus belle avenue du monde, or "the most beautiful avenue in the world". This throughway goes past some of Europe’s most notablesites, such the magnificent Arc de Triomphe to the west of the Place de la Concorde which was the bloody site of the guillotine during the French Revolution. At the far east end of the Place de la Concorde is the Obelisk of Luxor given to Paris by Egypt in 1829, so thankfully the Place is now overlooked by a symbol of friendship and goodwill. Directly southeast of the Obelisk of Luxor on the Left Bank is the famed Tower de Eiffel. Further east up the Seine River past Le Louvre the La Cathedral Notre-Dame is situated overthe rivers.

Paris has been the business capital of France (and much or surrounding Europe) for a thousand years, as it is situated on the convergences vital rivers which were primary modes of travel and shipping in ancient and medieval times, to become busy rail and road networks. Paris has easy access to the sea, and is a main hub for the Rotterdam to Milan fast-rail, as well as a hub into the under-channel tunnel to the UK. It is no wonder then that Parisian influence regarding cuisine, fashion, arts, and sciences has been readily distributed worldwide.

North American cuisine has been greatly influenced by French and Parisian cuisine. To have a cup of French Roast coffee with a croissant is a special treat for me, but more than that French cuisine and mannerisms were a normal part of my childhood becausemy artistic mother fell in love with Paris on her after college Tour de Europe. My first taste of coffee was ‘café au lait’, and growing up my sisters and I spoke French expressions though I never became a fluent speaker. Even my children learned that ‘ferme la bouche’ meant to quiet down.


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One of the most well-known types of French influenced cuisine in American can be found in Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisines. Cajuns were the name given to Arcadians deported to Louisiana by the British from their 17th century settlement in Eastern Canada (New France) once Great Britain conquered and “colonized’ the Canadian Provinces. The ‘holy trinity’ of Cajun and Creole cooking is roughly diced bell peppers, onions, and celery, which is almost the same as classical French ‘mire poix’ of diced onions, celery, and carrots. Other Cajun seasonings are parsley, bay leaf, scallions, and cayenne pepper.

Louisiana’s creole cuisine has a mixture of influences from European, African, and Southern foods, but does use many of the same ingredients and seasonings as Cajun cooking. While Cajun cuisine began as provincial French peasant cooking adapted by theAcadians using local Louisianan foods, Creole cooking began as classical European styles when adopted by the pre-Civil War Creoles of aristocratic French roots. Creole cooking, however, does not reflect the “lavish styles of classical Paris cuisine.”

One of the first and most famous restaurants in America was Delmonico’s in the early 1800’s. It began as a small classic French pastry, fine coffee and chocolate shop located in New York’s financial center. The Delmonico brothers moved their shopto a larger site which offered private dining rooms that were a unique luxury for New Yorkers. Also, diners could order from thea la carte menu, rather than have their meals pre-planned at a fixedprice. While the Delmonico brothers were Swiss, and their first chef was Italian, many of the signature menu items are definitelyFrench inspired. Among these are Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce, and Lobster Newburg, which was introduced to Delmonico’s by a sea captain, preparing lobster in a rich sauce of eggs, cream, butter, sherry, cognac and cayenne pepper. Chicken a la Keene was a re-branding of Chicken a’ la’ King with a Parisian styled cream sauce with sherry and mushrooms. Delmonico’s claim


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to fame was the Delmonico Steak, but also was known for being the“largest private wine cellar in the city” holding over 1,000 bottles of international wines. In the mid-1940’s, when Prohibition was repealed, Americans adopted the French term “Cocktail” meaning ‘outside the meal’ to be used as an elegant party without a dinner, but passed hors d'oeuvres(finger foods) along with alcoholic drinks. Europeans were happily surprised to find that Americans offered all kinds of foods as hors d’oeuvres, and had even invented snacks specifically to be served as finger foods, such as canned vienna sausages.

During the 1950’s, backyard barbeque gatherings became a status symbol of the new suburbanites post WWII, bringing neighbors and colleagues together to a man’s ‘castle’ to admire his dutiful wife and beautiful children playing on his perfect lawn. Women’smagazines of the time publish numerous recipes to grill all kindsof foods. Interestingly, the French loaf is a popular choice to be brushed with butter and garlic, grilled, and served with grilled meats. French Brioche Rolls were also a popular choice to hold grilled hamburgers as well.

The 1960’s showed an explosion of French cooking influences afterthe dreary years of rationing during WWII. Julia Child brought French cooking to America with her book, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. When First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy served French cuisineat the White House, every American housewife rushed to buy Julia’s book, and created such a demand that Julia was approachedby network television to demonstrate and teach French cooking techniques to housewives on air.

When the 1970’s gave rise to feministic independence of women forging their place in the workforce, chic ‘cook-at-table” meals for gatherings became the perfect answer to allowing the hostess to forego the kitchen and enjoy the party with her guests. While


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cheese fondue is actually of Swiss origin, it introduced in French restaurants along with chocolate fondue and thereby considered a French inspired delight. It was during this time that French and other European wine imports greatly increased, making fine wines more readily accessible to the general public.

In the 1980’s, American families experienced both parents workingdue economic downturns and rising costs for all products affectedby the OPEC monopoly. Make-ahead dinners, casual and light suppers were becoming commonplace, if the meal was cooked at all given the wide variety of prepared foods in the marketplace. BonAppetit's 1983 Dinner Party Cookbook (Knapp Press: Los Angeles featured the following ‘Casual Supper’: French Country Feast ofMushroom, Fennel and Pepperoni Salad, Chicken with Braised Garlicand Rosemary, Potates Boulangere, and Vermouth-Glazed Pears; and a ‘Make-Ahead French Feast’ of Eggplant Tempura-Style with Red Onion Relish, Endive-Cress Salad, Boeuf a la Ficelle, Pommes Dauphine, Sautéed Leeks, Gourmandise with Sautéed Pine Nuts, Sorbet au Cabernet with Sliced Kiwi, and Langues de Chats.

The French style of using the ingredients close at hand is a belief that resonates with the heart of those living in harmony with nature in the great northwest State of Oregon. Chef Philippe Boulot was born on a farm in the Normandy village of Vilmont less than two hours from Paris, where he trained with “post-nouvelle superstar’ Chef Joel Robuchon. Chef Boulot’s own fame was earned in New York, but he brought a strong French influence to Portland after moving there with his Oregon-born wife. He has since then ‘raised the profile’ of Northwest cuisine creating signature dishes with local seafood such as halibut and salmon using ingredients from Oregon’s abundance of locally grown produce. Classical French cuisine is also present in Portland, most notably from Paris-born Chef Pascal Sauton’s Carafe Café menu featuring escargot bathed in garlic butter and wine-braised oxtail and chanterelles. Chef Sauton is quoted to say, “We are traditional, but we are not authentic…Parisians steal from everyone!”


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According to (NY Times 4-Star Rated) Eric Ripert Chef/Co-Owner ofLe Bernardin (1998 James Beard Foundation “Outstanding Restaurantof the Year”), the influence of French cuisine on American society is primarily in French cooking and food preparation techniques. He says that while all international foods are valued for their ingredients, “the French techniques are important because they are based on logic” and are applied as a “universal way of cooking”.


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Resources

Where To Eat in Paris Restaurants Like a Local; Conde Naste, (2013) http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/09/where-to-eat-in-paris-restaurants-like-a-local

Eat Like a Local in Paris; Shared Appetite, (2013) http://sharedappetite.com/eat-like-a-local-in-paris/

Paris, Fodors, (2012) http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/france/ paris/feature_30004.html

Paris Ile de France, Food, Gastonomy, Regions of France, http://www.regions-of-france.com/regions/paris_ile_de_france/food-gastronomy/

Agriculture of France, Nations Encyclopedia, (2011) http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Europe/France-AGRICULTURE.html

Resources, Discover France (2012) http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/DF_resources.shtml

France, “The New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia” Release #6, (1993)

Regions of Paris, France Tourism, (2013) http://www.francetourism.com/practicalinfo/regionsparis.htm

Vineyards, France Tourism, (2013) http://www.francetourism.com/practicalinfo/vineyards.htm

Top 10 National Dishes, National Geographic (2013) http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/national-food-dishes/?


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rptregcta=reg_free_np&rptregcampaign=20131004_rw_membership_r2p_us_w#page=2

Calvados, Wikipedia, (2013) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvados_(brandy)

Nenes, International Cuisine, 2009

Labinsky, On Cooking 4th Ed., 2006http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bocuse, 2008

Geography of Paris, Paris-city.Fr, (2008) http://www.paris-city.fr/GB/paris-city/geographie.php

History of the Louvre From Château to Museum; Louvre, (2013) http://www.louvre.fr/en/history-louvre

History, Delmonicos Restaurant Group, (2013) http://www.delmonicosrestaurantgroup.com/restaurant/about-history.html

Delmonicos, Wikipedia, (2013) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delmonico%27s

Louisiana Creole Cuisine, Wikipedia, (2013) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Creole_cuisine

Dinner Party Cookbook, Bon Appetit, 1983 (Knapp Press: Los Angeles)

Cajun Cuisine, Wikipedia, (2013) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cajun_cuisine

Food Timeline FAQs: Popular 20th Century American Foods, Food Timeline, (2011) http://www.foodtimeline.org/fooddecades.html


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S. Lorinczi, French Influence Runs Deep in the Cuisine of the Northwest, Oregon Live (2012) http://www.oregonlive.com/mix/index.ssf/food-trends/french-influence-runs-deep-in-the-cuisine-of-the-n.html

E. Ripert, What Influence Does French Cuisine Have on American Society, Discovery, (2013) http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/influence-french-cuisine-american- society

International Cuisine - Paris

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