French Food

French food is famous for being elegant and delicious. France has a long tradition of great cooking, and French chefs are respected around the world. Butter, cream, and fresh herbs are important ingredients in French cooking. From crusty baguettes to delicate pastries, French food is a treat for the taste buds.

Popular French Dishes

Croissants are flaky, buttery pastries that the French eat for breakfast. French onion soup is a warm, cheesy soup topped with crusty bread. Crepes are thin pancakes that can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients. Ratatouille is a vegetable dish made with tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant.

French Baking and Pastries

France is especially famous for its bread and pastries. A baguette is a long, crusty loaf of bread that French people buy fresh every day. Eclairs are long pastries filled with cream and topped with chocolate. Macarons are colorful sandwich cookies with a creamy filling. French bakeries, called patisseries, are found on almost every street in France.

Fun Facts

• French people buy about 10 billion baguettes every year.
• France produces over 1,000 different types of cheese.
• The croissant was actually inspired by a pastry from Austria, not France.

Did You Know?

French cuisine is so important that UNESCO added it to its list of the world's intangible cultural heritage in 2010!