Karen R. Lane wrote in message <34C92AB2.FBB71911@earthlink.net>...
>Our daughter will be speding 2-3 weeks in France this summer during an exchange program and we would like to try to introduce her to some foods typically eaten. Can anybody tell us what is typically eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
>Thanks. Karen & Wayne
Breakfast: croissants, coffee, "tartines" bread with butter, jam or honey.
Lunch: a full meal with apetizers (like pate, saucisson, etc... some typical French specialties: escargots - a must try- cuisses de grenouille (more easy to find this specialty around Lyon) jambon de Bayonne, foie gras d'oie ou de canard, quiche lorraine etc...)
Main course is typicaly a piece of meat with sauce and of course french fries, potatoes, all kinds of vegetables (however typical French courses may be: rabbit - civet de lapin- and many regional specialties: cassoulet, choucroute, gratin dauphinois, bouillabaisse, fondue savoyarde et bourguignone, and many more ...
Then comes the salad with typically sauce vinaigrette (only one dressing and not the thousand you propose in the States :-) and cheese. I won't go into the details, but you must know that we have more varieties of cheese than there are days in a day. Each small village has his own specialty. They are all great and thanks god, we don't have the FDA to limit the choice (these people don't know what's good :-) She has to try them, but she should taste the real good cheeses, not the industrial ones. She will find cheese stores, this is the place to go).
As far as desserts, it's wide open to the imagination. They are all great and completely different from the choices found in the grocery stores in the USA. Especially the birthday cakes which are all the same in the USA.
Needless to say they are very diverse in France and succulent. She'll tell you when she is back!
Pascal Roncalez <pascalr@atl.com>