Top 10 French delicacies

There is more to French food than croissants and steaks. Charles Timoney reveals 10 treats to try on your holiday in France this summer

Tarte tatin ... created when an apple tart was inadvertently put into the baking dish upside down. Photograph: Owen Franken/Corbis

1. Boulette d'Avesnes

When the cheese trolley arrives look closely and, if you are lucky, you may spot, lurking near the back, a Boulette d'Avesnes. It is easy to recognise as it is one of the few pyramidal ones, and certainly the only reddish one. It may very probably be the only one on the trolley which hasn't had a slice cut out of it. There is a good reason for this as we are dealing with the surprise symphony of French cheeses. It tastes stronger and spicier than almost any other cheese. It is actually delicious, once you have got used to its taste, especially if you wash it down with a glass of strong dark beer, preferably one from the north of France where the Boulette originates.
Where to try
The family-run Fromagers de France, 39 rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris.

2. Café gourmand

This is quite a recent idea, which you mainly come across in steak houses or fish restaurants that are part of a chain. You have enjoyed your "entrée + plat" but you don't really have enough room for a huge pudding, even though you fancy something sweet and chocolaty. Cottoning on to this, the restaurants have come up with the brilliant "café gourmand". The word gourmand doesn't relate to the coffee itself - it will just be the regular, small black expresso. The gourmand bit is what comes with the coffee - an artistic array of miniature puddings. You generally get three: a mini triangle of brownie, an eggcup-sized crème brûlée and a taste of something like clafoutis.
Where to try
Steak house chains Hippopotamus which can be found throughout France.

3. Soupe de poisson

I have always had a soft spot for French dishes with a do-it-yourself element, and "soupe de poisson" is one that has a pleasingly high DIY content. It is a dish of orangey-coloured soup, accompanied by little dish of small slices of very crisp toast and a little bowl of "rouille". You can spread some rouille - a garlic-based spicy sauce - on a piece of toast and then dunk the resulting spicy toast in the soup and eat it. Alternatively, you can drop the spicy toast in the soup and then spoon it out again later. A final option is to drop the toast in the soup and then spoon in a bit of the rouille. You then eat the soup with the occasional spoonful tasting strongly of garlic and spice.
Where to try
Fish restaurant La Criée, which can be found throughout France.

4. Canard

The presence of sugar lumps in close proximity to coffee leads to one of the many excellent reasons for going to France – dunking sugar lumps in strong, black coffee is absolutely wonderful. The act of dunking a sugar lump, preferably a large, oblong one, in a cup of coffee is known as "faire un canard" where "canard", as you know, normally means "duck". It is quite common, where several people are gathered around cups of coffee, for a person, who hasn't asked for their own cup, to pick up a sugar lump and lean over towards someone else's cup asking "Je peux faire un canard?" (Can I do the duck?). They thus get a kick of sugary caffeine without having to drink a whole cup.
Where to try
Café de Phares, place de la Bastille 4th, Paris.

5. Tarte tatin

Spare a thought for Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin, two sisters who, in 1888 in their restaurant in Lamotte-Beuvron, accidentally created a gastronomic masterpiece: la Tarte Tatin. According to legend, in the lunchtime rush in the kitchens, an apple tart was inadvertently put into the baking dish upside down and then put into the oven to cook. Being upside down, the apples became all golden and slightly caramelised. In order to hide their mistake, the sisters served portions of the tart with a large dollop of cream on the top. This is how it is served to this day and it is absolutely wonderful.
Where to try
Patisserie Lenotre, 44 rue d'Auteuil, 75016 Paris.

6. Trou Normand

This is a wonderful thing that can transform a heavy meal. It can leave a feeling of wellbeing where there might otherwise have been indigestion. In the more expensive restaurants, when you are in the middle of a long and extravagant meal, the waiter will arrive unexpectedly with a small glass containing a refreshing mix of sorbet and alcohol. This is a "Trou Normand" and generally comprises apple or lemon sorbet swimming in a generous shot of Calvados. It doesn't always feature on the menu but just appears at exactly the moment you are ready for it. Somehow, the mix of tangy sorbet and strong alcohol revives you from your food-and-drink-induced stupor and sets you up for the following courses.
Where to try
La Tour d'Argent, 15-17, quai de la Tournelle, Paris 75005 (if budget is no obstacle!). Also, slightly less expensive would be Le Meurice, 228 rue de Rivoli, 1st, Paris.

7. Le quignon

One of the basic rules of French culture is the rigidly applied law which states that any person buying a baguette is obliged to eat the end of the loaf at some point between the boulangerie door and his place of residence. Failure to do so risks serious punishment. Happily, no one has discovered what the punishment is because it is actually impossible to carry a freshly baked baguette for more than seven metres without breaking off the end and eating it. Eating the end of the loaf – le quignon – is so irresistible that, if you are planning to go off on your own to buy the bread every day of your holiday, it is probably a good idea to try and convince your household that the loaves are actually sold by the baker without the ends on them.
Where to try
Au Panetier, 10 pl des Petits-Peres, 75002, Paris.

8. Café et tartines beurrées

Rather than order the classic combination of a croissant with your café au lait when you have breakfast in a French café, order "une tartine beurée" instead. Such tartines are made from a thinner loaf than a baguette called "une flute" which is cut lengthways and generously buttered. Two such tartines and a big cup of coffee will start the day off nicely and keep you going until lunchtime. It is not obligatory to dunk your tartine in your coffee, but you very probably will.
Where to try
Café de Phares, place de la Bastille 4th, Paris.

9. Chouquettes

Another relatively unknown wonder to be found in any French boulangerie. And what's more, they are very cheap. Chouquettes are chou pastry balls, the size of a plum, which are topped off with some little chunks of sugar. As they are hollow, they are very light, but taste delicious. Also, as they are sold by weight you get quite a lot for your money. Calling for "100 grammes de chouquettes, s'il vous plaït" will get you a paper bag with eight chouquettes and cost you about €1.60 (£1).
Where to try
Patisserie Lenotre, 44 rue d'Auteuil, 75016 Paris.

10. Religieuse au chocolat

A chocolate éclair, only more so. When you go into a boulangerie or a patisserie, rather than buying a simple chocolate éclair try a religieuse au chocolat. A religieuse is easy to spot because it is made up of two round éclair-like parts, a little one stuck on top of a larger one. It looks a bit like a child's snowman, only covered in chocolate icing and topped off with a swirl of cream. Religieuses are perfect to share - though of course you are faced with the problem of who gets which part. If chocolate is not your thing, they even occasionally come in a mix where one part has chocolate and the other coffee flavoured icing.
Where to try
Patisserie Lenotre, 44 rue d'Auteuil, 75016 Paris.
· Pardon My French: Unleash Your Inner Gaul
by Charles Timoney is published on August 2 (Penguin) £7.99

Roast chicken in cider with shallots, pancetta and peas with fondant potatoes

From hob, to oven, to table, Helen Graves introduces the clever Tefal Ingenio range with this cider-spiked twist on roast chicken

The Tefal Ingenio range offers cooks the ultimate in cooking versatility Photograph: PR

Helen Graves’s passion for food consumes every aspect of her life. Despite being in the midst of a PhD in psychology, Graves is the author of two successful food blogs and three cookbooks, with a fourth under way. Her Food Stories blog, inspired by her eating adventures in Peckham, won a food writing award at the Young British Foodies in 2013, and she recently launched her own jerk chicken marinade (after six years’ exhaustive testing), which she sells through her blog.

Cooking is at the heart of her incredibly busy life, so when it comes to kitchen equipment, Graves is a big believer in versatility. She’s recently switched to the Tefal Ingenio range and has been impressed at how it’s helped streamline the cooking process: “I love being able to cook on the hob and then transfer a pan directly to the oven with no fuss – it makes so much sense.”

Here, she demonstrates the range’s benefits with a delicious one-pot roast chicken made entirely in a frying pan.

Roast chicken in cider with shallots, pancetta and peas with fondant potatoes

For the chicken
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
100g pancetta, cubed
20 shallots, peeled but left whole
2 sprigs of rosemary
500ml dry cider
1.5kg chicken
150g fresh peas
2 heaped tbsp crème fraîche
For the potatoes
150ml olive oil
600g potatoes
1 fat clove of garlic
2 sprigs of rosemary
Equipment
28cm frying pan
16cm and 20cm saucepans
(serves 4)
1 Preheat the oven to 180C (355F). Heat the olive oil in the frying pan and fry the garlic and pancetta for a couple of minutes. Add the shallots and rosemary sprigs, and continue to fry until the shallots colour. Move the shallots to the pan edges and place the chicken in the centre, seasoning the skin well. Carefully pour the cider around the chicken and then transfer to the oven. Wait until the pan is safely on the oven shelf before removing the handle.
2 Roast chicken for 1 hr 15 mins, or until the juices run clear. Stir the shallots occasionally during the cooking process, to ensure even colour.
3 About half an hour before the chicken is ready, pour the olive oil for the potatoes into the 20cm saucepan and add the aromatics. Heat gently, adding the potatoes so they fit snugly in the base of the pan. Place the lid on the pan and cook over a medium heat for around 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, shaking frequently to ensure they cook evenly.
4 When the chicken is ready, attach the handle and remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a board, cover with foil and leave to rest.
5 Cook the peas in a pan of salted boiling water until tender. Return sauce to the heat and simmer until it reduces slightly. Stir in 2 heaped tablespoons of crème fraîche and the peas, and season well. Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce and potatoes.

What Is Korean Food Famous For

When was the last time you ate an entire meal that filled you up without damaging your heart with salt and fat or loading you up with empty carbohydrates? If you are honest about it, you will probably have to admit that it has been a long time.

Korean food is flavorful, colorful, and meaty, but it also nourishes the body like few other cuisines. Eating Korean barbeque in Korean restaurant in NYC can be a real eye-opener because you wrap each morsel of meat in antioxidant-rich leaves and spiced up with tiny slices of garlic. On the side you always get probiotic Kimchi, rich in lactic acid, and usually hot green chili peppers full of vitamin C. The best side dish might be "myul-chi" which is a kind of small anchovy dried out. It is full of calcium, protein, omega fish oil — and it tastes sweet and salty. It's like eating beef jerky that is actually good for you.

One more word about kimchi: This stuff is amazingly good for you, and Koreans make more than 20 kinds of kimchi. It is well known as "World's Healthiest Foods." It's not just the cabbage. Koreans seem to be able to ferment just about anything. A word of advice on kimchi if you are not accustomed to it: It is exotic and strange at first, but by the second time you eat it, you will not want to live without it. In fact, most Korean people say that they can't live without kimchi — and they are only half-joking.

One big difference you will notice between Korean food and Western food is the dessert. Typically, you will be given a cup of cold and refreshing cinnamon tea, along with a plate of fruit. This cleans the palate, but it is also full of nutritious goodness because of the fruit. The heaviest dessert you will ever get in a Korean restaurant is "pat-bing-su" — a kind of crushed ice with red beans and sugary stuff in it. The sugar is not good for you, but at least it does not clog your arteries like cheesecake.

How To Make Delicious Sashimi Easily At Home

What is Sashimi? In short, sashimi is raw fish that is sliced thinly. Although, other seafood such as squid or abalone can be used as well to make sashimi. Learning how to make sashimi is as simple as having good knife skills and buying sushi grade fish.

Basically, sashimi is raw seafood and is typically made from salt water fish. It is thought that fresh water fish seem to carry an added danger of containing too many ill causing parasites. Some of the most popular fish for making sashimi are Yellowfin Tuna, Bigeye Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail or Hamachi, Snapper, and Halibut. Sashimi is usually eaten as an appetizer and is served with a dipping sauce. The most common dipping sauce seems to be Wasabi and soy sauce.

Garnishes such as Ginger, Shiso leaf, and Daikon are typically used with this Japanese dish to add color as well as different textures. Although, you can use whatever you want to garnish this dish. Some ideas are carrots, cucumbers, sprouts, green onions, edible flowers, lemons, limes, and radishes.

Some people prefer to buy sushi grade fish or sashimi grade fish for their sashimi. Sushi grade fish tends to be very fresh and has a more desirable texture - usually a fattier piece of fish as well. There does seem to be some controversy over whether or not this type of fish has to be frozen for a certain period of time. Some claim that it kills certain parasites, but frozen fish does not necessarily have a better texture than fresh.

How to Make Sashimi

Cutting against the grain is how to make sashimi more tender.

Whether its the flesh of a fish or animal, the flesh contains fibers which flow in a distinct pattern or direction.

When you slice against this pattern or direction, you will get broken pieces of fiber instead of longer pieces of intact fiber.

This makes it easier for your teeth to cut through and break down the fibers of the fish you are chewing.

Know About Japanese Cuisine Culture

Japan is a unique culture with many traditions and customs. The other day there was news about the Japanese government having a Japanese traditional "Washoku", meaning Japanese-style meal, catered at the formal UNESCO conference in 2013. Recently, Japan has been getting more attention around the world due to the Japanese food culture.

When people hear the word, "Japanese-style meal", they usually think of sushi, tempura, sukiyaki, and so on. It is true that these foods are very popular and have a good taste, but there is also formal Japanese cuisine called "Kaiseki". Kaiseki dishes are highly regarded not only for their taste but also because they use many seasonal ingredients. Most of all, they have a very beautiful appearance. These dishes are also very famous because they represent the delicateness of the Japanese people and their food.

Another important part of Japanese food culture is table manners. Japanese people have unique table manners regarding such things as chopstick usage. People in Japan mainly use chopsticks for all meals rather than using forks, spoons, or knives to eat. The very first person who used chopstick in Japan was Prince Shotoku. The use of chopsticks was first brought to Japan through Japanese missioners who went to China during the 7th century. Afterwards, using chopsticks spread throughout Japan as the most common way to eat.

In addition to chopstick usage being an important part of table manners, Japanese people also say traditional phrases, like "Itadakimasu" and "Gochisosama," before and after meals to show appreciation for the food and the person who made the meal. There are some inappropriate ways to use chopsticks such as watashibashi, mayoi bashi, and choku bashi. Watashibashi is acting that rest chopsticks sideway across the top of dishes, mayoi bashi is acting that hove chopsticks over the dishes while humming and hawing about what to eat. And, choku bashi is acting that not to use the serving chopsticks, but your own sticks to get food from shared plates.

Japanese food and customs are somewhat similar to other Asian countries but very different from Western countries. Therefore, many people in Western countries find it difficult to understand Japanese food culture and get used to it. Japan has recently become influenced by western food culture, and young Japanese people do not eat as many Japanese – styled foods as they did a few decades ago. However, Japanese food is becoming very popular in other countries because of its healthiness and its taste. It is even common to see people around the world using chopsticks nowadays. When considering that Japanese food and customs are becoming common everywhere, they are likely to live on forever.