French dishes, ingredients, and culinary traditions. Focuses on regional food traditions; general fermentation methods and pastry forms retain their existing sections.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Which Spanish custard has a caramelized sugar crust and is flavored with lemon and cinnamon?
Crema catalana usually cooks on the stovetop, while crème brûlée usually bakes in a water bath.
Which crisp topping covers classic crème brûlée custard?
Chefs torch the sugar just before serving so it melts into a glassy shell that diners crack with a spoon.
Ratatouille takes its name from a French verb meaning what action?
Before it named the vegetable dish, "ratatouille" was a dismissive name for mixed stews.
Which layered dish did Chef Thomas Keller prepare for Pixar's Ratatouille?
Keller's version thinly slices zucchini, eggplant, and tomato into a spiral, the elegant restaurant take on the rustic stew.
Which purple vegetable stars in classic ratatouille?
Eggplant acts like a sponge in olive oil, so cooks often salt and sear it first to keep the stew rich rather than greasy.
What does the French dessert name crème brûlée literally mean?
The name refers to the sugar layer scorched with heat until it turns amber and brittle.
Which flavor traditionally scents classic crème brûlée custard?
Real vanilla beans leave tiny black seeds in the custard, a mark of classic flavoring over extract alone.
Ratatouille is traditionally associated with which French region?
The dish combines summer vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers cooked in olive oil.
Which saffron-flavored fish stew is a specialty of Marseille?
Bouillabaisse originated with Marseille fishermen using unsold rockfish, flavored with saffron, fennel, and olive oil, served with rouille and bread.