{"id":20212,"date":"2014-04-02T04:00:22","date_gmt":"2014-04-02T02:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=20212"},"modified":"2017-10-23T12:25:46","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T10:25:46","slug":"a-table-the-french-meal-in-seven-courses-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/a-table-the-french-meal-in-seven-courses-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00c0 Table!: The French Meal in Seven Courses (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cSit down for a French meal and expect to stay seated for at least a couple hours.\u201d I remember hearing someone say these words many years ago and later realized truer words were never spoken.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to be French pour appr\u00e9cier la bonne nourriture<\/b> (to appreciate good food) but for people unaccustomed to sitting down to eat for several hours at a time, this can be quite an experience. I recall on more than one occasion sitting down pour le d\u00e9jeuner<\/b> (for lunch) around 1 pm and being served le caf\u00e9<\/b> (coffee) around 4 pm only to stay seated around the table for a couple more hours until le d\u00eener<\/b> (dinner) was served around 6 pm. I think our record was close to 8 hours from the moment we sat down to eat lunch to when we got up from the table after dinner.<\/p>\n

Traditional French meals, more specifically lunch and dinner, consist of several courses to be eaten en succession<\/b> (in succession). Dine at any fine restaurant in France and be prepared to spend une bonne partie de l\u2019apr\u00e8s-midi<\/b> ou du soir<\/b> (a good part of the afternoon or evening) eating. A French meal should not be eaten hastily. This is not fast food. So sit back and enjoy the good company, good food and good wine and watch as the hours fly by.<\/p>\n

Follow along as we explore the first three courses of a typical repas Fran\u00e7ais<\/b> (the French meal). Keep in mind that there are no hard rules and that a meal can have as many courses as the chef sees fit.<\/p>\n

1. L\u2019Ap\u00e9ritif <\/b>(Aperitif): L\u2019ap\u00e9ritif doit ouvrir<\/i> l\u2019app\u00e9tit<\/b> (must open<\/i> the appetite). This first course usually consists of boissons alcoolis\u00e9es<\/b> (alcoholic drinks\/cocktails) such as pastis<\/i> (a French liqueur flavored with anise and mixed with water) and salty foods (olives, crackers, mixed nuts) to be consumed in moderation. L\u2019ap\u00e9ritif is usually served dans le salon<\/b> (in the living room) or anywhere away from the dining room.<\/p>\n

Hors-d\u2019\u0153uvres<\/b> is a French term also used in the English language to describe the finger foods served before the main dish. It comes from the French words hors<\/b> (outside of\/apart from) and \u0153uvre<\/b> (work) meaning it is served apart from the main dish.<\/p>\n

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2. L\u2019Entr\u00e9e<\/b> (Appetizer): Americans refer to the main dish of a meal as the entr\u00e9e<\/i> but in France, l\u2019entr\u00e9e\u2014meaning entry<\/i>\u2014is eaten just prior to the main dish. Served at the table, l\u2019entr\u00e9e may consist of poisson<\/b> (fish), charcuterie<\/b> (sausages, p\u00e2t\u00e9, jambon), quiche, or some other baked dish. Entr\u00e9es can be served either hot or cold and can be seasonal and\/or regional. This is also where la premi\u00e8re bouteille de vin<\/b> (the first bottle of wine) is served to complement the dish.<\/p>\n

3. Le Plat Principal\/Plat de R\u00e9sistance<\/b> (The Main Dish): The main dish is, as you may have guessed, the heart of the meal where la viande<\/b> (meat\u2014beef\/veal, chicken, pork, lamb, duck, etc.) or le poisson<\/b> (fish) is often served alongside des l\u00e9gumes<\/b> (vegetables) and a starch such as des<\/b> pommes de terre<\/b> (potatoes), du<\/b> riz<\/b> (rice) or des<\/b> p\u00e2tes<\/b> (pasta).<\/p>\n

Le plat principal is le plus copieux<\/b> (the most hearty\/copious) of all the courses and you must take care not to eat too much as there are still more courses to follow. Another bottle of wine is carefully selected to pair perfectly with the meat or the fish.<\/p>\n

Stay tuned for second part of our lesson where we will explore the last three courses of a typical French meal.<\/p>\n

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\u201cSit down for a French meal and expect to stay seated for at least a couple hours.\u201d I remember hearing someone say these words many years ago and later realized truer words were never spoken. You don\u2019t have to be French pour appr\u00e9cier la bonne nourriture (to appreciate good food) but for people unaccustomed to…<\/p>\n

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