French Dining Etiquette
Parisians take their food seriously, so to feel comfortable when dining out, it helps to know a few guidelines of politesse.
A good place to start is with general etiquette to learn about the top etiquette faux pas that foreigners in Paris unknowingly commit.
Specific Dining Etiquette
Don’t ever call a waiter garçon unless you want a bowl of hot onion soup dropped on your lap. Monsieur, is the proper address, madame or mademoisell
French food usually comes with the condiments already applied to the chef’s liking. Aside from salt and pepper, which are usually on the table, you’ll have to ask if you want mustard, ketchup or mayonnaise. In general, it’s not possible to request substitutions or changes to a dish, so if you do, be as charming as possible, making up an allergy if necessary (allergique, conveniently).
French food usually comes with the condiments already applied to the chef’s liking. Aside from salt and pepper, which are usually on the table, you’ll have to ask if you want mustard, ketchup or mayonnaise. In general, it’s not possible to request substitutions or changes to a dish, so if you do, be as charming as possible, making up an allergy if necessary (allergique, conveniently).
Don't talk on your mobile phone in a formal restaurant or a tiny bistro where everyone would be able to hear you. Turn off the ringer. Go outside if you have to.
Your hands should be above the table at all times, not on your lap. Don't ask why. Elbows on the table are still a no-no.
Bread is placed on a tiny side plate for formal dining, but in regular dining you place it directly on the table cloth next to your plate, not on the plate. Don't fret about the crumbs. Don't expect butter, oil, or anything else to top your bread while waiting for your meal unless you're dining formally. When eating bread, tear off bite-sized pieces with with your hands, not your teeth.
When you're done eating, put your knife and fork on the plate together in the middle. If you intend eating some more, put them one each side of the plate, but still on the plate. French waiters usually don't clear any dishes until everyone at the table has finished.
When you want the bill, you'll need to ask for it (l'addition, s'il vous plaît). In France it's considered rude for the server to "rush" you out by presenting the bill before you've asked, even if they've already cleared your plates and asked if you want anything else.
The 15% service fee is included in your bill already, even if you don't see it (what you may see is the TVA, or value added tax, 5.5% for food, 19.6% for drinks). This is the law. But it's not a "tip". Tips are something extra in France and only given if you're happy with the service (and even then, most French people tip 5-10% max). Read more about tipping here.
Don’t take it personally if your server is brusque, or worse, invisible. Even the French think that Parisian servers are rude. It’s part of the act, like New York taxi drivers. No matter what happens, keep repeating the mantra patience, patience, patience...
Saucy Basics
Simply put, a sauce is flavoured liquid plus thickening agent. By varying the combination of liquid, flavouring and thickening agent, the possibilities are endless.
Master the making of Roux ("roo"), a principal thickening agent, and you will have a whole bunch of French sauces at your fingertips as it is usually what you would start out making before transforming them into a rainbow of sauces. As seen below, Roux is used in 3 of the 5 mother sauces: Béchamel, Espagnole and Velouté. Heating equal parts in weight of flour and fat (usually butter) will produce white (5 mins), blond (20 mins) or brown (35 mins) Roux. The darker the Roux, the nuttier the flavour.
Emulsifying is another great skill to crack. Technically it means adding two liquids that do not usually mix, like oil and milk, here it involves gradually adding fat to mainly, whisked egg yolks.
Master the making of Roux ("roo"), a principal thickening agent, and you will have a whole bunch of French sauces at your fingertips as it is usually what you would start out making before transforming them into a rainbow of sauces. As seen below, Roux is used in 3 of the 5 mother sauces: Béchamel, Espagnole and Velouté. Heating equal parts in weight of flour and fat (usually butter) will produce white (5 mins), blond (20 mins) or brown (35 mins) Roux. The darker the Roux, the nuttier the flavour.
Emulsifying is another great skill to crack. Technically it means adding two liquids that do not usually mix, like oil and milk, here it involves gradually adding fat to mainly, whisked egg yolks.
The 5 French "Mother Sauces"
#1. Béchamel ("bay-sha-mel")
Commonly known as White Sauce.
- Appearance: White and just a tad bit thicker than heavy cream.
- How to: Milk is simmered and thickened with white roux while whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
- Served with: Pasta such as Lasagne and Cannelloni, mushrooms, vegetables, steamed or poached poultry.
- Variation: With this sauce, you can easily make cheese and mustard-based sauces such as Sauce Mournay and Sauce Moutarde; add onions and you’ll get Sauce Soubise and mushrooms for Sauce Aux Champigon.
#2. Velouté ("vuh-loo-tay")
Béchamel made with stock instead of milk. The sauce is generally referred to by the bones used in the stock, for example, Fish Velouté.
- Appearance: White and creamy with a tinge of brown.
- How to: Uses white stock (stock made using unroasted bones) as base, thickened with blond roux.
- Served with: Fish, poached or steamed chicken, eggs, pasta, vegetables and veal.
- Variation: To make Supreme Sauce for chicken, add heavy cream or crème fraiche and season; thicken with egg yolks and cream to make Sauce Parisienne used often in hors d’oeurves.
#3. Espagnole ("es-puhn-yohl")
Commonly known as Brown Sauce.
- Appearance: Viscous brown.
- How to: This rich sauce is made using beef/veal stock thickened with a brown roux.
- Served with: Great with roasted meats.
- Variation: Add wine and you’ll get Sauce Bordelaise; add bacon, carrots, onions, shallots and cracked peppercorns to make Sauce Poivrade.
#4. Hollandaise ("ol-uhn-dehz"
The classic butter sauce.
- Appearance: Pale buttery colour, sponge-cake-batter-like consistency.
- How to: An emulsion of egg yolk, butter and lemon /white wine vinegar for that mild sour aftertaste. Heat control is essential here to prevent curdling of the sauce and therefore usually done in a double boiler.
- Served with: Eggs Benedict, poached asparagus, grilled salmon, and lightly poached poultry.
- Variation: Bearnaise sauce - one of its famous secondary sauces - is great with beef too.
#5. Tomate ("toe-maht")
The basis of many Provençal dishes.
- Appearance: Runny with bits of tomato pulp.
- How to: Render salt belly of pork/bacon, combine with fresh tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, bay leaves and thyme; classically thickened with roux, but modern versions tend to omit them in favour of using tomato puree.
- Served with: Pizza base, pasta, baked fish, eggplants, veal chops or roast beef.
- Variation: Reduce and spice with garlic and parsley for Sauce Portuguese; add wine and Provençale mixed herbs to get Sauce Provençale.
from www.codlo.com
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