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Typical french family dinner

HitMan009

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Hi,

Can someone tell me what a typical family in France would make and eat for dinner? Please also mention what would a nice sunday dinner would be....

I want to explore more then just haute cuisine.
 

oman

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saucisson will definitely be a part of it

edit - maybe not dinner though
 

holymadness

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The traditional sunday meal is gigot d'agneau (roast lamb) served with potatoes, mushrooms and vegetables, but it can vary. This is followed by a salad and cheese course, then dessert, then coffee. Red wine is drunk throughout.

The typical weekday dinner is less elaborate and it would be hard to pin down a typical case.
 

Fuuma

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Originally Posted by holymadness
The traditional sunday meal is gigot d'agneau (roast lamb) served with potatoes, mushrooms and vegetables, but it can vary. This is followed by a salad and cheese course, then dessert, then coffee. Red wine is drunk throughout. The typical weekday dinner is less elaborate and it would be hard to pin down a typical case.
Typical, as in typical of a family in the Northern part... I want the OP to prepare cassoulet.
 

itsstillmatt

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Originally Posted by Fuuma
Typical, as in typical of a family in the Northern part... I want the OP to prepare cassoulet.
Last typical family Sunday dinner I went to in France was choucroute garni. I suggest he makes that. I think holy madness basically hits on it that there is good, traditional food over several hours with a lot of talking. At least, that is my experience out in the country. I think the latter two points are probably more essential than the actual food.
 

gdl203

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Originally Posted by holymadness
The traditional sunday meal is gigot d'agneau (roast lamb) served with potatoes, mushrooms and vegetables, but it can vary. This is followed by a salad and cheese course, then dessert, then coffee. Red wine is drunk throughout.
First time I hear of this
 

gdl203

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Hors d'oeuvre (can be charcuterie, pate, saucisson, an appetizer or salad*)
Main course
Cheese
Salad*
Dessert


* some people eat salad before main, some after - there's no fast rule
 

globetrotter

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Originally Posted by gdl203
First time I hear of this

I've heard of it, but I am not french, so it might be about as prevelant as a ham dinner with pinnaple in the states (Somebody is eating it, but it wasn't my family)
 

Fuuma

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Originally Posted by gdl203
Hors d'oeuvre (can be charcuterie, pate, saucisson, an appetizer or salad*)
Main course
Cheese
Salad*
Dessert


* some people eat salad before main, some after - there's no fast rule


People that eat salad after the main course should be deported to Guantanamo.
 

holymadness

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Originally Posted by Fuuma
Typical, as in typical of a family in the Northern part...

I want the OP to prepare cassoulet.

Are you saying that's what he's asking for, or that's what I described?

Originally Posted by iammatt
Last typical family Sunday dinner I went to in France was choucroute garni. I suggest he makes that.

I think holy madness basically hits on it that there is good, traditional food over several hours with a lot of talking. At least, that is my experience out in the country. I think the latter two points are probably more essential than the actual food.

Yes. Dinner starts at 8-ish and goes until midnight.
Originally Posted by gdl203
First time I hear of this
Impossible. First time you've heard of gigot d'agneau served on Sunday? Uh, no.
Originally Posted by gdl203
Hors d'oeuvre (can be charcuterie, pate, saucisson, an appetizer or salad*)
Main course
Cheese
Salad*
Dessert


* some people eat salad before main, some after - there's no fast rule

That's true about the salad. I dispensed with the entrÃ
00a9.png
e because I find a lot of families don't serve it regularly, but it's certainly done more often than in North America.
 

gdl203

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Originally Posted by globetrotter
I've heard of it, but I am not french, so it might be about as prevelant as a ham dinner with pinnaple in the states (Somebody is eating it, but it wasn't my family)

I've heard about sunday roasts in England - I hadn't heard about it growing up in France. Which doesn't mean it's not something traditional in some regions or families.

Ham & pineapple ?
confused.gif
 

Fuuma

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Originally Posted by gdl203
I've heard about sunday roasts in England - I hadn't heard about it growing up in France. Which doesn't mean it's not something traditional in some regions or families.

Ham & pineapple ?
confused.gif


Les roast beefs aiment le roast beef, c'est bien connu...
 

globetrotter

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Originally Posted by gdl203
Ham & pineapple ?
confused.gif



next time you're in chicago I'll hook you up with some ham and pinnaple.


I've had meals in french company cafaterias that we 3-4 courses and very nice. it seems wine for working lunch might be less common than it was 10 years ago, but I don't know if that is a universal thing. and try to explain to a french businessman that you watch what you eat, its like basically tatooing on your forehead that you are a sissy.
 

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