Typical french family dinner

saucisson will definitely be a part of it edit - maybe not dinner though

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.

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.

Alsacian almond carp ftw!!

First time I hear of this

Your people drink the blood of small children then go on to sell bolts of fabric for "pas cher".

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

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)

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

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

Yes. Dinner starts at 8-ish and goes until midnight.
Impossible. First time you've heard of gigot d'agneau served on Sunday? Uh, no.
That's true about the salad. I dispensed with the entrée because I find a lot of families don't serve it regularly, but it's certainly done more often than in North America.

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 ?

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

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.