France is at the top end of the list when it comes to food and culinary variety. Besides going to restaurants and eating extraordinary dishes like Escargots à la bourguignonne (burgundy style- snails) or Coq au vin (chicken cooked in vine) it is also a must to try out the baked stuff from Patisseries and Boulangeries in France.
First, it has to be defined what the small but important difference between these two categories is. For most people everything can be summarized under one kind. But for the French it’s a huge difference. So, bakery is found in Boulangeries, it is mainly bread items and baked goods like baguette, croissant or also sweet stuff like pain au chocolat. Pastry on the other hand is a picture of quintessentially fine desserts and high-end sweets and can be found in Patisseries. If someone wants to open a real patisserie in France, they even need an official diploma. But there are combinated stores, so if you have the diploma, you can be both: Patisseries and Boulangeries.
The most known bakery item from France is the baguette. But in a Boulangerie in France you will find more than one type of baguettes. There is the baguette blanche or classique wich is the classic white baguette, there is also the baguette traditional which is a little chewier and has a crunchier crust. Most Boulangeries also offer special baguette types depending on the region.
At least as famous is the croissant. The original French croissant is made from a yeast dough that is repeatedly rolled out flat and then pieces of butter are worked in until the typical layered and fluffy structure comes through.
If you want something heartier, a quiche is also recommended. This is a short crust filled with an egg and cheese mixture, which can be topped with a variety of other ingredients. The famous Quiche Lorraine, for example, is filled with onions and bacon. But there are also countless vegetarian variations that are refined with vegetables.
The Paris-Brest is not only known for its taste, it also has an interesting story of origin. The choux pastry kringle, which is filled with Hazelnut croquant buttercream and topped with sugar and almond leaflets, was first made in 1910. Its round form is intended to represent the route from Paris to Brest and back, which was the route of the bicycle race that took place that year.
Fruit tartlets are small cake-ish desserts, the base is a short crust dough filled with some butter cream and topped with all kinds of colorful fruits, such as berries, kiwis or citrus slices. Often finished with a glossy glaze, so they look such as good as they taste.
Not all pastry items do have to be baked. There are also different kinds of creams. One is Mousse au chocolat, which literally means chocolate mousse. It is made of whipped cream, melted chocolate and egg whites. Gently mixed together the result is a super fluffy creamy and chocolaty mousse. A dessert that satisfies chocolate lovers with every little bite.
Remember, this is just the beginning of all the culinary stuff French culture has to offer. Entres, even more desserts and also wines could make this list endless.
