The Untold Truths About French Cuisine: Beyond Butter and Baguettes

French food is world-renowned for its ‘elegance’, but what happens when subtlety becomes bland? From croissants to creamy butter, French cuisine excels in certain areas while lacking spice and variety. As someone described it to me recently, “the French are masters of the bland foods.” Despite the highs and lows of French culinary traditions, "nuanced" sometimes means "plain." But global influences are changing the food scene in cities where I live, like Nantes.

Some Problems with French Food

It's hard to criticize French food, but let's give it a shot. Quite honestly, people seem to not hear you when you say anything bad about it. There’s a cognitive disconnect for people or something. There are many, many things done here exceptionally well, but there are also plenty of “French” foods that could use some seasoning, which many folks see to be averse to. I have given really mild spice mixes to friends and the reactions have been extreme, like an almost allergic reaction to alien flavors.

To be fair, it is probably just them. Like anywhere else, plenty of people like hot sauce and they can be delicious.

I’m not here to claim that French food isn't excellent; it absolutely is. However, for all its culinary acclaim, there’s a surprising lack of variety in everyday options. Sure, there’s plenty of amazing food, but after a while, things can feel a bit... underwhelming. Perhaps “subtle” is the kinder term, but sometimes "subtle" crosses over into "bland." It's like the cuisine is so focused on perfecting the basics that it often forgets to add a little excitement to the mix.

French food excels at what it does, but living here, I often want more than what the traditional menu has to offer. Or more confusingly, what restaurants and cuisines have adapted to the locals’ palates. After all, they’ve gotta sell food - never mind the skill of the chef.

As I was told by the woman who owned the Chinese restaurant in my hometown, a place that had created its own suburban New York Chinese hybrid that, while not “authentically Chinese” (whatever that might mean), but is delicious:

“My father was an engineer when he moved here in the 1960s. He started this restaurant to build a life for his family here. But he had no idea what he was doing. It took him 5 years to learn how to cook. At least that’s what my mom said about it.”

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So there is that - but I am going to assume that the folks opening places in France know how to cook.

A lot of French cuisine relies on local fresh ingredients and quality basics. We’re near Britanny and the butter is remarkably good. I have it every day and still there are moments where I think,

“damn, that is really good butter”

…just out of the blue. Yet even great butter will only take you so far.

As a method, it”French cuisine is about fresh ingredients, specific preparation and a focus on subtle and nuanced flavors.

A lot of places manage to deliver just that. Pretty much any kind of bread is truly excellent here. It’s almost insane how many places you can get an amazing baguette or croissant.

But nuanced can also be kind of plain. Not every cook is Jacques Pepin while that same description about French food could be applied to major cuisines around the world. I like variety.

France is not good with spicy food.

Even cuisines I normally think of as really flavorful or having some spice to them dial back the seasoning to cater to French customers. I had a Chicken Vindaloo that was the mildest ones I have ever had. It was like a tangy ketchup.

Mexican food seems seriously misunderstood here. If there is a good Mexican place in this city, I haven’t found it. Luckily, there are many other cultures represented in France.

In Nantes, it’s the Laotian, Bengali and Sudanese places that have been standout. You just need to search a bit more for them. We’ve found good markets for ingredients from other cultures, but when we were out in the countryside, it was hard to even find basic hot sauces.

Don’t translate French food

A friend from Paris has family from Guyana. He said that the lack of food options in cities outside of the capital is a part of why he relocated to the United States when his company offered it. Paris was getting way too expensive and was, as he described it, at the same time kind of arrogant about its food.  

Paris does have a lot of great food. But if you live there, you might not eat it all the time.  That wasn’t Stephane’s problem.

 “I don’t like French food!”

“Wha? All of it? There’s a lot of good stuff…”

“No, I don’t hate everything. I just hate how excited French people can get about things that have no flavor. ‘Haricots vert!’ ‘Haricots vert!’ have you had them? They’re everywhere!”

Of course I have. “Haricots vert” (“ha·ruh·kow vuht”) are green beans. I’ve had them. But a popular recipe is done fresh with butter, lemon, shallots and salt. They can be pretty delicious. It’s more homey, but deliciously homey. With everything fresh, they’re really nice.

“Bad example,” I told Stephane. “I like them a lot.”

“Come on! ‘Green beans!’ That can’t just be a French thing, that’s what I’m saying!”

Green beans are definitely not just a French thing.

“I hate haricot vert! And I hate how excited everyone gets about this plain food! We French have a ‘national sandwich’! It’s a ham and cheese!”

“A croque monsieur?” It’s a nice sandwich.

“Mister Crunch!” Stephane almost shouted. “It’s a stupid name!”

“Croque Monsieur” literally means “Mr. Crunch,” more or less. Don’t start translating the names of French food into English. It takes something out of it. Chocolate mousse is delicious. Chocolate ‘foam’ loses a bit.

“Oui! A stupid sandwich! And it is so clever because Mr. Crunch has a wife, don’t you know? Mrs. Crunch! Because she has the egg!”

“Oh yeah. I never thought about it.”

“She’s a pregnant sandwich! Stupid!”

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