French cuisine is renowned for being one of the best in the world. Depending on the region, traditional recipes are different, the north prefers to use butter as the preferred fat for cooking, while olive oil is more commonly used in the South. In addition, each region of France has iconic traditional specialties: Cassoulet in the South-West, Sauerkraut in Alsace, Quiche in Lorraine, Bourguignon beef in Burgundy, Tapenade Provençale, etc. The most famous products in France are Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Beaujolais wines as well as a wide variety of different cheeses, such as Camembert, Roquefort and Brie. There are more than 400 different varieties.
A meal often consists of three courses, hors d'oeuvre or entree (starter dish, sometimes soup), main course (main course), cheese (cheese) and / or dessert, sometimes with a salad offered before the cheese or dessert. Hors d'oeuvres: Salmon terrine with basil, lobster bisque, foie gras, onion soup or croque-monsieur. The main course could include a pot of fire or steak fries. The dessert can be a mille-feuille pastry, a macaroon, a lightning, a creme brulee, a chocolate mousse, pancakes or a café de Liège.
French cuisine is also considered a key element of the quality of life and attractiveness of France. A French publication, the Michelin Guide, awards Michelin stars for excellence to a few selected establishments. The acquisition or loss of a star can have dramatic effects on the success of a restaurant. In 2006, the Michelin guide awarded 620 stars to French restaurants, at the time more than any other country, although the guide also inspects more restaurants in France than in any other country (in 2010, Japan received as many Michelin stars than France, despite the presence of half of the Michelin inspectors on site).
In addition to its wine tradition, France is also a major producer of beer and rum. The three main French brewing regions are Alsace (60% of the national production), Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Lorraine. A meal often consists of three dishes, hors d'oeuvre or starter, main course, cheese or dessert, sometimes with a salad offered before the cheese or dessert. France produces rum through distilleries located on islands such as the island of Reunion in the South Indian Ocean.
