When I say I stand in praise of the French tart do not be dismayed. I am, of course, referring to those perfect pastry cases that thrill in an entirely innocent way. French tarts are about as good as they come – leek lovers plump for the flamiche of Picardy, while potato-holics head for Alsace and their tarte aux vigneronnes. My personal favourite is the tarte à l’oignon, smothered with perfectly caramelized onions.
Although French cooking seems very meat based, vegetables were, in fact, an important part of the diet right up to the end of the 19th century and many splendid regional vegetable dishes still remain. Think of the garbure of the Pyrénées, a thick soup of cabbage, peppers, potatoes and haricot beans, and the potage of Lorraine, a comforting broth of potatoes and leeks.
French tastes may seem quirky to the British: they like to eat their meat rare, their vegetables al dente and their crème caramel blowtorched to a crisp. Alcohol is an essential part of French cooking. If it’s not in the dish then it’s served with it, and quite often it will be both. In Normandy the alcohol of choice is cider and in Flanders beer, while wine reigns in the rest of the country. The excesses of traditional French cooking do not stop at booze – butter, crème fraîche and eggs enrich dishes from sole à la normande to tarte Tatin. What can you do but roll home and diet?
Don’t be fooled, however, into believing that rich, fancy and elaborate always means good. Like the couture, the cuisine of France depends on clean lines, a perfect cut and good materials to work with. The success of many dishes relies on meticulous simplicity. Go to any rural auberge and savour the delights of a simple vegetable soup or home-farm chicken grilled with tarragon. French food is not nearly as pretentious as you may have once believed.