Article published October 16, 2001
Don't let the language be a barrier
For many people, the most intimidating part of selecting from a French menu is pronouncing the items to the waiter. If you haven't had high school French, the terms can be tongue twisters.
However, this unfamiliarity shouldn't keep anyone from tasting some of the most delicious culinary possibilities.
Give yourself a French lesson via home-schooling.
The textbook can be a basic cookbook, such as the Joy of Cooking or one of the classic French cookbooks from authors such as Julia Child and Jacques Pepin.
Jacques Pepin Celebrates can help home cooks learn French classics.
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Jacques Pepin, whose latest cookbook is Jacques Pepin Celebrates, has been accessible to the American public, and has inspired area culinary experts such as Georgeann Brown of Dundee, Mich.
Ms. Brown, who has taken cooking classes in France, credits Mr. Pepin for her great culinary interest. "Jacques Pepin influenced me so much. [When I was] 20 years of age, in the early 1980s, before the TV cooking shows, he came to the cooking stores in Chicago. I took a four-day course."
About five years ago, I reported on Mr. Pepin's visit to Summit Mall in Akron when he did a free cooking demonstration for local shoppers. The cookbook author and PBS cooking show star took time to answer questions and autograph cookbooks.
So I encourage home cooks to take advantage of local cooking classes and visits from national chefs. Call it a field trip in your home-school curriculum.
These are ways to become comfortable with terms on menus from around the world, including French cuisine. Although the home cook doesn't have to read French cooking terms out loud, understanding them eases preparation.
Here are some frequently used terms, pronunciations, and definitions.
Beurre (burr): Butter
Bouquet garni (boo KAY gahr-NEE): Bunch of herbs - parsley, thyme, and bay leaf - tied together and used to flavor soups, stews, and broths
Boeuf bourguigon (BEUF boor-gee-NYON): Burgundy beef stew
Cassoulet (ka-soo-LAY): Classic dish from Languedoc region, consisting of white beans and meats such as sausage, pork, and preserved duck or goose.
Coq au vin (kohk-oh-VAHN): Chicken, mushrooms, onions, bacon, or salt pork with herbs cooked in red wine
En croute (en KROOT): Food partially cooked and then wrapped in pastry and baked
Fougasse (foh-GAHS): Flat bread made with herbs de Provence
Fromage (froh-MAHZH): Cheese
Oeuf (ouf): Egg
Pain (pan): Bread
Patisserie (puh-TIHS-uh-ree): Pastry or pastry shop
Poulet (poo LAY): Chicken
Provencal (proh-vahn-SAHL): In the style of Provence, cooked with garlic, tomatoes, and oil
Ragout (ra-GOO): Rich stew of meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables
Veau (voh): Veal
Kathie Smith is The Blade's food editor.
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