French food for Christmas and New Year | Per on Forbes

Share / Like:

Share / Like:

Many countries have special food traditions for Christmas. In Sweden, as an example, you have the “julbord”, with a specially prepared ham, special herring, special cabbage, and many other things.

In France, curiously, they don’t really have much special food for Christmas and New Year. Instead they just eat more and better of what one would have for any festive meal at another time of the year. Lots of shellfish, succulent pieces of meat, game of many different types, well-matured cheeses, etcetera.

There are two things that only get a place on Christmas tables though. That is the capon, le chapon, the castrated rooster, and the bûche de noël, the very creamy-buttery Christmas log cake. And also, oysters, enormous amounts of oysters.

On the other hand, thinking about the Swedish Christmas food, it is mostly not really very different from things that you eat at other times of the year, only more and with a slightly different touch to it.

So perhaps the differences are not so great after all. Christmas and New Year is a time to enjoy some of the best, together with people that count for you.

Live lobster from Bretagne (Brittany), a rare luxury
Live lobster from Bretagne (Brittany), a rare luxury, copyright BKWine Photography

Read more on this in Per’s article on Forbes: What The French Eat For Christmas (And New Year) 2017, A Picture Essay.

Here is the introduction:

Going out shopping the days before Christmas is no great pleasure. Crowds everywhere. Going out looking at others doing their shopping can be quite enjoyable. Especially if you do it at food markets in Paris. You can revel in looking at all the goodies knowing that you already have all you need in the fridge at home.

Easier said than done perhaps.

But that’s exactly what we did the two days before Christmas here in Paris. It had a few added benefits. At one food stall they were selling caviar and they gave us a sample of their beluga (Calvisius from northern Italy – delicious). In another shop, they were making a promotion for champagne (of course) so we had a glass of Bollinger Grande Année. In between, we had a bite of belota belota Iberian ham.

Read all of Per’s article on BKWine on Forbes.

One lonely Christmas tree left outside the grocery shop
One lonely Christmas tree left outside the grocery shop, copyright BKWine Photography
A shoal of langouste
A shoal of langouste, copyright BKWine Photography
Bouquet shrimps, very luxurious
Bouquet shrimps, very luxurious, copyright BKWine Photography
Madeleine cakes with ... black truffles
Madeleine cakes with … black truffles, copyright BKWine Photography
Big name and small grower champagnes
Big name and small grower champagnes, copyright BKWine Photography
Champagnes on the shelves at the wine shop
Champagnes on the shelves at the wine shop, copyright BKWine Photography
A delicious pineapple gateau from Version Original in Issy les Moulineaux
A delicious pineapple gateau from Version Original in Issy les Moulineaux, copyright BKWine Photography
The butchers special, home-made foie, that he was very proud of
The butchers special, home-made foie, that he was very proud of, copyright BKWine Photography
Juicy entrecote from the butcher
Juicy entrecote from the butcher, copyright BKWine Photography
Partridge, ready to go into the oven
Partridge, ready to go into the oven, copyright BKWine Photography
Christmas in Paris, Eiffel Tower Sacre Coeur, Ferris Wheel, Les Invalides dome (L to R)
Christmas in Paris, Eiffel Tower Sacre Coeur, Ferris Wheel, Les Invalides dome (L to R), copyright BKWine Photography
Black perigord truffles, tuber melanosporum, the best
Black perigord truffles, tuber melanosporum, the best, copyright BKWine Photography
Belota belota Iberian ham
Belota belota Iberian ham, copyright BKWine Photography
Snails, a French classic, but in reality rarely seen
Snails, a French classic, but in reality rarely seen, copyright BKWine Photography
Foie gras, duck, guinea fowl, duck breast...
Foie gras, duck, guinea fowl, duck breast…, copyright BKWine Photography
Birds, capon, turkey, chicken, doves,... are very popular
Birds, capon, turkey, chicken, doves,… are very popular, copyright BKWine Photography
The checkout counter line at Le Bon Marche the day before Christmas
The checkout counter line at Le Bon Marche the day before Christmas, copyright BKWine Photography
If you don't want wine you can splash out on water. 50€/bottle for the Bling one
If you don’t want wine you can splash out on water. 50€/bottle for the Bling one, copyright BKWine Photography
Live oysters can be found all over Paris around Christmas and New Year
Live oysters can be found all over Paris around Christmas and New Year, copyright BKWine Photography
Live lobster from Bretagne (Brittany), a rare luxury
Live lobster from Bretagne (Brittany), a rare luxury, copyright BKWine Photography
Foie gras is usually from duck (canard) but can also be goose (oie)
Foie gras is usually from duck (canard) but can also be goose (oie), copyright BKWine Photography
Tasting beluga caviar from Calvisius
Tasting beluga caviar from Calvisius, copyright BKWine Photography
Cheese from cow, goat, sheep
Cheese from cow, goat, sheep, copyright BKWine Photography
Mature and tender cuts of beef at the butcher's
Mature and tender cuts of beef at the butcher’s, copyright BKWine Photography
Big department stores have very elaborate Christmas decorations in the windows
Big department stores have very elaborate Christmas decorations in the windows, copyright BKWine Photography
Big department stores have very elaborate Christmas decorations in the windows
Big department stores have very elaborate Christmas decorations in the windows, copyright BKWine Photography
Buches de noel, the French Christmas log cake with butter cream filling
Buches de noel, the French Christmas log cake with butter cream filling, copyright BKWine Photography
Buches de noel, the French Christmas log cake
Buches de noel, the French Christmas log cake, copyright BKWine Photography
Roses are pretty at Christmas too
Roses are pretty at Christmas too, copyright BKWine Photography
Veal's hoof, only one left
Veal’s hoof, only one left, copyright BKWine Photography
Beef and veal tongue, some like it very much
Beef and veal tongue, some like it very much, copyright BKWine Photography
Beef jowls and ox tail, much appreciated these days
Beef jowls and ox tail, much appreciated these days, copyright BKWine Photography
A mountain of langoustines
A mountain of langoustines, copyright BKWine Photography
Sea urchins, considered a delicacy by some
Sea urchins, considered a delicacy by some, copyright BKWine Photography
A chapon fermier (farmhouse capon)
A chapon fermier (farmhouse capon), copyright BKWine Photography
A wide choice of cheese in the world's best cheese country
A wide choice of cheese in the world’s best cheese country, copyright BKWine Photography
A butcher's shop
A butcher’s shop, copyright BKWine Photography
Oysters and huge langoustes
Oysters and huge langoustes, copyright BKWine Photography
Hard cheese and soft cheese, preferably unpasturised
Hard cheese and soft cheese, preferably unpasturised, copyright BKWine Photography
Many different chevre, goat cheese, preferably unpasturised
Many different chevre, goat cheese, preferably unpasturised, copyright BKWine Photography
Some cheese may look odd but they are delicious
Some cheese may look odd but they are delicious, copyright BKWine Photography
Various clams, sea snails and other shell fish
Various clams, sea snails and other shell fish, copyright BKWine Photography
Oysters of different types and sizes
Oysters of different types and sizes, copyright BKWine Photography
Live lobster from Brittany
Live lobster from Brittany, copyright BKWine Photography
Fresh scallops
Fresh scallops, copyright BKWine Photography
Giant crab claws
Giant crab claws, copyright BKWine Photography
Big shrimps
Big shrimps, copyright BKWine Photography
Fresh daurade royale
Fresh daurade royale, copyright BKWine Photography
At the fish monger's
At the fish monger’s, copyright BKWine Photography
Big beautiful langouste
Big beautiful langouste, copyright BKWine Photography

 

Chose your language. Read the article in:

Author:

Author:

Share this post:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  Subscribe to comments:

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER!

25,000 subscribers get wine news every month. You too?