Looking to make a classic French breakfast? Here are some famous French breakfast foods to create an authentic French bistro experience in your own home.
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When I first moved to the South of France, I was taken by the lifestyle. Having a French breakfast in the South of France sunshine, over looking the Mediterranean sea was absolutely heavenly. Le Chef, who became my husband, walked me through how a French breakfast differs from an American breakfast. A typical breakfast includes flaky croissants, crusty baguettes a hot drink and a fruit juice.
Typical French Breakfast
The typical french breakfast does not include a fried egg. Eggs are not a popular breakfast food in France. If there is an egg at breakfast, it is an oeuf à la coque (soft boiled eggs) served with toast points or a slice of baguette for dunking. Les oeufs brouillés, scrambled eggs, or an omelette are seen as a lunch or light dinner dish.
Breakfast is a light meal, meant only to tide over until the most important meal of the day, lunch. Most french cafés also serve breakfast.
How to Read a French Breakfast menu - the traditional French breakfast.
Formule Petit Déjeuner or Petit Déjeuner complete
Jus frais pressée (this means freshly squeezed orange juice or grapefruit juice)
Tartines - toasted baguettes sliced lengthwise served with butter and jam on the side. I wrote a blog post about French Tartines here. Sweet Tartines are served at breakfast or for a mid afternoon snack. Savory Tartines make a delicious light lunch or dinner.
Les Viennoiseries - refers to baker's pastries such as:
Fresh Croissant
Pain au Chocolat
Pain aux Raisins
Brioche au sucre
Chausson aux Pommes (apple turnover)
Café - this means an espresso, or Café au lait, with milk.
Chocolat chaud - French hot chocolate. Not just for kids but many adults enjoy hot chocolate in the morning as well.
French bakeries
While fresh baguette and viennoiseries are a must at breakfast, very few French households actually bake them themselves. Why would they? There are incredible French bakeries at every street corner, selling an extraordinary quality of baked goods, made fresh that morning, for only one euro.
Unfortuantely this is not the case in the United States and I prefer to bake my own bread (at least I know what all the ingredients are). I encourage you to try my super simple, quick French Baguette recipe, even if you have never baked before.
Le Petit Déjeuner
Le petit déjeuner is the first meal of the day and a delicious way to start the day off on the right foot, especially if you have a sweet tooth, like my French husband.
I actually think it makes sense to eat your croissant and pain au chocolate first thing in the morning, finishing the day with a light supper, perhaps some vegetable soup and a piece of cheese before you go to bed.
American Breakfast
In recent years brunch has become a chic import from the US. Le Brunch at a French Café can have everything you see on an American menu, some times with a french twist. Pancakes with maple syrup, french toast (pain perdu), croque monsieur or Croque Madame
English breakfast
The traditional breakfast in England is as far away from the French custom as you can imagine.
A fried egg, baked beans, blood sausage and a roasted tomato, all served with toast. Hearty and filling and definitely delicious but not a light meal for sure!
Tartines
Many French people start their day with a tartine for breakfast. A section of crusty baguette cut lengthwise. A generous spread of butter and a dollop of jam. I love Bonne Maman peach jam but you can also use any variety of store bought or homemade jams. A chocolate spread, like Nutella, is my daughter's favorite.
My husband, Le Chef, likes a tartine with only butter on it that he dips in rich hot chocolate - it brings him right back to being a kid in France. I prefer a cafe au lait, myself.
French Breakfast Recipes
Pain Perdu- French Toast served with fruit compote
Crêpes We make these crêpes every sunday morning in our household. One of my favorite moments of the week.
How to revive stale bread
Yesterday's baguette can be easily revived by running it quickly under water and then placing in a hot, 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.
Mother's Day Menu
Serving a French Breakfast is a great way to celebrate Mother's Day. I wrote a full blog post about French Mother's Day recipes here.
Do you enjoy this round up of popular french breakfast food? What would be your ideal breakfast?
About Le Chef's Wife
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (6 and 3) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
Look inside our Kitchen with this recent Washington Post Article. We were recently featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment here:
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Au plaisir,
Le Chef's Wife
Patrick S Kennedy says
Really wonderful receipes and great ideas for both personal and entertainment dining. Thank you!