Cassoulet, Choucroute, and beef stew with wine (Beef Bourguignon) are fine French winter dishes that you cannot miss. France is entering winter. The houses, stores, and streets seem to put on new clothes, and prepare for the upcoming Christmas. The restaurants are also crowded with foodies enjoying the delicious winter dishes in this beautiful country.

1. Cassoulet

When it comes to must-try French food to get you through winter, people will immediately think of Cassoulet – a rustic dish with an undeniable attraction. The combination of Cassoulet with bread and wine paints winter with a warm and fuzzy feeling. It will warm the heart immediately as if it is the warmth of the local people.

Cassoulet is traditionally sophisticatedly prepared. The ingredients are white beans, bacon, and sausage. In some particular places will add goose meat, pork skin, or duck meat, to create consistency for the dish. To create a standard Cassoulet dish, the cook will have to put in a lot of effort and go through a lot of stages, from simmering pork with beans, then baking it in the oven, etc. Nowadays most dishes in restaurants are more or less simplified in the way of cooking, although the taste is almost no different.

If you’re urged to enjoy sophisticated traditional food, you can visit restaurants in the south of France. The place is known as the homeland of the famous Cassoulet.

2. Beef Bourguignon

Winter is the season of wine festivals. What a pity if any visitors miss wine recipes when coming to France. Beef stew with wine is a good example and perfect for a winter menu, for diners who love the elegance and sophistication of France.

This dish is known as the ‘soul’ and pride of French cuisine, the perfect combination between beef and wine. The pieces of beef are stewed for many hours with wine to harmonize the aroma of wine and the sweetness of beef.

The meltingly tender beef is dyed a red wine color, which will guarantee to melt in your mouth. The flavor is full once you take a sip of red wine. All of your troubles and worries are put outside the door. You will feel as if the warmth from the dish chases away the cold of the European winter.

3. Choucroute Garnie

A nutritious dish that provides major nutrients will be a perfect choice for a cold winter day in France. Choucroute seems to be very plain with ordinary ingredients, is a piece of golden fried pork, served with German sausage, ham, bacon, boiled potatoes, cabbage, and mustard. However, it makes fine dining a memorable culinary experience.

The side dish with cabbage is not any usual cabbage. It’s made of fermented cabbage, which is a familiar ingredient in French meals since the 17th century. Therefore, for those who are not familiar, it will feel somewhat unique and difficult to eat when enjoying. However, once you get used to it, you will find yourself ‘addicted’ to this nutritious traditional dish.

4. Grilled oysters with champagne and crocus sativus (Crocus sativus)

Another aristocratic dish that reflects the true color of the French people. The dish is grilled oysters with champagne and crocus sativus. This dish is considered an indispensable part of the list of delicious and nutritious dishes, helping the French ‘get through the cold winter.

This dish is considered aristocratic food because oysters are expensive seafood of the Cotentin peninsula, which made it a fancy meal that not everyone can afford. The luxury and expensiveness of this dish are perfectly expressed in the way its cookery is processed and decorated. The grilled oysters are recommended to be enjoyed with a glass of champagne and crocus sativus.

Usually, because of the high price, this dish is only served at luxury restaurants. However, do not hesitate to withdraw your wallet to enjoy this dish. Let’s get a bite of the French nobility.

5. Bouillabaisse

In the sub-zero cold, it’s a must to enjoy a delicious, flavorful, and nutritious bowl of seafood soup. Bouillabaisse should away be checked on any traveler’s checklist. Bouillabaisse is a dish originating from Southern France. It has an impressive and unique combination of herbs such as crocus sativus, garlic, and orange peel…It brings the heat to a windy winter. After a long day wandering on the streets, sitting down and enjoying a warm bowl of seafood soup is an amazing energy booster.

Don’t forget to enjoy this warm and comforting meal with a glass of white wine. It’s an unforgettable experience for visitors to this country. You will become a true Frenchman from the way you enjoy the food to the enjoyment of the flavors.

French cuisine always makes visitors admire its sophistication and extremely special taste. Hope you will enjoy all the delicious dishes above during your upcoming winter trip to France.