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The French use herbs and spices from all over the world. Jacques Brasserie, a French restaurant on the Upper East Side, understands that working with these flavors is a delicate balance. French cooking is an intricate, detailed art that demands mastery of challenging flavors and procedures.
Let’s explore the common and not-so-common herbs, spices, and flavors that make up French cuisine. These essential spices are used in French cooking to produce these rich and flavorful dishes.
A combination of rosemary, thyme, oregano, lavender, dill, fennel, bay leaves, and sage is known as herbes de Provence. The herbs are packaged in tiny clay jars after being dried and ground together. Herbes de Provence, which comes from the Provence region, is also used in a variety of Mediterranean recipes.
A bouquet of fresh herbs, specifically sage, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorn, bound together with butcher string is called a bouquet garni. This unusual aroma has a strong flavor profile that complements French soups and stocks excellently.
Known as one of the most expensive spices in the world, saffron’s beautiful vivid red threads are a staple spice in French cooking. With a sweet floral and earthy flavor, saffron is most commonly found in seafood dishes.
Most notably, saffron is used in Bouillabaisse, a traditional fish and shellfish stew originating from Marseille in the south of France. This delicious dish can be found at our French bistro on the Upper East Side, Jacques Brasserie.
Tarragon, chives, chervil, and parsley make up what is known as Fine Herbs in French cooking.
These herbs are typically fresh and chopped together in fine pieces. Fine Herbs have a very delicate taste and should always be used at the end of cooking to give the dish a little extra flavor.
This essential herb in French cooking has a licorice-like taste to it. Tarragon is used to flavor items such as vinegar and mustard, as well as in cooking. When used in dishes, tarragon goes well with chicken, fish, and egg dishes. It is most famous for being included in Bearnaise sauce, a child of the popular Hollandaise sauce.
Overall, these herbs and spices are quintessential to French meals. However, they are just a fraction of what goes into French cuisine. Many others are used to achieve the unique and loved flavors of French cooking.
For an exceptional dining experience in New York, look no further than Jacques Brasserie, a French restaurant on the Upper East Side. Here, you can taste food enhanced by all these incredible herbs and spices. The world of French cuisine has a lot to offer, whether you’re a die-hard food lover or a tourist looking for an authentic fine dining experience.
