圣诞节在世界各地：法国 - Christmas Around the World: France

在法国的圣诞节假期在许多方面 - 特别是在准备儿童和成人的精美食品。圣诞节是圣诞节前夕的圣诞晚餐，这是一年中最盛大的晚餐之一。它不仅仅是一个简单的晚饭，但。这是一个美味的食物，以后课程，所有准备在法国烹饪的优良传统的丰富的传播。

世界着名的法国美食，自法兰克王国查理曼的日子以来已经走过了很长的路。在他的时间 - 700年代末和800年代初 - 晚餐通常是一个大块肉或鱼在金属杆煮熟。直到1300年代，法国的食物才开始接受任何特殊待遇。当它做，吃饭（至少在皇家的房子）成为一个壮观的辉煌的机会，特别是在圣诞节。

厨师互相竞争，供应壮观的菜肴，包括名为sotelties的作品。由酥皮或旋转糖制成，他们描绘了微型城堡，圣经场景，或异国情调的鸟类和野兽。法国菜终于成为了一个艺术在16世纪后期，在国王路易十四统治期间。他在凡尔赛宫的皇家住所雇佣了超过50名厨师和小厨房助手。法国的一些美味酱汁在路易十四的餐桌上推出，肉酱，通常是肝脏和其他美味佳肴。而且，相反，从大量的难消化，高度加香的食物从以前的时代，提供了精心准备的肉类或鱼的一小部分。

The Christmas holiday in France is observed in many ways--and especially in the preparation of exquisite foods for children and adults. One of the grandest meals of the entire year is served at Christmas, the Christmas Eve "supper," called the reveillon. It is much more than just a simple supper, though. It is a lavish spread of delicious foods, course after course--all prepared in the fine tradition of French cooking.

The cuisine of France, renowned the world over, has come a long way since the days of Charlemagne, king of the Franks. In his time--the late 700's and early 800's--dinner was usually a large piece of meat or fish cooked on a metal pole. It was not until the 1300's that food in France began to receive any special treatment at all. When it did, dining (at least in the royal houses) became an occasion of magnificent splendor, notably at Christmastime.

Chefs vied with one another to serve spectacular dish, including creations called sotelties. Made of pastry or spun sugar, they depicted miniature castles, Biblical scenes, or exotic birds and beasts. French cuisine finally became an art in the late 1600's, during the reign of King Louis XIV. He employed more than 50 chefs and lesser kitchen helpers in his royal residence at Versailles. Some of France's fabulous sauces were introduced at Louis XIV's table, as were pates--meat spreads, frequently of liver--and other delicacies. And, instead, of massive quantities of the indigestible, highly spiced foods from previous eras, smaller portions of exquisitely prepared meats or fishes were offered.