8 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Toulouse

This traditional bean- and meat-based dish from the southwest of France comes in three versions, and each version is a separate dish in its own right. The name cassoulet comes from the name of the dish used to prepare it, called a cassole. The dish is braised for hours in this glazed terracotta casserole pot at a low temperature until the meat and beans are soft enough to melt in your mouth. Three cities claim to be home to the original recipe, and while they are eternally striving for the title of “best cassoulet”, all agree on one thing – this dish is held sacred in the Lauragais region. One version comes from Castelnaudary, and is based on white kidney beans with pork products such as smoked ham, spicy sausages, and pork shoulder. Cassoulet de Carcassone adds chunks of mutton, lamb, partridge, or quail, while cassoulet Tolousain combines duck or goose confit with all of the aforementioned ingredients. This staple of French comfort food is best enjoyed on a cold winter day and it is recommended to accompany it with a glass of fragrant, full-bodied red wine.Expand

French for fatty liver, this decadent, expensive food product is made by using a controversial force-feeding process known as gavage, in which corn is fed to ducks and geese (primarily to the hybrid male Mulard ducks) through a feeding tube. The livers of birds which are force-fed in this way are enlarged and full of a buttery, slightly sweet fat. Foie gras is prepared by melting the livers in their own juices with a sprinkle of salt, resulting in a supple product. Usually served chilled and in scoops or slices, the texture is similar to that of ice cream. Foie gras is easily spreadable and full of rich flavor. It is creamy pink in color, and the only thing you need to enjoy its flavor to the fullest is a slice of bread or a crusty baguette, or if you’d like to enjoy it in the popular French style, serve it atop a salad. Try it chilled on a piece of toast paired with a few fresh figs. Foie gras is primarily produced in the French regions of Alsace and Périgord, and according to French law, only foie gras made from force-fed ducks or geese can be called foie gras. However, the production or import of foie gras has been banned in many countries, including India, Australia, and a number of EU countries.Expand

A decadent version of the classic apple pie, tarte Tatin consists of sliced apples seasoned with butter, sugar, and cinnamon, topped with a buttery pie crust pastry, and baked until the apples become golden and syrupy. The whole cake is then inverted upside-down on a serving platter. The name of this dessert honors the Tatin sisters, the owners of a restaurant near the city of Orléans who invented the recipe in the early 1900s. However, the cake gained huge popularity when the famous Maxim's Restaurant put it on their menu. Tarte Tatin is best served warm, accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and topped with some créme fraîche that melts on contact.Expand

Creamy, flaky, and delicate, this French dessert can be literally translated as a thousand leaves. Mille-feuille consists of thin layers of pastry and fillings topped with cocoa, almond, or vanilla icing. Fillings may include jam, whipped cream, custard, puréed fruit, or nut paste. The first recipe for this decadent dessert appeared in La Varenne’s 1651 cookbook Le Cuisinier François. Mille-feuille’s alternative name, the Napoleon, refers not to the emperor but to the Italian city of Naples, which is known for its layered desserts. There is also a savory version of the mille-feuille filled with cheese and spinach, and it is usually served as an appetizer, especially in Italy and the United States.Expand

This French delicacy is one of the most common ways to prepare foie gras. In this case, seasoned and raw foie gras de canard or duck foie gras is pressed into a terrine container or any similar container, and it is then left to marinate drizzled with some Sauternes wine or Armagnac on top. After marinating for some time, the terrine is placed inside a water bath and baked before it is weighted down to give the dish its distinctive fatty layer on the surface. It is a common practice to chill the cooked terrine de foie gras for a couple of days or more before consumption. This specialty is usually sliced thinly and accompanied by slices of toasted bread or baguette, fig jam, and a glass of fine French wine on the side.Expand

This dish of flash-seared duck breast dates back to the late 1950s, when French chef André Daguin first prepared a magret like a steak and served it medium-rare. The meat is usually served thinly sliced and still slightly pink on the inside. The cut of the breast usually comes from the mulard duck, a cross between the Pekin and the Muscovy duck. This breed is raised for foie gras, so its breast meat is thicker and more flavorful than that of other duck breeds. In the mid-1960s, rare duck breast became extremely popular in the United States thanks to Robert Daley, an American journalist who praised Daguin’s specialty in The New York Times. Today, magret de canard can be found on tables throughout France, both in restaurants and private homes.Expand

Traditionally consumed by peasants in the historic Dauphiné region in France, gratin dauphinois is a savory dish consisting of thinly sliced potatoes, crème fraîche, and butter baked in a shallow earthenware cooking vessel. The dish can be eaten on its own, preferably with a salad on the side, or as an accompaniment to fish or meat dishes. The term gratin originally referred to the flavorful crust that was left in the pan after the dish was baked. The first mention of the dish dates back to July 12th, 1788, when it was served at a dinner hosted by Charles-Henri, Duke of Clermont-Tonnerre and Lieutenant-General of the Dauphiné, for the officials of the city of Gap in the modern-day Hautes-Alpes region.Expand

Aligot is a dish which incorporates mashed potatoes, melted cheese, cream, and crushed garlic. This combination results in a creamy, elastic, and velvety mixture that is similar to fondue. The dish is a specialty of L'Aubrac, a region located in the south of France. It is believed that aligot was invented by monks who lived in the regional monasteries and were often visited by pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, a pilgrimage site in the north of Spain. The original version included a combination of bread and cheese, but the dish got its final form in the 16th century, after the introduction of potatoes. Aligot is often served alongside sausages, roasted veal, lamb, and pork. Traditionally, it is prepared with the local Tomme cheese, but modern varieties often incorporate mozzarella or Cantal.Expand