The New French Revival

Some of the classic country-style dinners in France include cassoulet, beef bourguignon and coq au vin. All of these dishes can be made using the same process as other shelf-stable, low-acid foods. They can be packed into cans, hermetically sealed under vacuum and retorted to temperatures near 240°F for sufficient time to achieve commercial sterility. The supermarket selection of precooked, frozen meals would also benefit from some French-inspired foods. Frozen-food manufacturers can infuse many of the simple ingredients already used in other frozen dinners—like roasted chicken, potatoes, beans, pork loin and mushrooms—with appropriate wine-based sauces and other French flavors.

French food is, by nature, both gourmet and rustic. The absence of French dishes in our supermarkets and restaurant chains, combined with our long-standing perception of it as an “expensive dinner out,” gives the cuisine an aura of mystery and sophistication that many of the other, overused ethnic concepts will never recoup. To keep casual dining and retail foods interesting, we have to keep digging into those underutilized, manufacturer-friendly items that can so easily be transformed into affordable mainstream cuisines. French can be the next Mexican or Asian dining trend, and the proverbial French doors are wide open to anyone interested in walking boldly through them.

Rachel Zemser, CCS, has a B.S. and M.S. in food science, a culinary arts degree and almost 15 years of food-industry experience. She is a member of the Research Chefs Association and is an industry consultant.

Notable Regional Flavors of France

North-Central: Known for Classical Haute Cuisine, Prix Fixe Bistros, Burgundy Wines and Dijon Mustard

• Croque Monsieur (Paris)—Grilled ham and Gruyère sandwich
• Beef Bourguignon (Burgundy)—Stew with Charolais beef and assorted vegetables braised in Burgundy wine

North-West: Known for Crepes, Fresh Seafood, Shallots, Salt Marshes, Apples and Cooking With Lots of Heavy Cream

• Crêpes and Galettes (Brittany)—Ultra-thin pancakes made from white-wheat or buckwheat flour, water, eggs and cream; fillings can be sweet or savory
• Tarte Tatin (Normandy)—Upside-down apple tart in which the apples are precooked in butter and sugar, covered with puff pastry, baked in the oven, and flipped over before serving

North-East: Known for Sausages, Pork, Gingerbread and Other Hearty, German-Style Fare

• Quiche Lorraine (Lorraine)—Flaky, open-faced pastry tart filled with bacon and cheese custard
• Choucroute Garnie (Alsace)—A dish, sometimes prepared like a casserole, often made with sauerkraut, sausage and other meats, and potatoes

South-West: Known for Cassoulet, Confit, Mushrooms, Game Birds, Foie Gras and Ragout

• Cassoulet (Languedoc-Roussillon)—Stew made with white beans, pork (or duck) and vegetables
• Poulet Basquaise (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)—Chicken cooked with tomato purée, olives, garlic, and green and red bell peppers

South-East: Known for Garlic, Fresh Herbs, Seafood and Italian-Influenced Cuisine

• Bouillabaisse (Provence)—Mixed seafood soup
• Nougat de Montélimar (Rhône-Alpes)—Candy made from almonds, lavender honey and pistachios