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One of the most crucial aspects of French culture and dining is food, as well as the act of gathering around a table with friends and family to enjoy the flavorful cuisine. While you may prefer to be sitting in a fine-dining restaurant in the south of France, you can embrace this memorable tradition from the comfort of your own home.
From building the perfect menu, including all your favourite flavors and ingredients, to selecting delicious and complementary French wines from top producers like Semillon wine makers, your next dinner party is sure to be the talk of your friend group.
Building the Menu
When hosting a dinner party of any kind, creating a delicious, balanced, and achievable menu can be one of the most complicated parts to get right. The key is to plan ahead, giving yourself ample time to narrow down your options and build a complete meal that includes all your favorite ingredients and flavors.
Skip overly complicated recipes and unfamiliar techniques that you have never tried before; instead, opt for dishes that you are comfortable and confident making and can prepare ahead of time. It is particularly crucial to keep each serving on the smaller size to ensure your guests can enjoy the whole dinner.
Aperitif
As your guests arrive, begin your evening with a pre-dinner drink and a small, but tasty plate of bites that your guests can enjoy while settling in. If they have never met before, this course can act as the perfect icebreaker to get the conversation flowing.
Popular aperitif drink options include champagne, an Aperol spritz, white wine, Suze, or a seasonal cocktail. Red wine is typically not offered during this course. Alongside your drink of choice, a small snack plate is served, which often includes mixed nuts, olives, sliced sausage, and crackers.
Entrée
Once all your guests have arrived and enjoyed an aperitif, it is time to invite them to the table to serve the entrée. This dish is typically something simple and easy to prepare, whether made at home or purchased from the store. Popular options include seasonal soup, a vegetable quiche, salade niçoise, and pâté de campagne.
Main Dish
The plat principal or main dish is typically the most elaborate and heaviest course of the entire meal. It should always be prepared at home, and it is the ideal time to introduce a full-bodied red wine to complement the punchy flavors.
Showstopping main course ideas include coq au vin, gratin dauphinois, pot-au-feu, and ratatouille. Additionally, don’t forget to include a baguette or two on the table, with butter pots on hand, for your guests to enjoy alongside their meal.
Cheese Platter
In traditional French dining, the cheese course is enjoyed after the main dish. It features a mouth-watering selection of cheeses from different regions, made from various milks and offering distinct flavors and textures, served with a fresh baguette and simple side salad.
Depending on the number of guests, you should aim to serve between three and seven types of cheese. Soft cheeses include Brie, Camembert, and Livarot; hard cheeses like Cantal, Beaufort, and Mimolette are delicious options. Blue cheeses like Roquefort and Saint-Agur will never steer you wrong, and goat’s cheeses like Banon and Sainte-Maure will complete your selection.
Dessert
With so many high-quality and popular bakeries and patisseries around France, dessert is often purchased from a local establishment as opposed to being made at home. Full cakes and tarts that can be sliced for each guest, and smaller treats like macarons and madeleines are common choices.
However, if your local bakery or pastry shop fails to meet your expectations, traditional dessert recipes include baba au rhum, tarte tatin, chocolate mousse, and cherry clafoutis.
Coffee
At French dinner parties, coffee is served as its own separate course, following dessert. However, if you prefer to enjoy your coffee alongside your chosen sweet treat, simply combine the courses according to your own preferences.
Coffee should be served in a relaxed atmosphere, either at the table or in the living room, and should be nothing more than a simple pot of coffee, tea, or espresso, if you have the appropriate machine. Dark chocolate is an excellent accompaniment as it significantly enhances the taste and aroma of the coffee.
Digestif
The final part of your dinner party should include serving a digestif, an alcoholic drink used to aid in proper digestion. While aperitifs are selected to liven your palate, digestifs will be richer and higher in alcohol to help you relax after a lengthy meal.
Because many guests may be driving home after your party, it is essential to keep this serving small, offering a small shot of a strong alcoholic beverage like Cognac, Absinthe, Armagnac, or Calvados.
Wine Pairings
No French dinner party would be complete without the perfect wine accompanying your delicious dishes, and the French typically follow a specific set of rules when it comes to selecting the ideal wine. It is essential to serve wines from lightest to darkest, starting your meal with a white wine or rosé before moving on to the reds.
White wines traditionally pair best with lighter foods, such as chicken, fish, vegetables, and salads. In contrast, robust red blends beautifully complement the richness of red meat and heavier dishes, like winter stews.
Sparkling wines can be served with various dishes, as they act as the perfect palate cleanser. Depending on your budget, drinking preferences, and the number of guests, you can opt for a bottle of wine to enjoy with each course or select just one quality bottle to accompany your main dish.
