Behind the French Menu

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Brasserie Midi.

A brasserie is a brewery in French. Even 200 years ago the Alsace and the Lorraine in Northern France were known for their many small but good breweries that also served light meals. Today more that 50% of the beer brewed in France comes from large breweries in the Alsace and Lorraine.

The Alsace and the Lorraine.

In 1870 Germany had mostly become a single German state and forced the Franco-Prussian War on France. This was the war that saw the exile of Napoleon III to England and the establishment of France’s Third Republic. After Germany’s victory, it annexed most of the French regions of Alsace and the Lorraine. Following the annexation, there was a rush of emigrants from the Alsace in the North to Paris and the south.

A sign in Brasserie Lipp in Paris today.

Photograph courtesy of Corinne Moncelli

The first brasseries were in Paris.

Some of these Alsatian immigrants had worked in or owned brasseries in the Alsace brewing and selling beer. In Paris, and in other cities, they opened restaurants whose first menus were typically Alsatian, and some did, in the beginning, brew their own beer. These brasseries began as open noisy restaurants and, apart from whatever else they offered, they included traditional Alsatian dishes such as Choucroute, pickled cabbage; Timbales, pies; Foie Gras, fatted goose and duck liver;Baeckeoffe, a hearty stew, and of course beer.

Le Grand Café, bar-brasserie in the town of Moulins.

Its decoration has remained since 1899.

The style is a mixture of Art Nouveau and Art-Déco.

Photograph courtesy of Jean-Pierre Dalbéra

At the end of the World War I, the Alsace and the Lorraine returned to the rule of France. Now came more Alsatian immigrants to follow on the success of those who came earlier. At the same time, by the 1920’s Art Deco had become popular and many Brasseries are still recognized by their unique Art Deco exteriors or interiors. Brasseries were well established and while they offered a full menu that included Alsatian specialties they still sold more beer than wine.

Brasserie

Photograph courtesy of Karol Franks

Brasseries menus today.

Today Brasserie menus may have less visible links to the Alsace, in some maybe just a quarter of the menu will offer Alsatian dishes and wines and they will be selling more wine than beer.Most Brasseries are open every day of the week serving the same menu all day.

Dinner in Brasserie Margaux

Photograph courtesy of Ali R

Connected Posts:

Baeckeoffe – A Traditional Alsatian Peasant Stew That Made the Big Time.

Choucroute Garnie. Famous Dishes of France’s Alsace Region.

Foie Gras in French Cuisine. Foie Gras is Fattened Goose or Duck Liver Foie. Foie Gras on French Menus

Ordering a Beer in France? All the French you need to know.

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

The Wels Catfish.

Photograph courtesy of Allie_Caulfield

The Silure or Wels Catfish fish has white meat with a firm texture. It will be served as filets sautéed, grilled, baked or smoked and is often part of freshwater fish soups. Areas, where freshwater fishermen and women are at work like those who fish in the River Loire, will have plenty of wild catfish for the restaurant trade and these are the best.

Too big to eat; soon to be released.

Photograph courtesy of helti

The Wels Catfish on French Menus:

Darne de Silure Grillée au Beurre de Citron Verts - A large cut of the Wels catfish grilled with a lime butter.

Ragoût Blanc de Silure - A stew made with Wels Catfish and prepared with a cream and wine sauce.

Silure Grillé Sauce au Vin Rouge et Échalotes- Grilled Wells Catfish served with a red wine sauce flavored with shallots.

Wels Catfish.

Photograph courtesy of Kim

Silure Fumé Maison en Salade aux Lentilles Vertes du Berry, Parmesan et Tuile de Speck.- Home smoked Wels Catfish served with a salad with the green lentils from Berry sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and thin slices of cured ham

Siilure Fumé de Loire aux Olives Noires, Smoked Wels Catfish from the River Loire, served with black olives.

Filet De Silure Sauté avec Sauce au Pinot Gris.- Lightly Fried Filet of Wels Catfish Prepared with a Pinot Gris Sauce,

Catfish with lemon and horseradish cream sauce.

Photograph courtesy of JaBB

Wels catfish caught in the wild can easily reach over 1 meter (3 ft) long, but the champions can be over 2 meters long and weigh over 65 kg. Nevertheless, the wild catfish sold to restaurants are rarely over ten kilos as the larger sizes are considered too fatty and the smaller fish are tastier.