Travel expert Rick Steves knows Europe. The popular travel writer and television host has been exploring Europe and giving advice to Americans for decades, so you know he has really good tips for dining well while on vacation in Europe, whether it’s skipping the hotel continental breakfast, ordering coffee the right way, or ways to sample a variety of foods in Italy. When it comes to France, Rick Steves has a dining rule that might change how you eat, and that’s to “eat seasonally,” as he states in his blog on “Eating Well in Europe.”
One example is not ordering French onion soup if you’re traveling in France over the summer. Although French onion soup is a classic dish, and one of the many French dishes you need to try at least once, it’s traditionally a winter soup. If you see French onion soup on a menu in France in July, then chances are you’re at a tourist trap, since no decent local restaurant would have it on the menu then, as Steves explains in “Turning European Meals into Memories.”
Read more: 10 Mistakes To Avoid When Dining In Italy
Eat seasonally for the tastiest French dining experience
A better soup to order in France in the summer would be soupe au pistou (also known as Provençal vegetable and bean soup), a seasonal dish made with beans and summer vegetables including green beans, peas, tomatoes, and zucchini. Not only would it taste better since it uses fresh, seasonal ingredients at the peak of their flavor, but you’ll also be getting a more authentic French dining experience. It should tick off two additional Rick Steves recommendations for eating well in Europe: Trying local specialties and getting out of tourist zones.
As for non-soup options, a fresh salad Niçoise or a colorful ratatouille are both great classically French summer options — if you’re going for properly authentic eating, you could order your salad in Nice, the city from which it originates. Come wintertime, feel free to order that French onion soup, or try a pot-au-feu or other winter-suitable dishes such as boeuf bourguignon (a Julia Child favorite), cassoulet, or coq au vin — just don’t expect them to look like they do in American restaurants.
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Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Dining and Cooking