Our October issue of Food and Wine Magazine came last week, and the main article is “Francomania” food and wine. After my recent trip to Paris, I have no doubt the French know how to do food. As I said in my original Bonjour40 blog, “Don’t worry if you trip and fall in Paris, because you’ll land on a loaf of bread.” The art of the boulangerie alone is worth the trip, but the food in France is stunning, fresh and flavorful beyond description. The sheer number of fabulous restaurants and cafés is enough to tell you why the French aren’t known for winning wars. They’re busy making and partaking in gastronomical delights instead.
Successful compositions are about using ingredients together in a unique, thoughtful or beautiful way. And to me, French culinary art and plate presentation are something from which every artist, photographer, writer, and designer can learn. Every ingredient is chosen because of its impact, how it will combine with the other elements, or because it can carry the flavor and message of the entire meal. It should begin with the eyes, fill your senses, make the mouth water, ignite your palette, and alter your perception. The food photos in the October Food and Wine issue, stir me, and make me want to head back to France. At the very least, I should head to my own kitchen to try making their onion soup recipe.
Is there a French food that excels in composition for you?
