The once-popular breakfast of coffee and cigarette is giving way to healthier options.
France is a nation that takes food seriously, but when it comes to breakfast, the French are surprisingly noncommittal. Popular breakfast foods are not a big part of the French diet. Known as "petit dejeuner" or small lunch, breakfast in France is a simple meatless affair that does not so much qualify as a meal as it does a necessary morning intake of caffeine and carbohydrates. Trends toward better nutrition, however, have found fruit and yogurt appearing on French breakfast tables.
Baguette
As a symbol for French cuisine, it as only appropriate that the baguette is a popular way to start out the day in France. This crusty bread is sliced or torn, served with jam and butter and often dunked into a cup of coffee. Usually baguettes are white, but increasingly you will find whole wheat and sourdough versions.
Croissant
Croissants made with margarine have a straighter shape.
Surprisingly, it is margarine and not butter that gives most French croissants their buttery and flaky consistency. A "croissant au beurre," however, contains butter and you can distinguish it from the more prevalent "croissant nature" by its classic crescent shape. It is usually during the weekends that croissants appear on French breakfast tables. You probably won't need to add any butter, but jam and coffee are popular accompaniments
Beverages
Orange juice helps to round out the French breakfast
Coffee is the most popular breakfast beverage in France. The French often drink a whole bowl of it rather than a cup or mug. Cafe au lait (coffee with steamed milk) is a popular variation. Children enjoy hot chocolate. As far as cold drinks, orange juice is common.
Tags: French breakfast, , French breakfast tables