In 1453, the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople and closed off the overland trading routes from Europe to the Orient.

It was at this time that Queen Catherine arrived at the French court with several influential Italian chefs, who helped refine French cuisine. In the 16th century an Italian princess, Catherine de Medici, wed Henry Duc d’Orleans (who went on to become King Henry II). Wondering how? Well, the Italians were lightyears ahead of the French, when it came to cooking techniques, and the use of garlic, mushrooms, and other spices. One of the commonly accepted theories is that the use of certain herbs, spices and pickling techniques were used by people of this time in order to flavour and preserve the food through the barren winter periods.įrench cuisine owes a great deal to Italy. From the Moors to the Franks, each and every one of these powers added their own twist to what we know as French cuisine today. France as a country was once part of several empires. The French cuisine that we know and love today is an amalgamation of hundreds of years of cultural learnings and exploration. In today’s post, let us take a peek at this fascinating story and further appreciate French food. The history of French cuisine, therefore, is the study of flavour, war, trade, colonization, and romance. The French imbue romance into everything and food is no exception. The French love for food has spun words like ‘gourmet’, ‘cuisine’, and ‘gourmand’. France, one word that conjures up visions of romance, food, and history.

Cuisine royale france