A new addition to my website – my French-English food glossary
For many foreigners dining in France, the French language can often be a frustrating and intimidating barrier to truly enjoying a meal out. A simple mistake in translating a menu can mean disappointment when an unexpected dish arrives. The subtle nuances of the French language don't make this any easier either. It's easy to confuse tourteau (crab) with tortue (turtle), ail (garlic) with aile (poultry wing) or chevreau (young goat) with chevreuil (venison) .
When I wrote the first edition of The Food Lover's Guide to Paris and France back in the 1980s, I knew a thorough glossary of culinary terms would be an essential component of the guides. It was painstakingly compiled from hours of research (this was pre-internet days of course!) and translations of menus that were sent to me from the restaurants I was reviewing. The result includes translated names of ingredients, regional cooking styles and dishes, meat cuts, cheeses, fish names, and cooking techniques, and is still as relevant today as the time I first wrote it.
I have continued to update it with modern culinary terms that are often found on menus in France, for the glossary section of The Food Lover's Guide to Paris app for the iPhone – a handy pocket reference when dining out, no internet connection necessary.
And for those of you without iOS devices, I have now made it available here, on my website. Enjoy!