A to Z of French Food : Letter E – Elegant Eats and Everyday Dishes

Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and this feature where we are delving into the A to Z of French Food: Letter E – Elegant Eats and Everyday Dishes.

When thinking of French cuisine, elegance is definitely a word that comes to mind. It is often well thought out, refined, and has that striking quality that embodies the French idea of presentation.

We’ve already seen a few letters of the alphabet in our exploration of the A to Z of French food, and with each new letter, we discover a whole world of flavours, techniques, and regional specialties. And today, we turn our attention to the letter E as we uncover the iconic dishes and ingredients that define this letter of French cuisine.

So whether you’re a seasoned cook, an enthusiastic foodie, or simply curious about French gastronomy, here are eight delicious dishes — plus a classic French drink — that bring the stories and flavours of France to life.

A to Z of French Food : Letter E

Continuing our delicious journey through French cuisine, this week we’re exploring eight iconic foods that start with the letter “E” : Éclairs, Escargots, Escalope, Entrecôte, Époisses de Bourgogne, Éclade de moules, Endives, Entremets and a classic French drink, Eau de Vie.

1. Éclairs

Éclairs seem to be known across the globe, partly because they are so recognisable, with their long shape and glossy icing.

They are a beloved French treat originating from the 19th century, and their name translates to “flash of lightning,” maybe because of how quickly they disappear from the boulangeries!

They are made from the same dough used to make choux, baked until it is light and hollow, and then filled with rich pastry cream and topped with glossy chocolate or icing.

Typically, éclairs are filled with chocolate, coffee, or vanilla cream, but modern interpretations include pistachio, caramel, and even fruit-flavoured fillings. I’ve even come across a violet-flavoured one — and yes, it was delicious! Whichever you find and choose, you’re sure to see these in every boulangerie in France.

Fun Fact: The éclair as we know it today is often credited to Antonin Carême, one of France’s first celebrity chefs in the early 19th century.

 2. Escargots

Now, escargots are not quite as beloved as éclairs — at least by the international crowd. The French, however, love them, or at least love the garlic butter they are served with, so much so that they have become a delicacy in France.

But when did we first start eating snails? That is the real question. It isn’t recent at all, and the evidence suggests that the eating of escargots in France actually goes back thousands of years ! Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that the Romans were already farming snails and preparing them as a delicacy, and this culinary habit then spread throughout Gaul (modern-day France). By the Middle Ages, snails were eaten regularly because they were abundant, easy to preserve, and, most importantly in a Catholic country such as France, they were classified as fish by the Church, meaning they could be eaten during Lent and other fasting periods when meat was forbidden.

All this being said, escargots as we know them today, baked in their shells with garlic, butter, and parsley, rose to national fame in the 19th century. Legend has it that Talleyrand, a powerful diplomat at the time, served them to Tsar Alexander I in 1814. The Russian emperor loved the dish, and from that moment, escargots à la bourguignonne gained prestige across France and eventually the world.


Today, escargots are still deeply tied to regional tradition, especially in Burgundy, where the famous “Helix pomatia“, or “Burgundy snail,” is prized for its flavour.

Fun Fact : Some French families still raise snails at home for the table — and a single escargot can take up to three years to grow before it’s ready to be eaten. Patience truly is a key ingredient!

3. Escalope

The term escalope isn’t so much a dish as a technique, as it refers to a thin slice of meat, usually veal, chicken, or pork, that is pounded until tender and cooked quickly.

So when and why did the escalope appear ? In the 17th and 18th centuries, the French bourgeoisie wanted more elegant dishes, and chefs began refining meat preparations to make them lighter, more elegant, and more uniform. Escalopes became especially prized because they cooked quickly at a time when French cuisine was shifting toward more delicate textures and precise techniques.


By the 19th century, the escalope had become a staple of French cuisine, with dishes such as escalope de veau à la crème, where the meat is sautéed and served in a creamy sauce, often with mushrooms and shallots, or escalope normande, made with apples and Calvados.

These dishes highlight what French cuisine is all about: it isn’t just the thin cut of meat, but the sauce work that accompanies it and the way the escalope serves as the ideal medium for balance and taste.


Fun Fact: Today, most restaurants in France serve some sort of dish with an escalope, valued for its tenderness, elegance, and the endless possibilities it offers for creative sauces and accompaniments.

4. Entrecôte

Again, entrecôte isn’t so much a dish as it is a premium cut of beef, typically from the rib area, known for its tenderness. Chances are you’ll find it in any French bistrot you step into, where it is often grilled or pan-seared and served simply with butter, herbs, and a side of frites.


However, the French didn’t originally cook it the way we often see today — in the 19th century, entrecôte was often served as part of a larger roast, sliced at the table for guests. Over time, it evolved into the quick, elegant steak we know today, perfect for bistro dining.

Although it’s not really a recipe, the entrecôte embodies the French philosophy of highlighting top-quality ingredients by keeping the rest as simple as possible!

Fun Fact : The classic French sauce béarnaise we often pair with entrecôte wasn’t originally meant for steak at all — it was a garnish for grilled meats in general, showing how French dishes slowly adapt and become iconic over time

5. Époisses de Bourgogne

This one isn’t for the faint-hearted, as Époisses is a famously pungent soft cow’s milk cheese, and as the name suggests, it comes from the village of Époisses in Burgundy.


When it comes to how it’s made, it’s quite interesting: the cheese is washed repeatedly with a mixture of brine and Marc de Bourgogne, a local grape spirit. Thanks to this washing, the cheese develops its reddish-orange rind, which gives it its signature smell.


But although it may be strong-smelling, the taste is surprisingly smooth and creamy. Even though it’s been around since the 16th century, today it is a protected designation of origin (AOP) product and a standout on any cheese board!

Fun Fact : Époisses de Bourgogne was apparently a favourite of French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte

6. Éclade de moules

Originating from the Atlantic coast, particularly the Charente-Maritime region and the Île d’Oléron, éclade de moules is a traditional dish known for its spectacular cooking method and presentation.


To create the dish, mussels are placed hinge-side down on a wooden board and covered with pine needles. The pine needles are then set on fire, resulting in smoky mussels and a unique presentation!


But why pine needles? Well, the maritime pine is a species of the region, so pine needles are abundant; on top of that, they are highly flammable and give off a distinctive aromatic smoke that flavours the mussels.
This dish shows that eating in France is much more than just about the food, it’s a social ritual!

Fun Fact : Éclade de moules is often eaten straight from the shell at seaside gatherings, making it as much about social ritual as it is about smoky, briny flavour.

7. Endives

Endives are a quintessentially French vegetable, cherished for their slightly bitter, crisp leaves and versatile uses in both raw and cooked dishes. They can be enjoyed raw in a refreshing salad, baked into the classic gratin d’endives au jambon, or braised gently to soften their flavour — making them a true winter staple in French kitchens.

Their subtle bitterness pairs beautifully with creamy sauces, cheeses, or ham, offering a delicate contrast that highlights the elegance and balance central to French cuisine.

Fun Fact : Endives were discovered by accident in Belgium in the 1830s, but the French quickly embraced them, turning this modest vegetable into a chic and versatile component of their culinary repertoire

8. Entremets are the last of our A to Z of French Food : Letter E

Last but not least are entremets! The term literally means “between courses” in French, and historically, entremets were small dishes served between each course of a meal.


Originally, they were elaborate savoury or sweet dishes served between courses to entertain guests. Sometimes they were purely decorative, such as sugar sculptures and chefs even competed to create the most impressive entremets at royal banquets.


Between the 17th and 19th centuries, savoury entremets gradually gave way to sweet dishes such as custards, creams, jellies, and pastries. Today, when you hear entremets, it almost always refers to a dessert composed of a sponge cake or biscuit base, a mousse or cream layer, and then a glaze or coating.

Fun Fact : In the 17th and 18th centuries, entremets were often elaborate edible centrepieces, sometimes shaped like castles, animals, or even ships, and often very spectacular!

A to Z of French Food : Letter E Bonus Drink : Eau-de-vie

This literally translates to “water of life” and is a clear fruit brandy distilled from various fruits such as pears, plums, cherries, and apples, depending on the region.

It is typically bottled without aging in wood, which makes it different in taste and colour from drinks such as whisky, cognac, or rum. Like those, however, it can be enjoyed as a digestif or used in cooking to enhance desserts and sauces, such as poached pears in eau-de-vie or flambéed crêpes. And remember the Marc de Bourgogne we mentioned earlier for washing Époisses cheese? Well, that is an eau-de-vie.

Beyond being used in the kitchen, eau-de-vie was used for centuries as a medicinal tonic, like many distilled spirits in early medicine. It’s worth remembering that back then, alcohol was seen as a powerful and almost magical substance, giving meaning to the term eau-de-vie!

Fun Fact : Many traditional French regions produce eau de vie from local fruits — for example, cherries in Alsace or plums in Lorraine — making each bottle a tiny “taste of place”.

Final words about A to Z of French Food : Letter E

There you have it, classic French dishes starting with the letter E that demonstrate the diversity of French gastronomy. From delicate pastries like éclairs to bold, pungent cheeses like Époisses, these dishes and ingredients tell a story of regional diversity, and historical evolution.

So whether you are a home cook, a food enthusiast, or a traveller eager to experience authentic French flavours, the foods of E offer a perfect starting point for discovering the depth, creativity, and charm of French gastronomy.

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Bon appétit!