Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and this feature where we are delving into the A to Z of French Food: Letter F – Fabulous Flavours and Culinary Finds.
French cuisine is celebrated around the world for its diversity of dishes, its depth of flavours, and its savoir-faire. Indeed, there is a multitude of French foods and dishes that have crossed borders and oceans to find their way into the lives of people worldwide.
As we move further through the A to Z of French food, each new letter reveals a world of flavours, techniques and regional specialities. In this article, we turn to the letter F — a letter that truly spans the full spectrum of French gastronomy. From small bistrots to Michelin-starred restaurants, the letter F reveals how French food effortlessly blends simplicity with refinement.
So whether you are a passionate foodie, a curious traveller exploring French gastronomy, or simply want to know what makes French cuisine so enduring, this chapter offers a delicious journey through some unforgettable culinary finds.
A to Z of French Food: Letter F
Continuing our delicious journey through French cuisine, this week we’re exploring eight iconic foods and one classic cocktail that start with the letter “F” : Fromage, Ficelle, Fougasse, Flammekueche, Fondue, Foie Gras, Financier, Far Breton and a classic French cocktail, French 75.
1. Fromage
Let’s start at the very beginning, with fromage. For those of you who don’t know, fromage is the French word for cheese. As one of the country’s most treasured culinary icons, it is definitely a food whose presence can be felt in any French kitchen. This is because France boasts over a thousand varieties of cheese, ranging from soft and creamy to firm and pungent (Maroilles comes to mind!).
What’s great about fromage is that each region has its own specialities, making cheese very much a question of terroir. This deeply human concept refers to the combination of environmental and human factors that give food (and wine) its unique flavour. Environmental factors include climate and topography, while human factors involve farming traditions and savoir-faire, meaning the knowledge and techniques passed down over centuries. It is because of this regional pride that Normandy is known for its soft cheeses, the north of France for its strong washed-rind cheeses, and the Loire Valley for its delicate goat cheeses.
Because of all of this, cheese isn’t just something you eat between the main course and dessert in France; it is a ritual, savoured slowly and often paired with bread and wine.
Fun Fact: France is often said to have “a cheese for every day of the year,” but in reality there are well over a thousand varieties. General Charles de Gaulle once famously remarked, “How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese?” — a witty reminder of how deeply fromage is woven into French life.
2. Ficelle
Let’s move on to breads, another staple of French cuisine. To stay with the letter F, let’s look at two varieties of French bread: the ficelle and the fougasse.
First, the ficelle. It can be thought of as the thinner cousin of the baguette and is often a last-minute addition during a run to the bakery, a treat to snack on the way home. Crisp on the outside and fluffy within, it can be found in many variations, such as with lardons (bacon pieces), sun-dried tomatoes, or even cheese.
Fun Fact: The word ficelle means “string” in French, a nod to its slender shape. Its higher crust-to-crumb ratio makes it especially crisp and flavourful — which explains why many Parisians can’t resist tearing off a piece before they even reach home.
3. Fougasse
The fougasse, on the other hand, is a flatbread from Provence, often flavoured with olives or herbes de Provence. Bakers sometimes have fun shaping it decoratively to brighten their shop windows. It is a favourite for sharing, similar to a tear-and-share bread.
Fun Fact: In some Provençal villages, fougasse is traditionally shared during local festivals and religious celebrations. Its decorative slashes — often shaped like wheat stalks — symbolise prosperity and abundance.
4. Flammekueche
Although often associated with neighbouring Germany, Flammekueche (known in French as tarte flambée) is a proud speciality of the Alsace region. Made with a thin, bread-like base topped with crème fraîche, onions and lardons, it is baked at high heat until crisp at the edges and lightly blistered.
Fun Fact: Historically, bakers used flammekueche to test the temperature of their wood-fired ovens before baking bread. If the thin dough cooked quickly and evenly, the oven was ready. What began as a simple temperature test has since become a convivial regional favourite, often shared among friends with a glass of local wine.
5. Fondue
Next comes fondue, a winter staple in many French households. Fondue is often associated with Switzerland, and with good reason, thanks to the fondue suisse, made from Swiss cheeses such as Gruyère and Emmental, mixed with white wine and sometimes garlic.
But France has its own version: the fondue savoyarde, a speciality from the Savoie region. It is made using local cheeses such as Beaufort, Emmental, and Comté, combined with white wine and garlic, and sometimes kirsch, a cherry-flavoured eau-de-vie. In both versions, bread, and occasionally vegetables such as carrots or cauliflower, are dipped into the melted cheese.
There is also the lesser-known fondue bourguignonne, in which pieces of meat are dipped into hot oil. All of these dishes fall under the umbrella of fondue, and at the heart of fondue lies the idea of togetherness and sharing.
Fun Fact: In France, there is an old superstition that if you drop a piece of bread into the fondue pot, you owe the table a ‘forfeit’ — sometimes a round of drinks, sometimes even a kiss! It adds a playful element to what is already a convivial, communal dish.
6. Foie Gras
When speaking of French foods beginning with the letter F, foie gras also deserves a mention. It is a divisive topic that often inspires much discussion, yet its place in French culinary tradition is undeniable.
Foie gras is often served during festive occasions such as Christmas or New Year’s celebrations. Because of the ethical issues surrounding its production, some people who enjoy it but struggle to consume it guilt-free tend to reserve it for special occasions only. Others have chosen to remove it entirely from their diets due to animal welfare concerns.
Fun Fact: Foie gras has been enjoyed since ancient times — the technique of fattening geese was already practised in ancient Egypt. The Romans later refined it, and centuries afterward it became firmly rooted in French culinary tradition, particularly in the southwest of France.
7. Financier
We can’t talk about French food without mentioning French pâtisserie. One classic example beginning with F is the financier—a small almond cake that is rich, moist, and often enjoyed with coffee or tea. Lightly crisp on the outside and tender within, financiers are proof that small treats can deliver big flavour and if you want to learn how to make your own, check out the recipe here.
As an interesting anecdote to share with your friends as you enjoy these small treats, the cake is said to have been named after Parisian financiers, among whom it was particularly popular !
Fun Fact: Financiers were deliberately baked in small rectangular moulds resembling gold bars. Their popularity near the Paris Stock Exchange in the 19th century made the name particularly fitting — a sweet treat for the city’s financial elite.
8. Far Breton is the last of our A to Z of French Food: Letter F
Travelling west to Brittany, we find Far Breton, a traditional custard-like cake typically studded with prunes and baked until golden at the edges and silky in the centre. Dense yet comforting, it sits somewhere between a flan and a clafoutis and is often enjoyed as a simple family dessert rather than an elaborate pâtisserie creation.
As a charming historical detail, Far Breton was not always sweet. In its earliest form, it was a savoury wheat pudding served alongside meat. The addition of prunes is believed to have come later, thanks to maritime trade routes that brought dried fruit to the Breton coast. What began as a humble, practical dish gradually evolved into the beloved regional dessert we know today.
Fun Fact: In Brittany, there is ongoing debate about whether “real” Far Breton should contain prunes at all. Some purists insist the original recipe was plain, and that adding fruit is a later adaptation — a reminder of how even the most traditional dishes continue to evolve.
A to Z of French Food: Letter F Bonus Drink : French 75 Cocktail
No exploration of French foods beginning with F would feel complete without a sparkling finale: the French 75 cocktail. Made with gin, fresh lemon juice, sugar and topped with Champagne, it is elegant, effervescent and deceptively refreshing.
Fun Fact: The cocktail earned its name because its effect was said to be as powerful as the French 75mm field gun used during the First World War. Despite its formidable namesake, it became a symbol of glamour in 1920s Paris and remains a chic celebratory choice today.
Final words about A to Z of French Food: Letter F
So there you have it, a selection of French foods beginning with the letter F that truly embody what French cuisine is about and offer a deeper appreciation of how food shapes French identity.
As we continue our journey through the alphabet, the letter F stands as a delicious reminder of why French food continues to inspire the world.
So whether you are a home cook, a food enthusiast, or a traveller eager to experience authentic French flavours, the foods of F offer a perfect starting point for discovering the depth, creativity, and charm of French gastronomy.
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Bon appétit!
