Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and this feature where we are delving into the A to Z of French Food: Letter L – Local Legends & Lasting Traditions.
There’s something about the letter L that brings to mind layers and lovely scents, and invites us to dive in. Indeed, it’s easy to imagine leisurely meals stretching into sunny afternoons, linen tablecloths stirred by the breeze, and laughter echoing throughout a small village as everyone is enjoying a long lunch.
As we move further through the A to Z of French food, each new letter reveals a world of flavours, techniques and regional specialities. So whether you are a passionate foodie, a curious traveller exploring French gastronomy, or simply want to know what makes French cuisine so enduring, let’s continue our delicious journey through France, and explore French Food beginning with the letter L.
If you’re interested in discovering more about French food culture you might also enjoy our guide to French food and way of life.
A to Z of French Food: Letter L
This week we’re exploring nine iconic foods and two drinks that start with the letter “L”: Lapin à la moutarde, Lentilles du Puy, Langoustines, Lardons, Langue de Bœuf Sauce Piquante, Lotte à l’Armoricaine, Lièvre à la Royale, Légumes à la Provençale, Livarot Cheese, and Lillet and Liqueur de Lavande.
1. Lapin à la Moutarde – A traditional French dish is the first of our A to Z of French Food: Letter L
This dish is famous worldwide, as lapin is often seen as the epitome of “authentically French” food. And indeed, you’ll find lapin à la moutarde in bistros across France: tender rabbit braised with mustard and cream, making it surprisingly comforting.
Once again, its popularity comes from practicality as rabbit was cheap and easy to raise, which made it common in countryside homes, especially in Burgundy, where the dish originated: its capital, Dijon, is the historical and cultural center of French mustard production.
Fun Fact: The dish was so popular that many families kept backyard rabbit hutches specifically for Sunday meals.
2. Lentilles du Puy – The poor man’s caviar
Small, nutty, and remarkably resilient, lentilles du Puy hold their shape beautifully. They absorb flavour without ever turning mushy (a rare and admirable quality for lentils).
As the name suggests, these lentils come from Le Puy, the Auvergne region, where they’ve been grown in volcanic soil since Roman times. Thanks to this unique terroir, they earned protected status and became a symbol of French agricultural pride.
Fun Fact: They are nicknamed “the poor man’s caviar”, as when cooked, their shiny, dark, round shapes closely mimic the glossy appearance of caviar.
3. Langoustines – A French delicacy
Delicate and slightly sweet, langoustines are smaller and more tender than lobster and are usually grilled or briefly boiled and served with very little adornment, just enough to let their natural flavour shine.
Highly prized along the Atlantic coast, particularly in Brittany and Normandy, they’re considered a delicacy and are most often reserved for special occasions.
Fun Fact: Langoustines need very little cooking time. Overcook them by even a minute, and their delicate, succulent flesh can quickly become tough and dry.
4. Lardons – Salty pieces of cured pork, often used in cooking
Ahhh, there’s something deeply French about the lardon, even the name feels like it comes with a little moustache. They are thick-cut pieces of cured pork, and thanks to their saltiness, they add depth to salads, stews, and sauces.
Born from charcuterie traditions, they reflect rural France’s mastery of pork preservation and flavour layering.
Fun Fact: In modern French slang, lardon is also a playful, affectionate term for a small child or toddler. Who knew a little piece of bacon could be so adorable?
5. Langue de Bœuf Sauce Piquante – Beef tongue in a spicy sauce
This one brings back less-than-fond memories for me, as I was served langue de bœuf in the school canteen. Let’s just say the memory remains, and not in a good way! That said, personal bias aside, it remains a traditional French dish.
If you didn’t take French at school, it means beef tongue, served with a sharp tomato-and-vinegar sauce designed to cut through the richness of the meat.
Fun Fact: Tongue was valued for thrift rather than luxury; it’s a prime example of nose-to-tail cooking long before it became fashionable.
6. Lotte à l’Armoricaine – Monkfish in a rich tomato-based sauce
Lotte à l’armoricaine is monkfish cooked in a sauce made from tomatoes, white wine, aromatics, and a splash of cognac. Despite its luxurious feel, it’s rooted in coastal cooking, where sauces were designed to elevate firm, lean fish and it is often served with rice, pasta, or potatoes to soak up the sauce.
Fun Fact: Monkfish is sometimes called “poor man’s lobster” because its tail meat is incredibly firm, dense, and sweet, closely mimicking the exact texture and flavor profile of a luxury lobster tail
7. Lièvre à la Royale – Slow-cooked hare in a red wine sauce
Similar to lapin, but taken to an entirely different level, lièvre à la royale is a legendary dish in which hare is slow-cooked in red wine, blood, and herbs.
Even if it sounds a bit intimidating, it represents the pinnacle of classical French cuisine and reflects aristocratic hunting traditions.
Fun Fact: Some versions take two full days to prepare, proving that patience is very much part of the recipe.
8. Légumes à la Provençale – Provençal-style mixed vegetables with garlic and herbs
Provence brings to mind sunlit terraces, lavender fields, and perhaps most importantly vegetables. Tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, and peppers are cooked with garlic and herbs, as is typical of Mediterranean cuisine.
Thanks to Provence’s sunny climate, a vegetable-forward style developed here long before it became fashionable elsewhere, making légumes à la provençale a true staple of the region.
Fun fact: These vegetables often taste even better the next day, once the flavours have had time to mingle.
9. Livarot Cheese – A rich cow’s milk cheese from Normandy
Livarot is one of Normandy’s most distinctive cheeses. Made from cow’s milk, it has a washed orange rind and a rich, savoury flavour, with an aroma that is considerably more assertive than its creamy texture might suggest. It is a wonderful example of Normandy’s long tradition of cheesemaking.
Fun fact: Livarot earned its military nickname, Le Colonel, from the five strips of sedge traditionally wrapped around its rind, which resemble the stripes on a French colonel’s uniform!
10. Lillet – A Classic French Aperitif
Moving on to drinks, Lillet is a smooth, slightly bittersweet apéritif that blends wine with citrus liqueurs. Created in the late 19th century, it reflects France’s enduring ritual of pre-dinner drinking (who doesn’t love that?). It’s typically served chilled, sometimes over ice with a slice of citrus.
Fun Fact: Lillet gained international fame after appearing in the James Bond novel Casino Royale (in the Vesper Martini, pictured above), though the recipe has since evolved.
11. Liqueur de Lavande – A lavender liqueur, unmistakably Provençal
Unmistakably Provençal, lavender liqueur is deeply aromatic and captures the scent of summer fields in liquid form. Only culinary lavender is used, as ornamental varieties are far too bitter.
Fun Fact: Herbal liqueurs were traditionally homemade and used both medicinally and socially in rural France.
FAQs: A to Z of French Food: Letter L
Q: What are some traditional French foods beginning with L?
A: French foods beginning with L include Lapin à la moutarde (rabbit in mustard sauce), Lentilles du Puy (French green lentils), Langoustines, Lardons, Langue de Bœuf Sauce Piquante (beef tongue in a spicy sauce), Lotte à l’Armoricaine (monkfish in a rich tomato-based sauce), Lièvre à la Royale (hare prepared in a rich wine sauce), Légumes à la Provençale (Provençal-style vegetables), and Livarot cheese.
Q: What is Livarot cheese, and where does it come from?
A: Livarot is a traditional French cheese made from cow’s milk in Normandy. Recognisable by its orange-coloured rind and strong aroma, it has a rich, savoury flavour. It is nicknamed “Le Colonel” because of the five strips traditionally wrapped around its rind.
Q: What is the difference between ‘lapin à la moutarde’ and ‘lièvre à la royale’?
A: Both are traditional French dishes featuring game or rabbit-like meat, but they are quite different. ‘Lapin à la moutarde’ is rabbit cooked in a creamy mustard sauce, while ‘lièvre à la royale’ is a much more elaborate classical dish made with hare, traditionally prepared with red wine and, in many versions, blood.
Q: What is Lillet, and how is it served?
A: Lillet is a French wine-based apéritif from the Bordeaux region, blended with citrus and other fruit liqueurs. It is usually served chilled, either neat or over ice with a slice of orange, making it a popular choice for a French-style apéritif before dinner.
Q: What does “à la Provençale” mean in French cooking?
A: “À la Provençale” means prepared in the style of Provence, in southern France. It often refers to dishes featuring ingredients such as tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, courgettes, aubergines and aromatic herbs, reflecting the sunny region’s Mediterranean culinary traditions.
Final words about A to Z of French Food: Letter L
So there you have it, a tour of dishes, ingredients, and drinks beginning with the letter L. Layered, fragrant, and deeply rooted in place, they fit the letter perfectly.
If you are interested in discovering more about French Gastronomy, you might also enjoy our curated selection of wine and cook books.
I hope you enjoyed this feature about the A to Z of French Food : Letter L and we will be back soon with more French Food and Drink inspiration.
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