french-foodHere are some of my favorite French foods.  Starting at the top left and moving clockwise, I'll explain. Canelé, a magical pastry from Bordeaux, I think it's beeswax that gives it the magical crust.  Jacques Genin caramels from Paris, these are mango and the one in the middle is beurre sel, any words to describe these would be futile, I've never eaten anything more delicious. Edmond Fallot Cornichons, the best. "Cornichon" is one of the funnest French words to say, (be sure to slather on your best French accent).  Salt, yes salt is good and cheap in France.  Salted Butter from Brettany, this has huge salt crystals in it.  Those brown lumps are chouquette, they are pastry dough with huge sugar crystals, almost every patisserie sells them.  We like to get a bag of them and eat them as we walk around.  The big red cheese is Mimolette.  Mimolette was comissioned by Louie XIV, he wanted a native cheese to replace Dutch Gouda.  Oddly enough all the Mimolette we ate in France was made in Holland, and in true Dutch spirit, I can't find any Mimolette here in Amsterdam.  Also, worth mentioning is that cheese mites are used in the producton of Mimolette, that's something I'd rather not learn more about.