I illustrated this beautiful breakfast à la Française to show you what I really thought a breakfast table at an average French household would be like before actually visiting one. French breakfast / breakfast à la Française is very popular outside the Hexagon( France) than inside the Hexagon itself. The freshly baked baguettes, buttery croissants, tartines, strawberry marmalades or should I call it “confiture aux fraises faite maison” crêpes with whipped cream, coffee and the most important hot chocolate / chocolat chaud!! were my expectations and without a second thought I allow myself to believe that, most of us did imagine the same.
However, breakfast is the least important meal in France. Unlike other countries the breakfast isn’t savory like baked beans, bacons, eggs or sandwiches but are generally sweet and carb loaded. Croissants and Crêpes aren’t a part regular french breakfast. An average French mostly skips the breakfast to head to his/ her work. A regular breakfast might be baguette with marmalade and butter, coffee with or without milk for some it might be dip teas.
Globalization didn’t allow France to escape the change, in a recent study children in France up to 70% said they have cereals for breakfast an this is expected to grow more
in number. However, it doesn’t mean that you don’t get to eat the buttery croissants
or crêpres for a breakfast along with chocolat chaud, it just means that it’s not the regular breakfast at the French household.
In conclusion, clichés often have a basis in reality, and in the case of croissants, baguettes, and France, they reflect a culture deeply rooted in the appreciation of life’s simple pleasures and the artistry of culinary craftsmanship. So the next time you indulge in a warm, buttery croissant or tear into a crusty baguette, remember that you’re not just enjoying a meal; you’re partaking in a delightful French cliché. Bon appétit!