France on the Table, Rescued from the Trash – Discover French Cuisine and Our New Partner, à table! Bakery!

The World of French Cuisine

France's geographically favorable conditions stood out even in ancient times – during the Roman Empire, the finest foods and raw ingredients were cultivated here, making it a central hub. Although agriculture was advanced, French culinary arts bore little resemblance to its modern form. During this period, the goal was to mask the natural flavor of ingredients, so foods were heavily over-spiced.

The year 1492 was a turning point for gastronomy as well. After the discovery of America, unknown treasures from the new continent flooded into Europe, such as potatoes, tomatoes, corn, pineapple, cocoa, and vanilla. During the 14th–16th centuries, the Italian Renaissance brought a revival of culinary arts. The cookbook of La Varenne, chef of the renowned Medici family, was unique for its time. The work Le Cuisinier Francois was the first publication where recipes were arranged in alphabetical order, but more importantly, the goal shifted from neutralizing the true flavor of ingredients to highlighting them. This period was a milestone in the history of French culinary arts – quality became important over quantity.

The French Revolution not only transformed society but had a profound impact on French cuisine. The three-phase reformation of French cooking began.

1. The first period is linked to the life's work of chef Marie-Antoine Carême. Before him, French cuisine was a disorganized collection of dishes. He began to focus on the relationship between ingredients, colors, and flavors. During plating, he created elaborate table decorations from sugar, dough, and wax. The chef was passionate about architecture, so he viewed plating as a form of construction.
2. The second step was marked by the work of Urbain Dubois and Emile Bernard. In their book La Cuisine classique, they summarized the fundamental requirements of classical French cuisine, the importance of flavors, and established standards for plating, attractive garnishing, and even appropriate dishes. The French cooking style named Cuisine Classique is based on this volume.
3. The third wave of innovation is attributed to two renowned chefs. Prosper Motagné, author of Larousse Gastronomique, who wrote an encyclopedia of French culinary arts, and Auguste Escoffier, whose ideas led to the development of Haute Cuisine, which remains alive today. Restaurants following the Haute Cuisine philosophy represent the pinnacle of standards – temples of food, where diners' plates are filled only with the freshest and most exquisite ingredients, prepared with refined techniques.

In 1973, the world-renowned gastronomic duo Henri Gault and Christian Millau reconsidered Escoffier's rulebook. The new movement's dishes were lighter, with fresher and more flavorful components, while colors and forms received increased emphasis. The chef duo's goal was not to invent new dishes, but to create a food culture compatible with modern living. For Haute Cuisine dishes and courses, they began preparing much smaller portions while maintaining quality. On one hand, quantity decreased, but on the other, chefs produced creations of artistic value.

à table! - France on the Table, Rescued from the Trash!

Starting from Retek Street and now found at multiple locations throughout the city (Arany János Street, Árkád, Balzac Street, Böszörményi Road, Madách Square, Márton Áron Square, MOM Park, Wesselényi Street, Retek Street), you can now rescue Munchos from this French bakery and pastry shop. Production is based on excellent French and Hungarian ingredients and craftsmanship, complemented by modern kitchen technology. The surprise in Munch is that you can rescue the delicacies of à table! boulangerie – pâtisserie, especially baguettes, breads, sandwiches, pastries, and beverages. Let's see what your surprise box might contain!

Pain au Pistachio: Croissant filled with chocolate and pistachio cream. A French specialty for anyone who wants to supercharge their croissant.

Croissant: French butter, French flour – made from flour purchased from the same mill for 10 years now. Perhaps the most famous French pastry after the baguette. As Coco Chanel, the most influential figure in French fashion, once said, "Simple, but magnificent".

Quiche: The French savory pie with an egg and cream filling, currently made in two classic flavors:

• Quiche Lorraine: bacon and cheese,
• Quiche Salmon: smoked salmon and spinach

Baguette: The baguette made from French flour, with a recipe Anthony brought from Provence, is kept to this day. They are hand-formed using traditional French technique. Various sandwiches are made from baguettes, such as:

• Baguette Salmon (cheese cream, smoked salmon, lemon, salad),
• Baguette Salami (cheese cream, chorizo, cheddar cheese, cucumber)
• Baguette Tuna (tuna cream, corn, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, salad)
• Baguette Prune (Szatmár plum jam, cheese cream, aged goat cheese, walnuts, salt, salad)
• Baguette Betterave (homemade beet cream, cooked Prague ham, emmental cheese, salad)
• Baguette Fromage De Brie (fig jam, aged brie cheese, arugula)