Every day, French cuisine is eaten and enjoyed across the world. From the famous croissant to souffles and crepes, the list of these delicious foods is extensive, and from the 26th of March to the 2nd of April, Christ’s Hospital school took it upon themselves to serve up an array of meals, all centred around one key theme: Nourriture de France!

Of all the cuisines in the world, French gastronomy is often seen to be one of the finest, raking in hundreds of tags each week across social media platforms. The art of French cooking began to flourish in the mid-fifteenth century, when Catherine de Medici of Italy shed light on how food preparation could be made beauteous. Then, in the twentieth century, French cooking took a turn in response to food critics thoughts that it was too rigid in form, along with a worldwide movement towards flavours which were more experimental and a change from classic cooking styles. And so, taking into consideration it’s time worn history, it seems right that a week should be dedicated to celebrating it’s magnificence and influence on food habits worldwide.

Here are some of the favourite dishes of the week, along with their brief histories: Starting off strong with the savouries, there was a chicken basquaise, one of the most famous French stews, incorporating traditional flavours in a hearty meal. Another favourite was the pork cassoulet, an iconic meal from the southwest of France and, fun fact, originally a food made by peasants, using whatever ingredients were easily at hand. Finishing off the main courses, delicious chicken chasseur, a meal right in between the happy medium of rich and salty. And of course, we must not forget the course most famous to France, dessert! Crepes, a delicacy dating back to the 12th century, served with Chantilly cream, were very popular with students, as was the cherry clafoutis, which was served in the traditional way, dusted with powdered sugar. With so much on offer, students found it hard to decide what to pick, but, in any case, here’s what one student, Freya, had to say about the celebration,’ I love going to France and eating French food, so I really enjoyed how the school brought this bit of culture to our everyday lives.’

Well, it seems safe to say that the week was a success, bringing quite literally a slice of France with it. Christ’s Hospital students and staff are already looking forward to round two!