Learning French can be a delightful experience, especially when it comes to describing the rich and diverse world of French cuisine. Whether you’re a food enthusiast or a culinary professional, knowing the appropriate vocabulary is essential for engaging with French food culture. Here’s a selection of French vocabulary related to describing food and cooking, complete with definitions and example sentences.

Cuisine
Definition: Cuisine refers to the style of cooking or a type of food associated with a particular culture or country.
En France, la cuisine varie beaucoup d’une région à l’autre. (In France, cooking varies greatly from one region to another.)

Plat
Definition: Plat generally means ‘dish’, referring to a prepared food item, or to the course within a meal.
Le plat principal d’aujourd’hui est le boeuf bourguignon. (Today’s main dish is beef bourguignon.)

Ingrédient
Definition: Ingrédient refers to any of the foods or substances that are combined to make a particular dish.
Pouvez-vous me donner la liste des ingrédients pour cette recette ? (Can you give me the list of ingredients for this recipe?)

Épice
Definition: Épice means spice; any aromatic or pungent plant substance used to flavor food.
J’aime ajouter une pincée de cannelle comme épice dans ma tarte aux pommes. (I like to add a pinch of cinnamon as a spice in my apple pie.)

Assaisonner
Definition: Assaisonner is the verb to season, meaning to enhance the flavor of food by adding spices or other condiments.
Il est important d’assaisonner le poulet avant de le rôtir. (It’s important to season the chicken before roasting it.)

Goût
Definition: Goût refers to the taste or flavor of something.
Le goût de cette sauce tomate est absolument délicieux. (The taste of this tomato sauce is absolutely delicious.)

Amer
Definition: Amer means bitter; one of the basic tastes and usually considered an undesirable flavor in food.
Je ne veux pas de café sans sucre, je le trouve trop amer. (I don’t want coffee without sugar; I find it too bitter.)

Sucré
Definition: Sucré means sweet; having the taste of sugar.
Cette pâtisserie est vraiment trop sucrée pour moi. (This pastry is really too sweet for me.)

Cuisson
Definition: Cuisson is the cooking time or the degree to which something is cooked.
Quelle est la température de cuisson pour un gâteau au chocolat ? (What’s the cooking temperature for a chocolate cake?)

Mijoter
Definition: Mijoter means to simmer; to cook food gently and slowly in liquid just below boiling point.
Laissez la soupe mijoter pendant au moins une heure. (Let the soup simmer for at least an hour.)

Sauter
Definition: Sauter is to sauté; to cook food quickly in a small amount of oil over high heat.
Je vais faire sauter des légumes avec un peu d’ail et d’huile d’olive. (I’m going to sauté some vegetables with some garlic and olive oil.)

Griller
Definition: Griller means to grill; to cook food over a direct flame or under an electric heater.
Ce soir, nous allons griller des côtelettes d’agneau au barbecue. (Tonight, we’re going to grill lamb chops on the barbecue.)

Understanding these terms not only adds to the richness of your language skills but also allows you to savor French gastronomy to its fullest. Enjoy incorporating these terms into your culinary vocabulary as you dive deeper into the art of French cooking. Bon appétit!