The Classic French 17 Course Menu every professional should know.

I joined the Royal New Zealand Navy as an Officer's Steward which introduced me to the finer side of the hospitality industry. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the training I received was very unique and gave me a strong foundation to build my career. I learnt classical french cuisine and cooking techniques as well as now forgotten services like guéridon service and silver service techniques that have given me an advantage in this cut throat industry. I am a big believer in front of house staff learning classical french food, techniques and history so in this section of my website I will endeavour to take you on a culinary journey of a Sommeliers perspective on food.

The Menu

1 - Hors-d'oeuvres

Are spicy in nature in order to stimulate the appetite for the dishes that are to follow in the course.

In recent years, hors d’oeuvres have gained popularity, and now appear on most menus in modest eating places.

Served from a rotating trolley or a tray a small amount of each variety being placed on the plate to make up a portion.

Examples Of Hors d'oeuvres are :

Salads: Beetroot, Potato Salad, Tomato Salad, Fish Mayonnaise, Russian Salad.

Caviar: Roe of sturgeon fish.

Shellfish Cocktail: Prawns or shrimps on a bed of shredded lettuce covered with tomato flavoured mayonnaise.

Melon Frappe: - Chilled Melon.

Saumon Fume: - Smoked Salmon.

Pate Maison: - Goose or chicken liver, cooked, sieved and well seasoned.

2 - Soup

(Potage)

Soup also acts as an appetizer for the further courses to come. Soups like clear soup (consommé) or thick soup (crème, veloute, puree) are served during this course. Although it must be noted that the clear soup is always placed first on the menu.

Examples of Soups (Potage) : 

Consommé Julienne: - Clear soup garnished with strips of root vegetables.

Consommé Celestine: - Clear soup garnished with strips of savoury pancakes.

Bisque d'Homard:-  Thick Lobster- flavoured soup.

Green Bean Soup: - Cream of Green Beans.

Soup a l'oignon: - Clear Onion soup.

3 - Egg

(Oeufs)

Oeufs are the dishes made from egg. There are many styles of cooking and preparation of eggs such as boiled, en cocotte, poached or scrambled. 

Examples of egg (oeuf) dishes are:

Omelette Espagnole: – Flat omelette with onions, peppers and tomatoes.

Omelette aux Tomatoes: - Tomato omelette.

Omelette aux Champignons: - Mushroom omelette.

Oeuf poche Florentine: - Poached egg on a bed of spinach coated with cheese sauce & gratinated.

Oeuf brouille au Lard: - Scrambled egg with bacon. 

4 - Pasta

(Farinaceous, Farineaux or Rice)

Pasta, rice, farinaceous (made of flour or meal) is Italy's contribution to the courses of the menu. It includes different kinds of rice and pasta. Pasta dishes are spaghetti, lasagne and gnocchi. There are more than 200 varieties of pasta. The ingredients, size, shape and colour determine the type of pasta. 

Examples of farinaceous dishes are : 

Spaghetti Napolitine: – Spaghetti in a tomato- and garlic- flavoured sauce.

Ravioli: - Noodle type pasta filled with a variety of stuffing, such as chicken, beef, and spinach.

Cannelloni: - Rolls of ravioli paste filled with stuffing as for ravioli.

Gnocchi Romaine: – Semolina based.

Spaghetti Bolognaise: – Spaghetti blended with minced lean beef with rich brown sauce.

5 - Fish

(Poisson)

Poisson are the dishes made from fish. Fish, being soft-fibred,prepares the palate for the heavier meats that follow. Ideal fish for dinner menu compilation are: Sole, Salmon, Halibut, Escallops, etc. Rarely seen on a menu for the evening meal are: Cod, Bass, Haddock, Brill, Hake, and Plaice. 

Examples of fish dishes are :

Sole Meuniere: - Sole shallow fried in butter.

Sole Colbert: - Sole, flour, egg and bread crumbed and deep fried. (fillets).

Sole Cubat: - Fillet of sole poached, dressed on a mushrooms puree and coated with a cheese sauce. 

Darne de Saumon Grillee, Sauce Bearnaise: – Salmon cutlet grilled with an egg- and butter based sauce flavoured with tarragon.

Homard Newburg: - Lobster served with thickened sauce of fish stock and cream flavoured with brandy and finished with butter.

6 - Entree

The First in the meat course, Entrées are generally small, well garnished dishes which come from the kitchen ready for service. They are always accompanied by very rich gravies or sauces when releve follow entrée then potatoes and vegetables are not served with the latter; if, however a releve does not follow the entrée they would be served with the dish.

Examples of this type of dish are : 

Poulet saute Chasseur: - Saute chicken in a rich brown sauce flavoured with tomatoes and mushroom.

Supreme de Volaille sur Cloche: – Breast and wing of chicken cooked under a cover in oven.

Steak Daine: - Minute steak shallow fried and flavoured with onions and mushrooms finished with red wine or cream.

Chateaubriand: - Double fillet steak grilled. 

7 - Sorbet

Because of the length of the French classical menu, this course is considered to be the rest between courses . It counteracts the previous dishes, and rejuvenates the appetite for those that are to follow. It is water and crushed ice slush flavoured as a rule with Champagne and served in a glass.  

Examples of Sorbet :

Lemon Sorbet.

Champagne Sorbet.

Calvados Sorbet.

Peach Sorbet.

Raspberry Sorbet.

8 - Releve

(Joints)

This is the main meat course on the menu, Releves are normally larger than entrees and take the form of butcher’s joints which have to be carved. These joints are normally roasted. A sauce or a roast gravy with potatoes and green vegetables are always Silver Served with this course.

The Dish may contain any of the following :

Lamb (Agneau) Chicken (Poulet)

Beef (Boeuf) Duckling (Caneton)

Veal (Veau) Fowl (Poulard)

Ham (Jambon) Tongue (Langue)

Pork (Porc)

Some Examples of Releve :

Contrefilet de boeuf roti a l anglaise : - boned and roasted sirloin of beef.

Carre d agneau roti : - roast best end of lamb.

Cuissot de porc roti puree de pommes : - roast legg of pork with apple sauce.

Gigot d agneau roti sauce menthe : - roast leg of lamb with mint sauce.

9 - Roast

(Roti)

At this stage the balance of the courses is gradually returning from heavy to light. Roast always contain roast of game or poultry: - chicken, turkey, duck, pheasant, quail. Each dish is accompanied by its own particular sauce and gravy, with a green salad served separately on a crescent shaped dish.

Example of Roti :

Roast Chicken.

Braised Duck.

Roast Quail.

10 - Legumes

(Vegetables)

We now have a vegetable dish served only with its accompanying sauce.  These are vegetable dishes that can be served separately as an individual course or may be included along - with the entrée, releve or roast courses. 

Examples of Legumes :

Pommes au four: - Baked Jacket Potato.

Champignons grilles: - Grilled Mushrooms.

Choufleur mornay: - Cauliflower with a Cheese Sauce.

Haricots verts au beurre: - French Beans tossed in butter.

11 - Salad

(Salades)

Various types of salads are served during this course.

Examples of salades are :

Salade Francaise : - Lettuce, Tomato, Egg, & Vinaigrette Dressings.

Salade Vert: - Lettuce, Watercress, Cucumber and Green Pepper.

12 - Charcuterie

(Buffet Froid / Cold Buffet)

In this course Chilled meat(small) pieces are served. 

Examples of cold buffet items are :

Poulet Roti : - Roast Chicken.

Ham in Parsley Aspic (Jambon Persillé).

Caneton Roti: - Roast Duck.

Mayonnaise d'hommard: - Lobster Mayonnaise.

13 - Entremets

(Sweets)

Entremets on a menu refers to desserts. This could include hot or cold sweets, gateaux, soufflés or ice-cream. 

Examples of Entremets :

Crepe Suzette: - Pancakes in a rich fresh orange juice and  flamed with brandy.

Ananas Flambes au Kirsch: - Pineapple flamed with cherry flavoured liquor.

Peche Melba: - Vanilla ice cream topped with a peach coated with a raspberry jam sauce and decorated with cream.

Bombes: - Various ice cream sweets.

14 - Savoury

(Savoureux)

A dish of pungent taste, such as anchovies on toast or pickled fruit. They are served hot on toast or as savoury Soufflé. Welsh rarebit, Scotch Woodcock, Canape Diane are some of the examples. 

Welsh Rarebit: - Cheese sauce Flavoured with ale on toast gratinated.

Canape Daine:- Chicken livers rolled in bacon and grilled, placed on a warm toast.

Champignons sur Croute: - Mushrooms on toast.

15 - Fromage

(Cheese)

Fromage is an alternative to the outdated savoury course, and may be served before or after the sweet course. It is usually served with butter, crackers and occasionally celery. Gouda, Camembert and Cheddar are some examples of cheese. All types of cheese may be offered together with appropriate accompaniments, the ideal cheese board will combine hard, semi-hard, soft or cream, blue and fresh cheese.

Cheese Type County

Cheddar Hard England

Edam Hard Holland

Brie Soft France

Demi-Sel Soft France

Ricotta Fresh Italy

16 - Dessert

(Cut Fruits & Nuts)

Dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal. All forms of fresh fruit and nuts may be served in this course. Common desserts include cakes, cookies, fruits, pastries and candies.

All forms of Fresh Fruits Platter.

All forms of Dried Fruits, Nuts may be served accompanied by castor sugar and salt.

17 - Tea & Coffee

(Boissons / Beverage)

All types of hot or cold beverage, Tea, Coffee etc. are served. Always remember that while compiling menus beverages are not counted as a course.

Examples are :

Coffee: Cafetiere, Iced, Filter, Speciality, Decaffeinated.

Tea: Indian, Ceylon, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe.

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