by Sally O'Quinn

Created on: June 22, 2008   Last Updated: June 23, 2008

Bastille Day is a celebration commemorating the storming of the Bastille prison in France on July 14, 1789 by the common people who were fed up with the excesses and tyranny of the ruling class. Today it can just be a day to get "fed up" on delicious French food!
When the monarchy fell, all the royal chefs found themselves out of work and began opening restaurants where the common man could now enjoy dishes formerly reserved only for the aristocracy. French cuisine was born and the world has never looked back!

Today's Bastille Day celebrations can include extravagant meals of several courses or simpler fare suitable for casual meals and picnics. Here are some choices from both categories.
For an elegant meal with multiple courses, you may want to start with a salad, such as a Marinated Mushroom Salad, Salad Nicoise or Vegetable Pasta Salad. Hot July days are perfect for a cool salad choice, and don't hesitate to include a dash of French wine in your recipe!
Entre choices might include roasted white fish such as monkfish, tilapia or red snapper prepared with fresh vegetables. Onions, shallots, tomatoes and zucchini are perfect companions and will help keep the fish from drying out during cooking.
If fish is not a favorite, how about poultry? Charcoal broiled halved chicken is delicious and simple to prepare. The bird is split lengthwise with kitchen shears and flattened before being marinated in lemon juice and olive oil for two hours. Salt and pepper to taste and grill, turning often with tongs to insure even cooking and to keep juices intact.
Your choice of side dishes might include a recipe for Potatoes au Gratin, and the French have many variations on this favorite. In addition to the requisite parmesan cheese and butter, some chefs top the casserole dish with marinated cabbage, leeks, mushrooms and even oysters to make it more elegant.
Of course an authentic French meal should include a decadent dessert, and your choices are infinite! Crepes come in many variations and may be filled with fruit, soft cheese or chocolate. Cakes, eclairs, bread pudding and Napoleons are perfect if you don't mind a rich and heavy dessert, but there are also lighter choices, such as fruit sorbets for your summer menu.
For a picnic or more casual Bastille Day meal, you may want to pack a basket with baguettes of crusty French bread and fresh fruit. Pears, strawberries and peaches may be enjoyed au natural or floated in pink champagne for a festive variation. Of course, cheese must be a part of your meal and there are hundreds of choices, from hard to soft, mild to tart. A good Brie is perhaps the best choice for your casual meal, since it is decidedly French and is best served warm. A few hours in a picnic basket will only enhance the flavor.
And let me emphasize that with any of these foods, elegant or casual, a bottle (or two!) of French wine is a must. For poultry dishes, try a rich Beaujolais, or maybe an intense and fragrant white, such as Chateau Grillet, with fish. Your local spirits vendor will have many choices of inexpensive imported French wines to accompany your picnic or casual meal, and these may be served warm or cold, depending on your choice.
These are only a few choices for your Bastille Day menu, but more information is available online. Some sites to check out include:

http://labellecuisine.com/archives/Index%20- %20Bastille%20Day%20Recipes.htm

And

http://allrecipes. com/HowTo/Bastille-Day/Detail.aspx

So whether you're French or not, you can prepare and enjoy a Bastille Day meal for your friends and family on July 14th. Bon appetit!

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