What Are Some Traditional French Christmas Dishes?

Christmas in France isn't just a matter of one day, but almost a month of celebration. It starts with Christmas Eve and the days before it and extends to Twelfth Night, or the Feast of the Epiphany, in mid-January. Each phase has its traditional foods. Some are specific to a certain day and others are served throughout the Christmas season. A few are traditional throughout the country and no Christmas could be celebrated without them. Others vary by location and availability.
One other traditional part of Christmas menus is the number of dishes served. The most widely honored numbers apply to desserts and appetizers. The appetizers traditionally include seven "meatless" dishes, representing Mary's pains, and the 13 desserts symbolize Jesus and the 12 apostles.
Desserts and other sweets are all important, but so is the entire Christmas Eve meal, Le Réveillon, or "the wake-up." The season finally ends in mid-January with the Feast of the Epiphany, which requires La Galette des Rois, or the cake of the king.
All in all, almost a month of delicious feasting and celebrating.

Bûche de Noël

The most famous and universal tradition is the Bûche de Noël. This decorated cake can be as plain or elaborate as the cook desires. It is served throughout the Christmas season. The base is usually a genoise cake prepared jelly roll fashion, with a filling of chocolate buttercream. The roll is frosted with more buttercream, and decorated to resemble the traditional and ancient Yule log. Any sponge cake can be substituted, along with any dark chocolate frosting. Many people also have invented their own variations of this beloved treat, with cakes, fillings and frostings of all colors and flavors.
More elaborate versions slice off a small section, which is then attached to the side of the cake to look like a separate limb. The tines of a fork can be pulled through the frosting to produce an effect resembling tree bark. Any Christmas decorations can be used, from a drift of powdered sugar snow to ornate mushrooms made of marzipan or crisp meringue. Holly and berries can be used, pine boughs and cones, even a small representation of Père Noël. Some of these cakes are made at home, but French bakeries work overtime filling orders during the Christmas season.

The 13 Desserts

The 13 desserts are also on the table throughout the Christmas season. These can be very simple things, from local fruit to nuts. The important thing is to have the 13 dishes, symbolizing Jesus and his 12 apostles. A typical assortment might include toasted hazelnuts, raisins, oranges, apples, fruit candies, shortbread cookies, any typical local candy, pears, white nougat, brown nougat, Christmas sweet bread, almonds and walnuts. As you can see, these do not have to be elaborate; it's more about having the traditional number of dishes and keeping them available for all.

The Seven "Meatless" Dishes

The seven "meatless" dishes are presented as part of the aperitif portion of the Christmas meal. They are served when the family returns from Christmas Eve church services. The number seven is representative of the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary. The dishes represent sorrows, but they are anything but sorrowful. They are usually "meatless" only in that they don't consist of huge chunks of meat. They can range from oysters or snails to cold cuts or savory pies. Also included can be smoked salmon, omelets, olives or a tapenade, pâté de foie gras, blinis and caviar, and bread and salads. To suit the elaborate nature of the meal, the oysters might be served with a champagne sabayon and other dishes usually will be just as elaborate. Elaborate is the name of the game, however a simple bowl of peanuts might also be served and would not be out of place. Champagne is the traditional beverage, but frequently served are seven wines, one for each dish.

Le Réveillon

The main feature of the great Christmas feast, Le Réveillon (or the "wake-up" meal) again places an emphasis on rich and luxurious foods, with preparation and quality of ingredients being the guiding principle. Traditionally served after midnight is the Plat Principal, or the main course. This varies even more widely by region, availability and taste. One household might have turkey stuffed with chestnuts, while the next-door neighbors enjoy duck, fish or ham. Lobster might be served, or crab, even venison or wild boar. The ingredients themselves are not as important as their quality, and the care with which they are prepared. These are French cooks, after all.

La Galette des Rois

Finally, the Feast of the Epiphany comes in mid-January and it is the official end to the Christmas season. La Galette des Rois is the traditional dessert and it celebrates the three kings who traveled to visit the baby Jesus. It can be eaten anytime during the first part of January.
The cake is a puff pastry crust filled with vanilla and almond pastry creams. Hidden inside is a small trinket (la fève) or a dried bean. This is a beautiful and elaborate pastry, decorated and glazed. It is usually purchased from a professional bakery.
The cake is sometimes served while the youngest child present hides under the table and calls out which person should receive each piece. One other necessity is a crown of paper or other material. This is worn by the person receiving the charm, who also is entitled to choose a partner. The winner also is supposed to buy everyone else a round of drinks, which sometimes in the past led to the winner swallowing the bean, instead of speaking out. That is partly why the bean changed to a small doll or other trinket. (The other reason was that it is very easy for someone to choke on a small dried bean.)

Resources

• Immoveable Feast: A Paris Christmas
• French Cake Makes a Sweet Tradition