How to Serve a French Bistro Lunch

Classic French bistros are small cafes with little room for storage, so everything served is brought in fresh each day. While certain house specialties may be standard, a bistro menu changes daily, depending on what is in season and what the market has to offer.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Set the table with simple but elegant dishes and linen napkins. Add wine glasses and dessert spoons. Arrange a small bunch of colorful flowers, like tulips, in a small vase or a wine glass and place them at the center of the setting.

2. Offer a Salade Composee, or a Composed Salad, as opposed to a tossed salad. Arrange endive with carmelized walnuts on a small plate around sliced pears or tart apples with Gorgonzola or another soft cheese.

3. Prepare the batter for the crepes ahead of time so that it can rest covered in the refrigerator. Arrange the fillings and assemble the crepes just before serving time.

4. Begin the meal with an appetizer of pate and bread. Slice a crusty baguette and arrange it on a plate with the pate and spreading knives.

5. Serve red wine with lunch, starting with the pate. Open the wine about 30 minutes before serving to allow it to breathe

6. Bring the salad to the table after the pate, then serve the crepes. Allow a leisurely pace throughout lunch.

7. Finish the meal with a Pot au Creme Chocolat, a rich cream-based dessert. Serve it in small teacups or demitasse cups. Top with unsweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla. Offer espresso or cappuccino.