Origin of the menu
Originally the bill of fare, as it is termed in English, or menu in French, was not presented at the table.
It is said that in the year 1541 Duke Henry of Brunswick was seen to refer to a long slip of paper. On being asked what he was looking at he said it was a form of programme of the dishes, and by reference to it he could see what was coming and reserve his appetite accordingly. Thus we may presume that the menu developed from some such an event.
The bill of fare was very large and was placed at the end of the table for everyone to read. As time progressed the menu became smaller and increased in quantity allowing a number of copies per table. Depending on the establishment and the occasion the menu may be plain or artistic in its presentation.
CLASSIC MENU SEQUENCE
The number of courses on a menu, and dishes within each course, depends on the size and class of the establishment. In an establishment where full food preparation and service brigades are in full operation a full menu may be offered.
Good Stuff Happens in 1:1 Meetings: Why you need them and how to do them well
FRENCH CLASSICAL MENU Cover and accompaniment
1. PRADIPTA DAS
NAME OF DISHES IN
FRENCH
NAME OF DISHES
IN ENGLISH
COVER ACCOMPANIMENT
HORS D’ OEUVRE
Cocktail de pamplemousse GRAPEFRUIT COCKTAIL
Coupe Doily on side plate Grape fruit spoon or
teaspoon
Castor Sugar
Melon frappe CHILLED MELON Sweet spoon and fork
Cold fish plate Tea spoon, Ground ginger,
Castor sugar
Œufs de mouette GULLS’ EGGS
Small knife and fork Cold fish plate Finger bowl
containing lukewarm water and a slice of lemon is
placed on doily on side plate Spare side plate for
the shell, Spare serviette
Brown bread and butter Oriental salt Oriental
salt – a mixture of cayenne pepper and salt
in ratio 1 : 4 Gulls’ eggs are served cold and hard
boiled.
Artichaut GLOBE ARTICHOKE
Joint fork on right of Cover Fingerbowl Doily on
an Under plate Spare napkin Hot / cold fish plate
If served hot: hollandaise sauce or beurre fondue
If served cold: sauce vinaigrette
Jus de tomate TOMATO JUICE Pony tumbler on under plate, doily & teaspoon
Worcestershire sauce & castor sugar in sugar
dredger
Jus de fruits OTHER FRUITS JUICE
Pony tumbler on under plate, doily & teaspoon
Sugar in sugar dredger
Cocktail de Florida FLORIDA COCKTAIL (8 in) Under plate & teaspoon
Castor sugar
Poire d’avocat AVOCADO PEAR
(8 in) Under plate, doily, avocado dish & teaspoon
Vinaigrette sauce
Cocktail de corvettes’ SHRIMPS COCKTAIL
(8 in) Under plate glass & silver coupe, teaspoon
& fish plate
Brown bread & butter, cayenne pepper & pepper
mill.
Les huitres OYSTERS
Oyster plate & oyster fork & finger bowl. If an
oyster plate is not available a welled soup plate
filled with crushed ice can be used.
Cayenne pepper, pepper mill tobacco, chilli,
vinegar, lemon wedge, brown bread and butter
Saumon fume SMOKED SALMON Fish plate, fish knife and fork
Brown bread & butter, cayenne pepper,& pepper
mill, & lemon
Pate de foie gras GOOSE LIVER PATE
Small knife & fork, cold fish plate
Melon or fresh figs when they are in season
Caviar CAVIAR
Caviar knife & cold fish plate.
Hot finger toast & unsalted butter or blinis
Saumon froid COLD SALMON Fish knife & fork, cold fish plate
Mayonnaise & cucumber salad
2. PRADIPTA DAS
POTAGE
Bortsch BORTSCH Hot soup plate on under liner, dessert spoon
Sour cream, beetroot juice, mini vol-au-vents
with duck past
Bouillabaisse BOUILLABAISSE
Hot soup plate on under liner, dessert spoon, fish
fork& knife
Flutes or Rouilles
Consommé Madrilène CONSOMMÉ MADRILÈNE
Cold consommé cup, saucer, under liner, dessert
spoon
Bell pepper, tomato, Chervil or parsley leaves
Potage Germiny THICK CONSOMME Hot soup plate under liner, soup spoon
Cheese straws
Potage St. Germain GREEN PEA SOUP Hot soup plate under liner, soup spoon
Croutons
Soupe à l’oignon FRENCH ONION SOUP
Hot consommé cup, saucer, under liner, dessert
spoon
Grated parmesan cheese, Flutes
Gazpacho GAZPACHO
Cold consommé cup, saucer, under liner, dessert
spoon
White bread crumbs
Minestrone MINESTRONE
Hot soup plate, under liner soup spoon
Grated parmesan cheese on under liner
Petite Marmite PETITE MARMITE. Petite marmite pot, under liner, dessert spoon
Poached bone marrow, grilled croute with
parmesan cheese
Tortue Claire CLEAR TURTLE SOUP
Hot consommé cup, saucer, under liner, dessert
spoon
Brown bread and butter, cheese straws, lemon
segment
ŒUFS
Oeuf en cocotte EGG IN COCOTTE DISH
Cocotte dish on under liner with tsp
Grilled tomato and hashed brown potatoes
Oeuf poche POACHED EGGS
Baking dish on under liner, dessert spoon & fork
Grilled tomato and hashed brown potatoes
Oeuf sur le plat EGG IN DISH
Baking dish on under liner, dessert spoon & fork
Grilled tomato and hashed brown potatoes
Omelette OMELET
Baking dish on under liner, dessert spoon & fork
Grilled tomato and hashed brown potatoes
FARINEAUX
Gnocchi, Ravioli, Macaroni
GNOCCHI, RAVIOLI,
MACARONI
Hot fish plate, dessert spoon and fork Grated parmesan cheese on under liner and tsp
Spaghetti SPAGHETTI
Hot soup plate on cold under liner, large fork on
right and dessert spoon on left
Grated parmesan cheese on under liner and tsp
3. PRADIPTA DAS
POISSON
Truite meunière PAN-FRIED TROUT
Fish knife, fork, and hot fish plate
Béarnaise sauce
Dame de Salmon grillée GRILLED CUT OF SALMON
Fish knife, fork, and hot fish plate
Hollandaise sauce
Demi-Homard COLD LOBSTER
Fish knife & fork, cold fish plate, lobster pick and
finger bowl, lobster cracker
Mayonnaise
Dame de Saumon poche chaude HOT POACHED TURBOT
Fish knife, fork, and hot fish plate
Beurre fondu or hollandaise sauce
Tronçon de turbot poche HOT POACHED TURBOT
Fish knife, fork, and hot fish plate
Béarnaise sauce
Tronçon de turbot grille HOT GRILLED TURBOT Fish knife, fork, and hot fish plate
Beurre maitre d’hôte, rémoulade or béarnaise
sauces
Sole de Douvres grille GRILLED DOVER SOLE
Fish knife, fork, and hot fish plate
Tartare sauce, or rémoulade sauce
Homard thermidor
LOBSTER IN WHITE WINE
SAUCE
Fish knife, fork, and hot fish plate
White wine sauce
ENTREES
Kari de volaille CHICKEN CURRY
Hot soup plate, under liner, large fork on right
Mango chutney
Irish stew IRISH STEW
Hot soup plate, under liner, large knife & fork,
dessert spoon
Worcestershire sauce & pickled red cabbage
Steak Diane STEAK DIANE
Hot joint plate, steak knife & fork
French & English Mustard.
Steak au poivre PEPPER STEAK
Hot joint plate, steak knife & fork
French & English Mustard
Steak tartare STEAK TARTARE
Cold joint plate, large knife & fork.
Pumpernickel bread buttered
Entrecote double DOUBLE SIRLOIN STEAK
Steak knife, joint fork and hot joint plate
Béarnaise sauce & French or English mustard
Chateaubriand DOUBLE FILLET STEAK
Steak knife, joint fork and hot joint plate
Béarnaise sauce & French or English mustard
Porterhouse steak PORTERHOUSE STEAK
Steak knife, joint fork and hot joint plate
French or English mustard
Cote de porc grillée GRILLED PORK CHOPS
Joint knife, fork and hot joint plate
Béarnaise sauce & French or English mustard
4. PRADIPTA DAS
ROTIS
Râble de lièvre rôti ROAST SADDLE OF HARE
Joint knife, fork & hot joint plate
Roast gravy & mint sauce or redcurrant jelly
Bœuf rôti ROAST BEEF Joint knife, fork & hot joint plate
French & English mustard, horseradish sauce,
roast gravy, Yorkshire pudding
Mutton rôti ROAST MUTTON Joint knife and fork Hot joint plate
Red currant jelly (saddle or leg) Onion sauce
(shoulder), Roast gravy
Poulet rôti ROAST CHICKEN Joint knife and fork Hot joint plate
Bread sauce, Roast gravy, parsley and
thyme stuffing, Bacon rolls
Agneau rôti ROAST LAMB
Joint knife, fork & hot joint plate
Mint sauce or jelly, roast gravy
Porc rôti ROAST PORK
Joint knife, fork & hot joint plate
Apple sauce, sage & onion stuffing, roast gravy
Dindonneau rôti ROAST TURKEY Joint knife, fork & hot joint plate
Cranberry sauce, roast gravy, game chips,
watercress, bread sauce, bacon rolls
Veau rôti ROAST VEAL
Joint knife, fork & hot joint plate
Parsley & thyme stuffing, roast gravy
Caneton rôti ROAST DUCK
Joint knife, fork & hot joint plate Sage and onion stuffing, Apple sauce, watercress
and roast gravy
Canard sauvage a’ la presse PRESSED WILD DUCK
Joint knife, fork & hot joint plate
Hot toast and butter
Canard sauvage rôti ROAST WILD DUCK
Joint knife, fork & hot joint plate Sage and onion stuffing, Apple sauce and roast
gravy
FROMAGES
Fromage à la crème CREAM CHEESE
Side plate, side knife, Dessert fork
Castor Sugar, Assorted Cheese Biscuits
Fromage à pâte molle SOFT CHEESE
Side plate, side knife, Dessert fork Cruet set (Salt. Pepper & Mustard), Assorted
Cheese Biscuits, Butter, Celery, radishes.
Semi fromage à pâte dure SEMI HARD CHEESE
Side plate, side knife, Dessert fork Cruet set (Salt. Pepper & Mustard), Assorted
Cheese Biscuits, Butter, Celery, radishes.
Fromage à pâte dure HARD CHEESE
Side plate, side knife, Dessert fork Cruet set (Salt. Pepper & Mustard), Assorted
Cheese Biscuits, Butter, Celery, radishes.
5. PRADIPTA DAS
ENTREMETS
Omelette soufflé BAKED ALASKA
Sweet spoon, fork, cold sweet plate
_________
Banana flambé au rhum FLAMED BANANAS
Sweet spoon, fork, hot sweet plate
_________
Crepes suzette FLAMED PANCAKES
Sweet spoon, fork, hot sweet plate
_________
Pèche Melba PEACH MELBA
Coupe on under liner, tsp
_________
Fraises Romanoff
STRAWBERRIES
ROMANOFF
Coupe on under liner, tsp
Caster sugar
Zabaglione ZABAGLIONE
Parfait glass on Under plate, tsp
Biscuits a la cuillère
Bombe BOMBE Sweet spoon, fork, cold sweet plate
_________
SAVOUREUX
Anges a cheval ANGELS ON HORSEBACK Side knife, sweet fork, hot fish plate Cruet set,
cayenne pepper, pepper mill, Worcestershire
sauce
Diables a cheval DEVILS ON HORSEBACK Side knife, sweet fork, hot fish plate Cruet set,
cayenne pepper, pepper mill, Worcestershire
sauce
Canapé derby CANAPÉ DIANE Side knife, sweet fork, hot fish plate Cruet set,
cayenne pepper, pepper mill, Worcestershire
sauce
Scotch woodcock SCOTCH WOODCOCK Side knife, sweet fork, hot fish plate Cruet set,
cayenne pepper, pepper mill, Worcestershire
sauce
Quiche Lorraine CHEESE SOUFFLÉ Side knife, sweet fork, hot fish plate Cruet set,
cayenne pepper, pepper mill, Worcestershire
sauce
Beignets au formage CHEESE FRITTERS Side knife, sweet fork, hot fish plate Cruet set,
cayenne pepper, pepper mill, Worcestershire
sauce
DESSERT
Dessert FRESH FRUITS/ NUTS
Fruit knife & fork intertwined on fruit plate, nut
crackers on debris plate, two fingerbowl swarm
and cold water
Caster sugar, salt