Celebrate Bastille Day by eating like the French

Food, drinks, and fireworks in July aren’t limited to the United States. Ten days after America’s Independence Day, the French also have their own red, white and blue holiday. Called Bastille Day by English speakers, the day is known to the French as “La Fête Nationale,” and it celebrates the anniversary of the liberation of France marked by the storming of the medieval Bastille prison.

Although the Bastille only held seven prisoners at the time of its capture, the storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty and the fight against oppression for all French citizens. You don’t have to be French to celebrate Bastille Day; just make one of the following French recipes from the EYB Library (or choose from thousands more, and don’t forget the wine!)

Fromage fort from The Splendid Table by Jacques Pépin
Pipérade  from BBC Good Food Magazine by Michel Roux and Albert Roux
Chicken with mustard (Poulet à la moutarde) from My Paris Kitchen  by David Lebovitz (pictured at top)
Ratatouille (Eggplant casserole) from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child and Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck
Gougères  from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan