French Food

French pantry favorites include sea salt from Brittany, Dijon mustard, fine teas, butter biscuits and confections. Here's what to look for.

French pantry basics

French cooking prizes simple, high-quality staples. Grey salt (sel gris) and fleur de sel are hand-harvested from salt marshes in Brittany, notably Guérande. Dijon mustard is sharp and smooth, and French flours are graded by type, from T45 for pastry to T55 for bread and all-purpose use.

French tea houses such as Mariage Frères and Dammann Frères are known for blended and flavored teas, and sweets range from butter biscuits to dragées (sugar-coated almonds) and chocolate truffles.

How to choose

• Salt: fleur de sel is the delicate top layer, used for finishing; sel gris is moister and more mineral, used for cooking.
• Flour: T45 for pastry, T55 for bread and all-purpose, T65 and above for rustic breads.
• Mustard: Dijon is smooth and hot; whole-grain (à l'ancienne) is milder.
• What's not here: in the US, 'French roast', 'French vanilla' and 'French dressing' are styles rather than French products, so this collection leaves them out.

Brands and prices

Brands in this collection include 1883 MAISON ROUTIN, LE MARINIER, Straight from France Genuinely French, Dammann Freres, Gourmanity and Sante Naturelle. Most products are priced between $21 and $57. You'll also find items labeled gluten-free, vegan, organic and sugar-free by their makers.

Popular picks

• LU Petit Beurre Biscuits, 7 oz
• Chocmod Truffettes de France Gift Box 2.2lb
• Mariage Frères French Breakfast Tea
• SPQR Seasonings Celtic Salt Fine Ground
• St Michel Grandes Galettes Butter Cookies with Sea Salt
• 1883 Madeleine Syrup for Drinks

How to use them

Finish steak, salads or caramel with a pinch of fleur de sel. Whisk Dijon into a vinaigrette of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil. Serve dragées at celebrations, as they're a French tradition at weddings and christenings.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between fleur de sel and sel gris?

Fleur de sel is the fine, delicate crystals skimmed from the surface of the salt pans. Sel gris is coarser, moister and grey from the clay beds.

What are dragées?

Almonds coated in a hard sugar shell, traditionally given at French weddings and baptisms.

What does T55 mean on French flour?

It's the flour's grade based on mineral (ash) content. T55 is similar to all-purpose or bread flour.