How To Properly Eat A Salad At Restaurants In France

So, you're planning a trip to France. You've perfected your "oui" and "merci," and you even bought a jaunty scarf. But have you brushed up on your dining etiquette? The French take their food rules so seriously that it could give even the most seasoned foodies pause. For example, do you know how to eat a salad properly in France? Here's a tip: No cutting is allowed.

That's right — if you need to cut a piece of lettuce, you use your fork and knife to carefully fold the oversized leaf into a neat, bite-sized package. This intricate maneuver avoids the embarrassment of cutting lettuce on the plate (a move that suggests the chef didn't do their job correctly). Instead, the French use a small piece of bread to scoop the salad onto their fork and stab the bread to soak up the vinaigrette. It's a skillful dance, but it's how to avoid taking huge bites, another no-no when it comes to the rules of fine-dining etiquette.

Also, salad is not eaten before the main course; it's served after the main course. And the salad rules don't end there. Making a salad is more complicated than throwing some lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and dressing in a bowl. The French have it down to an art form. They start by washing the lettuce seven times. Yes, seven. Chefs swirl the greens around in tubs of water until they're pristine, dry them meticulously (and don't even think about skipping this step), and then — this is key — they tear the leaves by hand. Again, cutting lettuce is nearly sacrilege. It bruises the leaves and causes them to brown.

Once the lettuce is washed and torn, the French dress the salad, typically with a vinaigrette, before serving it. But don't make the rookie mistake of dressing it ahead of time. Dressing a salad too early breaks down the lettuce, making it soggy and wilted. Vinaigrette is sacred, and you should apply it at the very last moment to preserve the delicate leaves. Most importantly, don't ask for dressing at a restaurant; the salad is already dressed.  

One of the most well-known French salads is the Niçoise, one of Martha Stewart's favorite recipes, which includes greens, tuna, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, capers, olives, and hard-boiled eggs. If you are eating a Niçoise, another issue may arise: how to dispose of the olive pits. The French don't take the pits from their mouth with their fingers. Instead, they hold their fist to their mouth and put the pit into the center of their fist to then be placed on the plate. No one sees the pit as it is removed. Elegant.

The French might seem a little intense about their salad rules, but it's all about respect for the ingredients, the tradition, and, most of all, the salad's integrity. After all, you can't just throw it together casually when you've got lettuce that's been washed seven times and vinaigrette that cannot be touched. It's a serious affair, like every meal in France, where rules extend to minor details, like tearing bread (not slicing it!) or waiting until the first course to touch that lovely baguette. But don't get too hung up on the small stuff. As long as you know some basic table manners — and you eat your salad like a local — you should be in the clear. Just don't forget to say "bon appétit" in French restaurants!