It's simply called (14 July) in France, but the rest of the world refers to the French national day as . What better way to honour Gallic culture than by enjoying French food at one of the many festivals and markets around Australia?
Sydney: baked Camembert, French fusion and all-you-can-eat melted cheese
The massive takes place from 12 to 15 July in Circular Quay, and will be taking two directions with the food this year: there'll be authentic dishes as well as fusion cuisine.
The traditional offerings will include crêpes, baguette and charcuterie, as well as regional specialities like the (or tarte flambée), which is like a very thin pizza covered with fromage blanc, onions and lardons.
For the cheese fiends, there are two things you can’t miss.
“We have this roasted Camembert with honey. You dip bread in it. We’re very excited about this,” says event director .
To take your love of cheese to the next level, get a ticket to the all-you-can-eat where fondue and raclette will be served non-stop for 90 minutes while images of the French Alps are projected inside the dome. It will feel like après-ski in .
The festival is also shaking things up with French fusion dishes like duck paella, blue cheese naan, creamy mushroom gnocchi, and a cake by that mixes Asian and French flavours. “That’s a way to open up the passion we have for food and combine it with other cultures. But there’s always a French twist,” says Hernandez.
To take your love of cheese to the next level, get a ticket to the all-you-can-eat cheese dome where fondue and raclette will be served non-stop for 90 minutes.
is brewing special beers for the festival and the wine offering will focus on traditional French boutique wineries (expect Champagne, of course).
Melbourne: snails, French onion soup and mulled wine
The will be on at Meat Market from 14 to 15 July, and it will have its own chef for the first time. He’ll prepare confit duck legs, French fries with truffle mayo, as well as snails with parsley. “People have to try the snails! We want to push people to have that typical French experience,” says event coordinator Audrey Marande.
Outside in the garden, a food stall dedicated to The Alps will warm you up with French onion soup and mulled wine.
Other classics like mussels, praline almonds, croissants, crêpes and raclette will also be on the menu.
If you want to come back home with new French skills, sign up for a master class on or on .
Kangaroo saucisson might be on the menu for Bastille Day. (Saucissons Australia) Source: Saucissons Australia
Elsewhere in Australia: saucissons, macarons and Champagne
The Bastille Day celebrations are kicking off early in Brisbane with , from 6 to 8 July at Southbank, with as . , which was just awarded several medals at the (Saucisson World Cup) in France, will be there with its traditional saucissons – the company might even sell its kangaroo versions, too. (You can also find Saucissons Australia at the Sydney, Melbourne and Willoughby Bastille Day events).
Willoughby, in Sydney’s north, is having its first this year, on 8 July. There will be deep-fried Camembert with cranberry sauce, waffles with Belgian chocolate and .
In Adelaide, head to the on 13 and 14 July for a Champagne bar, croquembouche demonstrations, and a four-course French menu by .
All these festivals and markets will be selling plenty of products you can bring home like , cornichons, saucissons, wine, cheese, olive oil and foie gras, so make sure to bring a big carry bag to stock up.
Now, if only there was a place we could lay our hands on this French regional specialty - gâteau à la broche. Somewhere between a cake, a pancake & a waffle, gâteau à la broche is a cake cooked on a spit over hot charcoal that comes from the Occitanie region of France - in particular, the Pyrenees. You'll have to tune into (from Saturday 7 July) to get a taste of this unique cake.
If you want even more French food in your life, most French restaurants will offer a special menu on 14 July and around the country have also organised .
Gabriel Gaté with gâteau à la broche Source: Taste le Tour with Gabriel Gaté
Joyeux 14 Juillet!
