Bon Apetite!

Boeuf Bourgignon comes from the Bourgignon region of France (in English, this region is known as Burgundy). Bougignon is famous for its rich cuisine, developed during a time when it was one of the richest corners of Europe. It's cuisine features beef, creamy sauces and of course wine (it is one of the two premier wine regions of France). Perhaps it's most famous dish is Boeuf (which is French for beef) Bourgignon, which combines all three traditions.

Mediterranean food has its own unique qualities. Compared to the rest of Europe and North America, it has: less meat (in particular, much less red meat), more fresh fruit and vegetables (with a greater proportion of raw vegetables), more olives, olive oil and herbs. Tomatoes also feature very prominently in the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet has long been recognised as being very healthy and is seen as the main reason that people living in the Mediterranean have a longer live expectancy (e.g. the live expectancy in France Mediterranean is about 3 years longer than in the rest of France).

The black radish is part of the cuisine of continental Europe, in particular of eastern Europe. However, it is not commonly used in the UK or USA. They can be used in a variety of different dishes, including soups, stir-fry or salads.

It is black on the outside (thus it's name) and has white flesh. It can either be round in shape, or it can be elongated. The skin (the black exterior) is not suitable for eating and is peeled off. The flesh itself has a firm, crisp texture (similar to turnip). When raw the texture is slightly woody, which is mildly unpleasant to eat, so it is either cooked (making it softer) or it is shredded or finely cut to remove the woody aspect.

There are two types of black radish: spring and winter. Spring radishes are grown and harvested early in the growing season, while winter radishes are grown late and harvested in the fall or winter. Most cooks prefer the winter radishes, in part because spring radishes tend to be somewhat bitter.

Crème Brûlée is French for "Burnt Cream". If fact, neither the cream itself nor the sugar on top are "burnt", although both are cooked.
- Although a torch is now the standard tool for caramelising the sugar, or failing that an oven grill, at the time Crème Brûlée was first created neither existed. Instead, a small round iron has heated and then placed on top to caramelise the sugar (historical note: this iron was know as a "salamander"). This is a less controlled method than a torch or grill, so it is likely that some of the cream or sugar on the top was burnt instead of being merely caramelised. Perhaps this is where the "burnt" part of the name comes in. In any case, the term "Brûlée" is used by the French for a variety of different desserts which are toped with caramelised sugar.
- Various countries claim to have invented this recipe, including the French, Spanish and British. In the UK, it is claimed by some that the dish was invented in Trinity College in Cambridge. However, perhaps the earliest known reference was France in the 1691 release of Massialot's cookbook. In any case, there is a strong argument that the recipe was created in France. It is also true that the recipe is more popular in France than anywhere else, being a standard dessert offering in many French restaurants.