Dipping bread in coffee! Things French people do with their bread (2024)

Bread is the staple of French food – literally its bread and butter! Besides eating it with absolutely everything and for every meal, French people do weird things with their bread. Here are the top five…

Dipping bread in coffee! Things French people do with their bread (1)

Eat it with everything
French people love their bread so much that they eat it at every meal, with literally everything. The French start their day with bread, eating it for breakfast. Then for lunch and dinner, they will eat it with every course of their meal, from their vegetable starter, to their cheese (yes – see below). Many people eat bread with everything, including with starchy food. They are also very likely to eat some bread for “goûter” (4pm snack), with a piece of cheese, charcuterie, or chocolate.
Dipping bread in coffee! Things French people do with their bread (2)
Dip it in their coffee
Almost all French people have bread for breakfast. Toasted or not, it is eaten with butter and/or jam, honey or chocolate spread, and dipped into their mug of coffee. Although this can be a bit messy with crumbles of bread falling into the coffee and drops of coffee falling on the table, the French love it.
Dipping bread in coffee! Things French people do with their bread (3)
Eat it with cheese
Eating cheese with bread is actually the way to eat cheese in France. With each bite of cheese, they have a bite of bread (and now and then a sip of red wine), or simply put a slice of cheese on top of a slice of bread and eat the two at the same time – just forget the crackers!
Use it to clean their plates
At the end of every meal, French people use a piece of bread to clean their plate, thus making it ready for the next course. It’s also a great way to make the delicious dish last a bit longer – especially if it had sauce! This is called “saucer son assiette” (literally “to sauce one’s plate”).
Dipping bread in coffee! Things French people do with their bread (4)
Nibble it in the street
It is not unusual (nor frowned upon) to see French people nibbling the end of their bread or baguette (called “crouton” or “quignon” according to the regions) in the street – bread is so irresistible when it’s still hot and crunchy, coming straight out of the oven, that it is a true challenge to wait until getting back home to start eating it.

Language buddy

Pain = bread
Baguette = baguette
Croûton or quignon = the end of the bread
Boulangerie = bakery
Saucer son assiette = to mop up one’s plate
Entrée = starter
Plat principal = main course
Fromage = cheese
Dessert = dessert

Want to know more about French bread? Read our definitive guides about bread and baguette and going to a French bakery.

Dipping bread in coffee! Things French people do with their bread (2024)

FAQs

What do French people dip their bread in? ›

Almost all French people have bread for breakfast. Toasted or not, it is eaten with butter and/or jam, honey or chocolate spread, and dipped into their mug of coffee. Although this can be a bit messy with crumbles of bread falling into the coffee and drops of coffee falling on the table, the French love it.

Why do French dip bread in coffee? ›

The tartine is an institution: a large piece of toasted baguette topped with butter and lumps of homemade apricot jam has to be my favourite. When dipped into the tea or coffee, the butter and jam melt and the bread softens - making it easier to eat without making it soggy.

What cultures dip bread in coffee? ›

This simple yet cherished act of dipping pandesal, a quintessential Filipino bread, into a steaming cup of black coffee is a cultural practice that encapsulates the warmth and flavours of Filipino mornings.

Is it normal to dip bread in coffee? ›

That's the swiss way. Germans seem to be more simple minded: Just dip your stale bread into hot coffee or tea.

What do French people put on their bread? ›

French people eat bread with butter. But also with cheese, with pâté, jam or with Nutella. But most of the time, they will just eat it without anything on but with their fingers. Especially if it's the quignon (crust) of a freshly baked baguette.

Do Italians dip bread in coffee? ›

Yes, there is a proper way to go about dipping your savory focaccia bread into a cappuccino. Everything starts, naturally, with the focaccia. Now, the Ligurian region of Italy is home to various kinds of focaccia. However, the kind most associated with this tradition is the focaccia alla Genovese.

Why do people eat bread with coffee? ›

Bread and coffee have complimentary textures because of the contrast between the soft and chewy texture of bread and the smooth, liquid texture of coffee. This creates a satisfying sensation in the mouth as the two textures play off each other.

How do you eat coffee bread? ›

Slices of coffee bread are great with a cup of tea. This coffee bread is also great with a steaming hot cup of coffee. Who am I kidding, this bread is terrific no matter what you serve with it. Flavored with strong coffee, this mildly sweet, caffeine tinged bread is easy to make.

Do Parisians dip their croissants in coffee? ›

Eating croissants is a national pastime in France, but the French love of dipping them in coffee isn't acceptable in Britain – 'or indeed high society anywhere', according to etiquette expert William Hanson.

Do the French eat bread with butter? ›

(Bread is meant to accompany a meal and sop up sauce, it's not a separate course, so butter isn't usually served with bread in France.

Why put butter in your morning coffee? ›

Energy. Butter coffee is believed to provide steady, long-lasting energy without a blood sugar crash. In theory, since fat slows digestion, the caffeine in the coffee is absorbed slower and provides longer-lasting energy.

Do the French eat jam with croissants? ›

A typical French breakfast consists of a croissant or bread with butter and jam and sometimes a sweet pastry. Fresh fruit juice and hot beverages, like coffee or tea, are also included. Here all meals for French breakfast. The tradition of eating a large meal mid-day continues at dinner time in France.

How do the French eat their bread? ›

The baguette is one of France's most-loved loaves and is eaten throughout the day. Baguettes can be eaten as early as breakfast time—often toasted, buttered, and dunked in coffee. It's a source of carbohydrates and the fiber necessary to start the day off right! Fruit jam can also be added for an extra treat.

Do French people dip bread in hot chocolate? ›

I've seen variations of the same act in homes, hotels and cafés across France: croissants in hot chocolate, brioche in tea, there really is no limit. One of French literature's most quoted passage is even about inappropriate dunking.

What is a French dip sandwich called? ›

A French dip sandwich, also known as a beef dip, is a hot sandwich consisting of thinly sliced roast beef (or, sometimes, other meats) on a "French roll" or baguette.

What do French people put in baguettes? ›

At breakfast, many French people eat a piece of baguette (as-is or toasted) that's covered in butter, jam, and/or Nutella. They often dip buttered a baguette into their coffee. For le goûter (children's late-afternoon snack), some people give kids a portion of baguette with a piece of chocolate in it.

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