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Chances are as you are reading this article you still may be recovering from a 4th of July celebration. But before you write off the rest of the summer as devoid of meaningful holidays until the fall, consider that there is another holiday around the corner much sooner than you would think. Take the fourth of July and stick a “1” before the 4 and you have the second best holiday of the summer, le quatorze juillet, or the Fourteenth of July--Bastille Day as we like to call it on this side of the pond.
Leave it to the French to celebrate their independence from the monarchy in a manner that might put our little July fête to shame. As much as we love flag-shaped Jell-O cake, I am pretty much positive that the menu the French would come up with for their own celebration is bound to be a tad more interesting.
Bastille Day is a celebration of independence for the French on the same level as our own Independence Day observance. But rather than freeing themselves from the shackles of another country’s rule, Bastille Day commemorates the French Revolution and freedom from the tyranny of the monarchy. On July 14, 1789, the French citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille prison, not so much to save the seven prisoners being held there but as a symbolic gesture to warn the monarchy against fighting the movement toward a new government.
It is this grand egalitarian spirit that makes Bastille Day so much fun, even in this country. In New York, for instance, large celebrations of the day take place on both the Upper East Side and MacDougal Street in Soho. For foodies, MacDougal Street is the place to be, as teams from the city’s top French restaurants--with members ranging from the sommeliers to line cooks--gather for a day-long tournament of the French lawn bowling game petanque. While sipping some pink French bubbles, people wander from restaurant to restaurant. From simple cafes to fine dining establishments, each will set up outside to feed the throngs their French food.
Whether you're a Frenchman by birth or a francophile by inclination--or maybe you just like French fries--this holiday definitely has something for everyone. A homegrown Bastille Day party shouldn’t be too different from our own Independence Day celebrations, in that it is really not an occasion for a formal dinner. So look instead to a French inspired menu along the lines of what could be served at a barbecue or picnic.
Cooking Bastille Day fare to feed the top chefs as well as the passersby calls for creative interpretation of some French classics (this day is about freedom after all, so feel free to do French your way). Crepes, those paper-thin French pancakes, are the tortilla of Western Europe. This blank canvas can be made in batches and transformed into a variety of sweet or savory dishes with simple filling and folding. Baguette sandwiches are also great to feed a crowd of hungry petanque players. Butter and brie, proscuitto and arugula, grilled veggies and goat cheese: just split a long loaf down the middle, stuff it, cut it in bite-sized pieces and watch it disappear. Personally, I think it is a great day to indulge in some version of the béchamel, ham and cheese laden sandwich, Croque Monsieur.
The French motto of Liberté, Equalité, Fraternité was born of Bastille Day and can be seen now in everything from their spirit and to their cuisine. If that is the case, whether you are French or not, exercise your liberty to throw a 14th of July party, celebrate equality by interpreting French favorites in your own Americanized way, and enjoy the fraternity in sharing this food with people you love.
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/538-bastille-day-foods/
The Other Independence Day
Chances are as you are reading this article you still may be recovering from a 4th of July celebration. But before you write off the rest of the summer as devoid of meaningful holidays until the fall, consider that there is another holiday around the corner much sooner than you would think. Take the fourth of July and stick a “1” before the 4 and you have the second best holiday of the summer, le quatorze juillet, or the Fourteenth of July--Bastille Day as we like to call it on this side of the pond.
Leave it to the French to celebrate their independence from the monarchy in a manner that might put our little July fête to shame. As much as we love flag-shaped Jell-O cake, I am pretty much positive that the menu the French would come up with for their own celebration is bound to be a tad more interesting.
Bastille Day is a celebration of independence for the French on the same level as our own Independence Day observance. But rather than freeing themselves from the shackles of another country’s rule, Bastille Day commemorates the French Revolution and freedom from the tyranny of the monarchy. On July 14, 1789, the French citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille prison, not so much to save the seven prisoners being held there but as a symbolic gesture to warn the monarchy against fighting the movement toward a new government.
It is this grand egalitarian spirit that makes Bastille Day so much fun, even in this country. In New York, for instance, large celebrations of the day take place on both the Upper East Side and MacDougal Street in Soho. For foodies, MacDougal Street is the place to be, as teams from the city’s top French restaurants--with members ranging from the sommeliers to line cooks--gather for a day-long tournament of the French lawn bowling game petanque. While sipping some pink French bubbles, people wander from restaurant to restaurant. From simple cafes to fine dining establishments, each will set up outside to feed the throngs their French food.
Whether you're a Frenchman by birth or a francophile by inclination--or maybe you just like French fries--this holiday definitely has something for everyone. A homegrown Bastille Day party shouldn’t be too different from our own Independence Day celebrations, in that it is really not an occasion for a formal dinner. So look instead to a French inspired menu along the lines of what could be served at a barbecue or picnic.
Cooking Bastille Day fare to feed the top chefs as well as the passersby calls for creative interpretation of some French classics (this day is about freedom after all, so feel free to do French your way). Crepes, those paper-thin French pancakes, are the tortilla of Western Europe. This blank canvas can be made in batches and transformed into a variety of sweet or savory dishes with simple filling and folding. Baguette sandwiches are also great to feed a crowd of hungry petanque players. Butter and brie, proscuitto and arugula, grilled veggies and goat cheese: just split a long loaf down the middle, stuff it, cut it in bite-sized pieces and watch it disappear. Personally, I think it is a great day to indulge in some version of the béchamel, ham and cheese laden sandwich, Croque Monsieur.
The French motto of Liberté, Equalité, Fraternité was born of Bastille Day and can be seen now in everything from their spirit and to their cuisine. If that is the case, whether you are French or not, exercise your liberty to throw a 14th of July party, celebrate equality by interpreting French favorites in your own Americanized way, and enjoy the fraternity in sharing this food with people you love.
Croque Amy
Made with Brie cheese, smoked turkey or chicken breast, butter, whole milk, flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, French bread, marinated artichoke hearts
Made with Brie cheese, smoked turkey or chicken breast, butter, whole milk, flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, French bread, marinated artichoke hearts
Serves/Makes: 8
- 1/4 cup butter, plus additional for greasing pan
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup flour
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 8 thick slices large French bread
- 2 jars (12 ounce size) marinated artichoke hearts packed in oil
- 1 pound smoked turkey or chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces Brie cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt, stirring occasionally.
In a separate saucepan, bring the milk to a boil over medium-high heat.
Stir the flour into the melted butter using a wooden spoon and stir for 2 minutes. Let the mixture bubble but do not let it brown.
Slowly whisk the hot milk into the flour mixture and stir until smooth and the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and let cook for 10 minutes, whisking frequently. Season the sauce to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
Set the oven to broil.
Butter a baking sheet and place the slices of bread on it evenly spaced.
Drain the artichoke hearts from the marinade and cut them into slices.
Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the white bechamel sauce over each slice of bread. Arrange the artichoke slices on top. Layer slices of turkey or chicken and brie. Top with a sprinkling of grated gruyere over each sandwich.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Watch closely as they can burn quickly.
Serve hot.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/538-bastille-day-foods/