A buffet meal. One where many foods are served on a table and the diners help themselves. In France this will almost always be followed by diners then taking the food to a table where they sit down to eat. In England it also covers the occasion when people stand to eat or cluster in groups of seats with their plates on their knees, trying to manoeuvre napkin, cutlery, drink and food without catastrophe.
Buffalo. A large member of the ox family. Its milk provides cheeses such as Provolone or Mozzarella.
Bugey is an area which covers approximately half of the department of Ain, between Haut-Savoie and Rhône. It shares with Bresse and Dombes the distinction of being one of the centres of French gastronomy and was the home of Brillat-Savarin. It produces red, white and rosé wines (VDQS) and some sparkling wines.
Bugloss. A herbaceous plant similar to borage and with the same uses. Its flowers are also used to prepare a refreshing drink or as a tonic addition to salads.
A large deep-fried, sweet pastry fritter made with rum and orange flower water formed by twisting strips of pastry into a knot. It is usually dusted with icing sugar. Bugnes are popular in Lyonnais and Bourgogne around Easter, especially Shrove Tuesday and are often flavoured with acacia flowers.
"Champagne bubble." A bubble-shaped chocolate made with dark chocolate and filled with vieille fine de Champagne or marc de Champagne.
A garlic soup, with oil and egg, sage, bay and thyme and perhaps some croûtons of fried bread; a speciality of Provence, where they have a saying ‘L’aïgo boulido suavo lo vito’ (garlic soup saves one’s life).
