Plateau de fruits de mer facts for kids
A plateau de fruits de mer (say "plah-TOH duh froo-EE duh MAIR") is a special French dish. It means "shellfish platter." Imagine a big plate filled with different kinds of seafood, served cold, often on a bed of ice. It's a very popular dish, especially in France!
This platter usually has only shellfish. Shellfish are sea animals with shells, like oysters or crabs. People often eat it with special sauces. These can include mignonette sauce (a vinegar sauce), cocktail sauce, and fresh lemon slices.
How It's Served
When you see a plateau de fruits de mer, it often looks very fancy! The platter might be on a stand, lifting it above the table. Sometimes, it even has many levels, like a tower of seafood. This makes it look impressive and helps save space on the table.
Many shellfish are served in their shells or on half-shells. This means they take up a lot of room, even if there's only a small bite of meat inside. Sometimes, the seafood is served on a bed of seaweed, which is called "vraic" in French.
What's on the Platter?
A plateau de fruits de mer can have many different types of delicious shellfish. Here are some common ones you might find:
- Oysters: These are often eaten raw.
- Shrimp: Small, tasty crustaceans.
- Lobster: A large, popular shellfish with sweet meat.
- Periwinkles: Small sea snails.
- Crabs: Often served as legs or claws.
- Prawns: Similar to shrimp, but often larger.
- Langoustines: Like small lobsters or large prawns.
- Mussels: Dark-shelled shellfish, often steamed or raw.
- Scallops: Round, tender shellfish meat.
- Clams: Shellfish that can be eaten raw or cooked.
