How is the cuisine from Normandie, Bretagne, Provence and Alsace-lorraine different form eachother?

Question

How is the cuisine from Normandie, Bretagne, Provence and Alsace-lorraine different form eachother?

Answer 1

In Bretagne, the local specialty is crepes. In Provence, lots of mediterrean cooking-tomatoes and other veggies, Alsace-lots of Germanic influence.  Can't speak for Normandie or Lorraine...sorry.

Answer 2

Every region of France relies upon its local produce and the notion of "terroir" (literally "terrain") is the very heart of French cooking.

Normandy is known for the excellance of its butter and cream, lamb raised in salt marshs, ducks, fish and shellfish from its long stretch of coast, and finally for its excellant apples and apple products, especially cidre and Calvados (distilled from cider). its most famous dishes are Gigot d'Agneau Pre Sel (roast leg of lamb), Canard Rouennaise (duck from Rouen), Sole Normande (Poached sole served with a thickened butter-egg-and-cream sauce), and Tripes a la Mode de Caen (tripe and vegatables braised in cider).

Brittany also produces excellant lamb and has an abundance of fish and shell fish (its surrounded by water on three sides). They raise pigs and produce some interesitng sausage and ham. As has already been noted, they are known for the variety of their crepes made from either wheat or buckwheat flour (the latter are called "galettes"). Well known Breton dishes (aside from the crepes) are Coquilles St. Jacques  (creamed scallops), Homard a l'Armoricaine, and a fish stew called Cotriade Bretonne.

Provence in the far south of France has many mediterranean influences (the Ancient Greeks colonized this part of France) . There is a vast variety of fish from the warm waters of the Med and garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, and herbs such as rosemary, basil, and fennel are all locally grown. Probably the most famous dish is Bouillabaisse in which a mixture of various seafood products are cooked together with garlic, tomatoes, saffron and the resulting broth served as a first course with the fish and shellfish then served separately as a main course. There is also salad Nicoise (an  elaborate salad with tuna fish, olives, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and hard boiled eggs on lettace), ratatouille, and pissaladiere (a sort of pizza) and panisse (in Marseille) or socca (in Nice)  (a thin crepe like item made with chick pea flour).

Alsace and Lorraine have been much influenced by their history of going back and forth in the possession of France and Germany. The German influence is much stronger in Alsace than in Lorraine. Local wines tend to be made in the German style and beer is brewed locally. Like Germans they eat saurkraut and have a fondness for processed pork products. Goose is also much liked. Choucroute Garnie, a dish of slow braised saurkraut with sausages and cured pork served with potatoes is the best know dish of Alace. Lorraine gives its name to the quiche Lorraine.