Le Goûter, my favorite time of day
Le goûter is something that I have always loved. It the perfect time to pause and enjoy a sweet treat. Here, I will tell you all about it, and how you can enjoy it as part of your day too!
What is le goûter?
The word goûter is a verb that means, “to taste.”
It also refers to the time of day when the French stop to have a snack.
Le goûter is typically reserved for kids, but adults are known to indulge in this afternoon custom as well.
It has been compared to Britain’s afternoon tea, and it usually happens around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. This is why you might sometimes hear it referred to as “petit quatre-heures.”
This is the time of day that kids are arriving home from school, and need a little something to get them through to dinner time. After all, it is not uncommon to start dinner around 8 o’clock in France.
On the weekends, it is the perfect time to have family or friends over to share a little coffee and sweet treat. When I was growing up, this was a regular thing, and the time when our family would come for a visit.
What do the French eat for le goûter?
Typically, le goûter consists of a beverage, and a sweet snack. This isn’t supposed to be a ton of food. But, it is traditionally a sweet food.
The adults usually have a coffee, and the kids are usually served water with or without sirop (syrup). When we were kids, sirop de fraise (strawberry syrup) with water was the most popular beverage choice!
Some examples of sweet foods offered are things like:
- a couple of cookies
- a piece of fruit
- a yogurt or compote
- a sweet pastry or viennoiserie
- a crêpe with sugar or nutella
- a piece of cake or galette
As an adult, my favorite goûter snack is coffee with a couple Petit Ecoliers cookies. They are basically butter cookies with a slab of chocolate on top!
Take Advantage of Le Goûter For Special Occasions
Le goûter is something that is easily enjoyed on a daily basis. But, why not take advantage of this time of day to celebrate a special occasion?
It is a great time to serve something like a cake or galette and have friends and family over for celebrating.
This is such a nice time of day, and it is an easy custom to adopt if you want to add a little French culture to your life!
Do you enjoy having le goûter daily? Tell me in the comments below what your favorite sweet treat is!
À bientôt
