These embellished containers didn’t just sit pretty on the table; they determined social standing.

Spread this fat-poached meat on a crusty French loaf.

When the clock strikes midnight on the third Thursday of November, fans gather to celebrate the release of this fresh, fruity wine.

This flat, silver spoon holds an exalted place in the mystery and ritual of absinthe drinking.

The washed and dried root of the licorice plant was once a popular natural “candy.”

These marvelous mussels are cooked under pine needles.

These almond cakes resembling gold ingots were sold near the Paris stock exchange.

The surprisingly subversive history of dancing over afternoon tea.

Only two silent monks know all 130 plants that go into this herbal liqueur.

Some Bretons claim that their signature treat is the fattiest pastry in the world.

Recently introduced to France, it's the color of pool water.

These French candies originally came in seashells.

This French wedding cake is a caramel-wrapped tower of pastry balls.

The 17th-century dessert plants an isle of meringue in a sea of custard.

Brie's dark, older cousin can only be found in one region of France.

Before they're filled with brandy, these bottles get attached to trees so pears can grow inside.

This dying practice requires total trust between horse and rider.

Make like a 19th-century Belgian miner and cool off with this refreshing ale.

Belgium's stew of beef and abbey-style ale is essentially bourguignon for beer lovers.

Beer-brewing monks make aromatic, ale-flavored cheese in the Belgian countryside.

This Christmas bread is formed in the shape of the baby Jesus.

These sweet hands come with stories of triumph and brutality.

These Dutch doughnuts are classic New Year's treats.

Brewers are replacing hops with sweet, aromatic herbs to resurrect this extinct beer.