This is a preview of the content in our French Food Decoder app. Get the app to:
  • Read offline
  • Remove ads
  • Access all content
  • Use the in-app Map to find sites, and add custom locations (your hotel...)
  • Build a list of your own favourites
  • Search the contents with full-text search functionality
  • ... and more!
iOS App Store Google Play

gratin dauphinois

potatoes and cream

Potatoes au gratin by sa

Not many dishes have a proper birthday, but this classic, of sliced potatoes baked with cream or milk was first officially served in the Dauphinois town of Gap on 12 July 1788 as an accompaniament to the ortolans served by Charles-Henri, Duke of Clermont-Tonnerre.

Unlike many dishes the potatoes are raw, but sliced very thinly and layered in a buttered casserole dish. Many chefs add gruyère, although that officially makes it a gratin savoyard. Don’t confuse it with pommes dauphine.

Other names you may see for the same thing are pommes de terre dauphinoise, potatoes à la dauphinoise and gratin de pommes à la dauphinoise.

Auvergne Rhône Alpes

Classic dishes

Text © Dana Facaros

Image by GeeJo on Wikimedia Commons