The French have an uncanny ability to make ordinary food taste sublime.  Nothing illustrates this point better than Bistro Carrot Salad – a dish of raw carrots that have been grated into short delicate strands, dotted with flecks of fresh chopped parsley, and then tossed in a basic lemon vinaigrette.  Grated carrot salads (carottes râpées) are a mainstay at bistros everywhere in France and are so prevalent that French home cooks probably don’t even reference a recipe when making them. (more…)