américaine

Américaine is the feminine form of the French adjective américain, meaning "American." It can function as an adjective or as a noun.

As an adjective, Américaine agrees in gender with the noun it modifies and is used to denote relation to the United States or to American culture, for example: une voiture américaine, la culture américaine.

As a noun, Américaine can refer to a woman who is American; the masculine form is Américain, and the plural forms are Américains (masculine) and Américaines (feminine).

In culinary usage, à l’américaine or à l’Américaine designates a style of preparing certain seafood dishes in a tomato-based sauce, often enriched with onions, garlic, white wine or cognac, and sometimes brandy. Dishes such as écrevisses à l’américaine and langouste à l’américaine are common in French cuisine. The label implies an American-style preparation, though recipes vary and the term’s origin is historical rather than a precise reflection of American cooking.

Origin and notes: the phrase appears in French culinary writing from the 19th century and later. It does not necessarily indicate direct American methods but reflects a traditional labeling practice in French gastronomy, with regional variations in the exact ingredients and method.