When Martha Stewart asked the founder of gourmet meat purveyor D'Artagnan about the hearty French dish of duck confit, garlic sausages and tarbais beans, Ariane Daguin responded in a thick Gascon accent that imparted culinary authority.

WSJ: A Cassoulet Worth Fighting Over

Also in the Broad Ripple neighbourhood, chef Greg Hardesty presents plates of edible art at his acclaimed Recess, illustrating just how refined the Indianapolis food scene has become, with a rotating menu of fresh fish like sable served with a sweetcorn-scallion blini, and an international drinks list of perfect dish pairings, from a French 2009 Domaines Schlumberger pinot gris to a local Sun King Brewery Wee Mac Scottish-style ale.

BBC: The culinary heart of America��s heartland

He said the origins of the dish were complex, but probably came about from the combination of French frites with Jewish fish dishes.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Top UK dish 'hooked French first'