French Culture is Food-Centric
My Friend Lynne asked to hear more about the food. And French Culture is food-centric!
Mealtime in France is practically sacred. As I mentioned before, many businesses are closed for a few hours for lunch. Strolling through the streets between noon and three o'clock the restaurant terraces are packed with people leisurely eating as they chat. There is no rush to finish. There's no hurry to turn over tables in French restaurants; you won't receive your bill until you ask for it. The significance of mealtime is not just about food. It's also about taking a moment to sit down, relax, and enjoy yourself. It's also about connecting with others. It's joie de vivre, the simple joy at being alive and experiencing the moment. Quality food is of course an important part of a good meal. There's a lot of focus on sourcing, preparation, and how the food is presented. As many of you know, hormones and chemicals that are legal in the US are banned here, and many farmers use minimal or no pesticides on produce even when they don’t get organic certification.
Here are some specific things we've noticed... Meal portions in France are a lot smaller and even a glass of wine is smaller. Food is not as rich and heavy even if you do order a creamy cheesy pasta dish. Flavors of food are more subtle with significantly less salt and desserts less sweet. This takes a bit getting used to but you adjust and enjoy the natural flavors of the food. The cuisine specific to the city of Nice is Niçoise, cuisine which is known for its simple, seasonal recipes based on local produce. Niçoise salad is the most well known. We went to a Niçoise place last week in Old Town and had a delicious meal: Niçoise Daube, beef simmered for a long time in red wine with vegetables and herbs. This came with Niçoise ravioli, house made ravioli stuffed with daube and Swiss chard. John had the ravioli in gravy and I had it in a delicious creamy pesto sauce. There is also a a lot of seafood which I love. I had a fish staring a me from my plate the other day which was a first for me!
