The Food post

So a while ago I was supposed to write a post about the food here in France because as it is known, France is the land of good food. And I think I will devote this post to Jen because I got her email on this and just wrote a really crappy short response back to her saying that I would blog about it soon and if she could please read about it there. Which I will now take a moment to also apologize and say to everyone who has been so kind to take the time out to email me that I am sorry for my short responses or NO responses. It's been quite difficult and expensive to get connected here, as my mom, dad, and sister could probably tell you!

But enough of complaints and all that, I'm sure I've whined about it enough; I am here now (in fact i have been here for several hours now working out email &etc, i hope the french don't think i am some weird canadian hermit who doesn't go out and take in the Southern French sun, but instead prefers to stay indoors and sit in front of a computer, but i couldn't care less!).

So about the food, and I feel more compelled to write about it now then before because I've actually spent a little over a month of eating it, and it is good!

I know my parents were initially worried about me being nourished enough and probably had some reservations about me cooking or not cooking! Possibly they imagined I would be living off of a box of Oreos and gum or something, the classic meal of students living away from home, I don't know. However, there are no Oreos here, or at least I don't think I have seen them, and moreover, I don't think I would buy them. The first thing that I did when I got here was go and take a browse of the local supermarket, the LE.ECLERC. Corli had already told me to expect a huge section just devoted to cheese before I got here, so I thought I had some knowledge of what to expect, but boy was I wrong.

First of all, I had these very stereotypical images of tightly packed French streets with old buildings in the Parisian style and produce vendors composing le marché. So I was very surprised to end up in the south of Vitrolles that first day near a Buffalo Grill restaurant and park my bags in a less than one star hotel where I was actually afraid of getting robbed.

Looking back on that first day, I feel ashamed for thinking that way. And I wonder if I sound like some kind of spoiled pansy; or worse, a spoiled and sheltered pansy. I probably can't help admitting to being a little bit of all of the above. Although I want to desperately rub that all out of myself.

Of course, the south of France is not in the Parisian style. And I got even more perspective on that during this past holiday season (the Toussaint holidays) when I got a chance to travel the region!

I am actually starting to appreciate the southern region in it's own small charming way, but maybe I'll explain a little more about that later. I'll first devote this post to food (which should also give a little idea of the region and influence) and talk about what I did this holiday season too.

So I digress.

My parents will be happy to know that while I buy some food myself (all the necessary food groups), and have cooked a little, mostly I have been eating big French meals with very hospitible French families. So I would say that I am getting quite a little insight into French cuisine, if I may say so.

The second day after I landed I phoned up my friend Corli and her host family drove out to pick me up within fifteen minutes of phoning. It is this kind of warmth and hospitality that I can say has really impressioned me about French people and surpasses all of the other sometimes not as pleasant stuff that you might have to deal with here. The French people in these smaller local places seem to really have it still stuck in them about really opening their houses to strangers and sharing food, which really is some kind of universal way of bringing people together. I don't know quite what it is about feeding the stomache that makes people happy and warm.

But anyway, that first day I had moules et frites (mussels and fries), and the Europeans have their big meal at lunch (except for during holidays, which I will get into later). I was getting really stuffed on endless helpings of moules et frites! And there was bread and radishes. The Vials (Corli's host parents) also poured us a little roset, and also noted on the side that they don't drink a lot as is so stereotypically representative of the French. They decided to add, "We drink a lot of water". I guess, alcohol is alcohol whereever you go. The meal was finished off with some glace and meringues.

HOWEVER, this holiday season I was up at the "cabane" in the alps and starting to feel a little tipsy by midi on the top of a mountain because of a few too many happy rounds of alcool! hahaha! I could blame it on the altitude to make my parents feel better about reading this, but they already know that I don't get motion sick or that I don't get vertigo or fear of heights...so I don't know how effective that would be to say.

Anyhoo, it was totally fine, except that during the holidays the French are exactly like the rest of us around the world. Big meals, where you eat too much and drink more than usual, and just all out enjoy yourself around the table with good company.

I have to thank the Desdier family for this. Henri (who is retired now and usual spends the hunting season up in the alps) came back down last last week on Francine's birthday and drove half the supplies up before us on Friday. Then I went with Francine and her two granddaugthers Jade (8) and Cecile (2) in the car along with my friend Corli and we drove two hours up to the small town of Barcelonette (not too far from Gap), to the small ski run of Ste Anne where their "cabane" is located. Erin has kindly said that she will help me link the pictures from this trip soon!

So well I thought noon meals were huge! But then there was dinner too which was even larger during those nights up on the southern alp mountains! The Desdiers invited their old "balader" crew up there, which were basically a group of very nice 30 somethings who are in a hiking association with Henri. So we broke bread and shared food A LOT during those five days and four nights.

I'll do a quick rundown of the food then.

Breakfast:

Tea for me, although the French are big on their café and it is strong, which I like, but I drink more tea in the morning because I prefer to start the day off more hydrated. I like taking a strong coffee after breakfast or after lunch.

They've got these krisperols, or pains grillés which you put butter and confiture or jam on. And it's common to have brioches, which now comes tranché or sliced. And you never take milk with your coffee. That's pretty much breakfast. Sometimes you can have orange juice, or fruit or yaourt if you like.

Lunch:

Is huge. You have main courses of viande, which could be porc, poulet, steak or in the case of the alps...chamois. Then you have bread of course. And you can have pasta. There is salad, which you don't eat till the end of the meal so you can have room to politely eat all of the main course. You finish the meal with bread and cheese. I don't actually know the names of all the cheese I've had lately, but they are all good. Then you have fruit for dessert.

See the French hate drinking milk; but they don't miss out because of all the cheese and yaourt.

Dinner:

Usually not a lot of meat, unless again you are on holiday and in the alps. Pasta, bread, and finish with cheese again. Dessert during the holidays are endless very tastey tarts, and yaourt with confiture, and chocolate!

Alcool:

I have to devote a section to this alone. You never drink in the morning of course...although I'm sure some do. But by the time it's midi and you're celebrating it's all good. Actually, my parents will be happy to know that Francine doesn't drink at all usually because she's more health concious and doesn't like to when we're at home. In fact, I think i saw here only drink one glass of wine the whole time we were in the alps. But she also always likes to eat a lot of salads and stuff, again back here in Vitrolles.

So on the first day up in the alps, Henri had a bottle of 51 Marseillaises Pastis, very Marseille, I am told. I think I might have that spelled wrong. And he was being a good host and poured some glasses, which is a Anise seed liquor i believe. Tastes like licorice. And you're supposed to drink it diluted by water. And Francine yelled at him and said, "we don't drink alcohol in the early afternoon!" She also yelled at him a few other times about various things, all in normal husband and wife relations I believe :D

I've also tried various wines here, but i never know the names. And I had some of Henri's homebrewed Génépi after dinner one night. And everyone around the table encouraged Corli and I to try a few drops because apparently it is very good for getting to sleep. Oh and it's also a liquer that is very particular to the alps and apparently a plant that is obtained at the peril and risk of people's lives!

Anyhoo, i think I've babbled on long enough! I'd like to write more, but this is already an extremely long post, and I will just have to come back again later. I still need some time to post pictures worth a month of talking about!

Hope I haven't bored you all too much!

Bon appetit whereever you are! And good night!

Love Amanda