A few years back my mom gave me a book entitled, "French Women Don't Get Fat." I never read it. I thought it must be hogwash. How could French women seriously sit around all day eating pastries, cheese and steak frite and still be thin and healthy?
Well, I just returned from Paris, and my friends, it's true. Here are a few observations:
- EVERYTHING is fresh. Parisians buy their bread daily from the boulangerie. Outdoor markets dot each area of the city providing fresh, local, seasonal produce. They buy their meat fresh from the butcher and artisanal cheese from the fromagerie. Wine? From neighboring wineries. Outside of the supermarkets, nearly all of their food is whole and without preservatives.
- Food and drink is enjoyed. We were sitting at an outdoor cafe enjoying a glass of rose and the best-I've-ever-tasted bowl of french onion soup, and I noticed the couple next to us. Their drinks (one each) were half full when we arrived, yet the couple remained even as we were leaving, an hour and a half later--still talking, engaged in conversation, using hand motions and expressions--One drink only. They were purely enjoying each others company; no need for 3 more rounds of drinks to give them something to do or loosen them up for continued conversation.
- The thing that stuck out in my mind was the fact that everything for Parisians is art--architecture, fashion, food--all art. Which is why they only choose the best, whole, real foods to prepare their meals. Do you think Coco Chanel would use fake leather for her handbags?
- They walk and bike-- a lot. Walking, bicycling and public transportation are the easiest and fastest ways to navigate the city. Paris is peppered with public bike racks called Velib which allow you to pick up a bike in one part of the city, ride to another and drop it off...so cool.
No comments:
Post a Comment