tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297241541767981823.post9001357602548799464..comments2023-09-29T15:45:37.354+02:00Comments on Wishing I were in France: Swimming pool anecdoteladybirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05690656561242165157noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297241541767981823.post-11167507458085885632009-10-30T08:09:46.358+01:002009-10-30T08:09:46.358+01:00Jean, I know how you feel. After a holiday abroad(...Jean, I know how you feel. After a holiday abroad( France or elsewhere), the first thing I do is eat a good old Belgian classic. <br /><br />I remember that when I returned home from my annual language holiday in England in the seventies, I always begged my mother to prepare sausages, boiled patatoes and cauliflower with a cheesy bechamel sauce ... :) Yummy!ladybirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05690656561242165157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297241541767981823.post-25746079557387366902009-10-29T23:29:34.335+01:002009-10-29T23:29:34.335+01:00I read that same article in Paris Match last week ...I read that same article in Paris Match last week because it was picked out for us by our French teacher to read. (She's a lovely lady from Lyon who now lives in Derbyshire.) The gist of it was that New Yorkers are abandoning French restaurants for places that serve a greater variety of European and other cuisines. I suspect this simply has a lot to do with fashion and that going to a French restaurant is no longer the "in thing".<br /><br />However, when we have had holidays in France where we have stayed in hotels for several days, we have become over-stuffed with rich and sophisticated food. That is why we also tend to use self-catering accommodation, even if it is a tent !! <br />We have observed that when you eat out in France you get very few vegetables. People eat lots of vegetables at home so I suspect the restaurants serve richer food because it's different from the cooking at home and therefore a treat. <br />Thinking about the Americans who ordered take-away pizza, I can relate to that. Sometimes, how ever good a holiday is or how good the food is, sometimes you just want something that reminds you of home. For me it would be a cup of proper English tea and a plate of egg and chips !!Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297241541767981823.post-41158144858888754922009-10-29T00:59:08.466+01:002009-10-29T00:59:08.466+01:00I have to say that sometimes I read a blog really ...I have to say that sometimes I read a blog really fast and my comments can be a bit "off".<br />I think blogs are so wonderful because they let people exchange their opinion, as long as they respect each others and they can learn from one another. Friends, of course!Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06031276247743743680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297241541767981823.post-78283772559718758162009-10-28T18:19:39.319+01:002009-10-28T18:19:39.319+01:00Nadege, I'm not going to delete your comments ...Nadege, I'm not going to delete your comments as my blog is open to all honest and decent comments <br /><br />I fully understand your feelings about French gastronomy. I used to be a big fan, but getting slightly older, I can nolonger eat and digest all these rich sauces and dressings. But it can be great ... the wining and dining ... every now and then ... on special occasions. But give me a good pizza anytime, and I will eat it with a lot of gusto. Friends ??<br /><br />Martine. :x)ladybirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05690656561242165157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297241541767981823.post-58818639612331669902009-10-28T18:00:52.527+01:002009-10-28T18:00:52.527+01:00Sorry Martine I am back because I wanted you to kn...Sorry Martine I am back because I wanted you to know that your blog is so sweet, you could delete my comments if you don't feel comfortable with them. I remember of two instances of controversies on "Avignon in photos" about McDonald in France (people eating at those type of food joints) and another blogger commenting in his blog about another blogger. Of course, they got close to 100 comments and I don't want to do that to your sweet blog. But you must know that I really like American people and when it is justified, I will defend them. Of course the people ordering pizza could have been from any country in the world, but since Americans do that often, I had to comment and voice my opinion. Also the comment about rich food... is because California started the whole "health food" craze and I happen to live in SoCal.Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06031276247743743680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297241541767981823.post-3841351935105642972009-10-28T17:18:09.502+01:002009-10-28T17:18:09.502+01:00Martine, you didn't offend me and hopefully I ...Martine, you didn't offend me and hopefully I didn't offend anyone either by my comment. It is just that since I have lived in France and the US (though longer in the US now but my whole family is in France), I know what Americans like and how they "function"... That anecdote is unusual to you (and Europeans) but not in the States. I got carried away by my long comment because last week I read an article in Paris Match about 6 french chefs who went to New-York "they are the ambassadeurs d'une gastronomie francaise enfin moderne, metissee, surprenante et decontractee. La revanche des nouveaux!". I find it sad that french cuisine is not liked anymore because of its creamed sauces, buttery this and that. The thing too is that a lot of time when you eat in expensive restaurants in France, it is too formal. I know it is hard to make everybody happy but the dining experience in the US is different than in France, expensive or not. When I was in France I watched a show about B&B and "chambres d'hotes", the criteria required to be called chambres d'hotes. I love B&B; in the States, generally, they only serve breakfast but I am glad to know that in France, they serve dinner too and you can have the freedom to tell them what you would like to eat.Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06031276247743743680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297241541767981823.post-11349960087231033942009-10-28T16:57:14.187+01:002009-10-28T16:57:14.187+01:00Nadege, Take-away food has become more popular in ...Nadege, Take-away food has become more popular in Europe over the last decade. In Belgium, Chinese, Thai and Turkish Doner kebabs and Italian pizzas are the most sought after.<br /><br />I agree with you that it is difficult to eat fancy dinners every evening while you're on holiday. That is one of the reasons - apart from our favourite hotel closing down - why we now stay in B&B's. This gives us a lot more freedom when it comes to meals.<br /><br />I had no intention to critize when I wrote the pizza anecdote, but it seemed so unusual and 'so-not- done' in those days (1999-2000) in Europe that I thought it was worth mentioning on my blog. I hope I didn't offend anyone. And if I did, I hereby would like to apologize. Martine<br /><br /><br />Carolyn, I would like that very much ... but maybe we should give 'luck/chance' a helping hand! :) Martineladybirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05690656561242165157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297241541767981823.post-14559433272525678912009-10-28T14:23:32.591+01:002009-10-28T14:23:32.591+01:00Martine, what a great story! You have had some fu...Martine, what a great story! You have had some fun times in France. Your photo from Angles makes me think that someday in France, you and we will run into each other, because we like the same places.Carolynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297241541767981823.post-18952314952353562862009-10-28T12:39:52.327+01:002009-10-28T12:39:52.327+01:00I don't know about Europe, but ordering pizzas...I don't know about Europe, but ordering pizzas when you stay in hotels in the US is not unusual at all. "Take outs" are probably not as popular in Europe, but ordering Thai, Chinese food... and eat it in your room instead of dressing up and go down for a formal dinner is a nice change.<br />That was our problem when we went to Moorea 4 years ago and had to eat formal dinners every night. We wanted grilled fish but every night the food was covered (drenched) with sauce and it was too fancy. Californians are used to light food (grilled, steamed...) with vegetables and nice salads. Believe me, I understand than generally when people go to restaurants it is to eat something they wouldn't cook at home because of the long process of making fancy dishes but when you are on vacation for 1 month, you get tired of the rich food. It is good, but not to eat every night. Plus in the US, if you order fish, they ask you if you want it baked, poached, grilled... In France they don't offer that option. It also seems that potatoes and rice is served more often that green vegetables. Maybe it is why french food in the US has lost a lot of its luster; people go for Italian, Japanese, Indian, Thai, Chinese food... I would say french food is last on the list, eaten occasionally and generally when it is cold since it is so heavy. The exception is pastries. French and Viennese pastries are very good. In the US, their deserts are way too sweet.Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06031276247743743680noreply@blogger.com