jennahan

Does anyone know which sweetner is used in the Diet Coke in Europe? It definitely tastes different than the diet coke in the States. Actually, it tastes better (i.e., less chemically and closer to regular coke).

My favourite tea depends on the time of day: Early Morning: Celyon with milk (only whole, and just a couple drops) Mid morning to Early Evening: Earl Grey Evening: I don't know the name (a friend from Paris gives is to me several times a year as a present), but it's a tea from Mariage Freres with a delicate flower taste and a hint of some kind of fruit. It smells divine and looks like potpourri (looks like there is lavender and rose petals in it).

Ok, I can understand the reasons for #2 (it's "fake" butter), #4 (especially this one) (same as item 9, you want to be able to taste what you're eating, etc.), #5 (ditto), #7 (it's not "proper" food), #9 and #10 (wine, not soda) but the rest I don't get. Cinnamon in pastries?!? Explain please. What's wrong with that? Soba ← It took me 10 years to get used to those big cups of coffee. It's like 100 times the size of a typical French coffee. I have picked up an American habit, coffee to go. I drink from them now because that is they are served that way in the States, almost impossible to avoid. Bbq sauce is cloyingly sweet, sour and spicey what sort of wine does one drink with that? Half and half, what is the point of this? ← I admit, I need to have a tankard of coffee in the morning...quite difficult when I go see the in-laws in France. The important thing is the the volume of warm liquid in the morning...gets the system started, and is a comfort thing. It definitely cannot be done with the strong coffee served in most places in the world...gets one too wired, and gives me a stomach ache. No, it has to be the relatively weak, milky, sweetened but not too much caramel colored beverage. Makes any bad morning better. In terms of their dislike of ketchup and bbq sauce...fair enough. They are strong tasting, but used selectively, they do add great flavour to dishes. Le Hot Dog is, in the general sense, disgusting. However, a really well made one is quite good. yes, with ketchup and American mustard. I'm surprised that peanut butter, plastic chocolate, and the poor quality of the average baked good don't make the list.

Really interesting topic. I think that if one takes the term "Parisian Cooking" didactically, it doesn't really make sense, as several people have mentioned above. However, I think that the term is intersting if taken from a broader sense meaning, as others have pointed out, the cooking which is going on generally in homes in Paris. I guess one would say that Paris would be a good choice instead of , say, Nantais Cooking or Lyonaise Cooking becasue these areas would imply a tradition of cooking in a particular style. I think that the beauty of the term Parisian Cooking is that it implies the evolving cuisine which is changing to incorporate the many ethnicities which make Paris a permanant, semi-temporary, or temporary home. As an oriental american, married to a Frenchman (Breton/Angevin), living in the UK, I have incorporated so many cultures into my repetoire, that I tend to cook an amalgam of all the influences I come across. My mother makes her marinade for bulgogi using macerated kiwi and a touch of balsamic glaze at the end...delicious, but not really Korean. She came up with this recipe after being in the US for many years and being introduced to these very non-Korean ingredients. I, too, have adopted this recipe. I think about my new British home and their love of curries. They came up with Chicken Tikka Masala, something which does not exist as such in traditional Indian cuisine. Because Paris is unique in the breadth of "foreign" ingredients available, and the fact that this is the city where restaurants influenced by new techniques sit successfully alongside the bastions of classic Haute French Cuisine, I'm certain that people take these new tastes and try them at home. Thus, I see the term Parisian Cooking as a snapshot of contemporary life in France. Something old, something new, something borrowed....

← I really am puzzled by all of the glowing reports about the behaviour of French children, and the belief that the parents are in charge in France, but not in the US. I'm married to a Frenchman living in the UK, thus go often to France to visit my in-laws and have witnessed these "angels" in a casual environment. On the topic of the behaviour of French children, perhaps it is true that only the well-behaved children are taken out for nice meals, but I think that it is just that, in general, babies are taught from birth that mealtimes are not just about eating, but also a time for the family to be together. Outside of this time, my experience has been that French children are just as naughty as other children. Actually, worse. As France had a declining population for a while (just recently, with the decrease in the work week, the birth rate has seem to increase!), children were a relative rarity and extremely indulged. The comment about the 4-5 year old kids drinking from bottles does not surprise me. Additionally, it is commonplace to see kids this age with pacifiers stuck in their mouths (perhaps to keep them quiet to appease the poor parents?). I think that the French continue to baby their children quite a bit longer than in the US and that the US has gotten a bit carried away with empowering kids who really aren't capable of such lack of structure. In terms of the French believing that Maman knows best, my experience doesn't support this. I have a baby boy, and the amount of unsolicited advice/criticism I received in the streets of Paris was no different than anywhere else. Worse, my family-in-law were quite sceptical of the way I was raising my son. As I live in the UK where a more structured approach to motherhood is more common, I breastfeed for 7 months (most mothers don't breastfeed in France...bad for the boobs) and put my son on a schedule from birth...both things which were marvelled at. I think that the crux of the observed behavior of kids is that the French as a society have a different priority list than in the US, and wealth and career are second to enjoying life, which includes spending lots of time with family and friends. Perhaps the key is just that the French spend more time with their kids?

Although one can absolutely enjoy the taste of expertly prepared food by itself, wine does indeed enhance the flavor. The acidity of wine allows more flavor molecules to stimulate our chemoreceptors, and thus allow us to taste food better (like adding lemon to fish, or vinegar to a dish). I also find that it can cut through very fat-heavy dishes and make them seem lighter to the taste. The whole point of food-wine pairings is to match the instrinsic flavors of a particular wine with the dish so that they enhance eachother, rather than clash. Sushi with red wine is definitely wrong...making both the wine and the sushi less palatable. However, eat sushi with champagne, and something just clicks. In essence, I see wine as just another ingredient.

Salut bleu d'auvergne! Wonderful topic, and fantastic photos of georgeous food and settings. I am now considering going on the Diet myself. I have never dieted before, but I still have a stubborn 7 pounds sticking to me a year and a half after having my baby and need to get serious about losing it. This diet sounds healthy, balanced and easy to maintain. Just out of curiousity, is your husband also be on the diet if you two cook together, and what has both of your progress been to date? Thanks.

I have used Able and Cole in the past. They have a variety of fruit/veg boxes you can choose from, and they list the contents of the upcoming week's boxes on Thursday so you can amend your choice. They also have a place where you can list things you like and dislike so that your dislikes can be substituted automatically. I have always found them reliable, and delivery is free. You can also add fruit/veg/pantry items a la carte to supplement your box.

I wouldn't bother with La Fromagerie personally. It's not all it's cracked up to be. Neal's Yard will suit you just fine. ← Interesting. What makes you say that quality of the cheese? Selection? I actually prefer it to Neal's Yard only because it has a much broader array of choices. I could see a very strong argument though for Neal's Yard Irish/British focus making it more essential for a visitor to London. ← I don't like it. The last two occasions I went to La Fromagerie some of the cheeses weren't in the fantastic condition the place's reputation deserves, whereas I've never had that problem in Neal's Yard. Another gripe - and I realise this isn't to do with the cheese - is that I find the staff at La Fromagerie cold and snooty - and quick to point out any gaps in one's knowledge - whereas the Neal's Yard team are always impeccable, accommodating, friendly - I just find it a more pleasant experience. ← I think that both places warrent a visit. Everything which has been said about Neal's Yard and the friendliness of the staff, focus on great British cheese, etc is true. It is also true that the staff at La Fromagerie is snooty. However, we are dealing with two different types of cheese vendors. Neals Yard is a much more casual place and that is reflected in the decor (or lack of), friendliness of staff, and arrangement of cheeses. Dairy products are what Neals Yard is about...specifically British dairy. La fromagerie is a much more formal experience. Cheese is enshrined in a special "cave" which is climate and humidity controlled. Upon entering the cheese room, one feels as if one has entered an elegant shrine for cheese (primarily French). In the main shop, elegant pastries, bread, and high-quality take away food is sold, as well as pretty decent wines (again, primarily French). Additionally, there is a cafe where one can enjoy elegant food and wine, as well as cheese. I know which one I prefer (Neal's Yard), however La Fromagerie is a great place to go to, particularly for lunch.

How about using it as a base for fantastic mac & cheese with an elusive "je ne sais quoi?"

I'm now a stay at home mother to a 16 month old, and am pretty fussy about what he eats (just because he is a baby does not mean that he deserves second class food!). I do cook everyday because I want him to grow up knowing what properly cooked fresh food tastes like. Usually he eats what my husband and I eat, but if it's too rich, I'll make Baby something simpler. I also have an omnivorous lunch and a vegetarian dinner. Here is a sample: Today: Grilled dry-aged NY strip steaks gratine with Roquefort cheese and a shallot/balsamic vinegar/butter sauce served with an arugala and tomato salad (us). Beef stew with white sweet potato, carrot, and leeks for Baby (lunch) and pasta with a brocoli and parmesan sauce (dinner) Yesterday: Israeli couscous with roasted root vegetables (dinner), Tray-baked salmon with roasted tomato, green beans, and pine nuts (lunch) 2 days ago: grilled chicken with caramelized onions, avocado, and grapefruit (lunch) Lentil salad and grilled sweet potato (dinner)

As a Yank who moved to England 3 years ago, I was pretty ignorant about yorkshire puddings. I had only read of them, and the concept of having a dessert with the main course baffled me. Soon after I arrived, I was taken out for a traditional roast lunch and finally tasted them. I was hooked. After asking a couple English acquaintances, I was told that a proper Yorkshire pudding was quite difficult to make and thus was scared off from even trying. That was, until I discovered Delia Smith and a failsafe recipe for Yorkshire pudding. The key, according to her, to a properly airy, light pudding is a very hot tin (muffin, popover, or bread), and hot grease (whichever one you are using). You can find the recipe online on her website. PS: If you like Yorkshire pudding, please try Toad in the Hole (can also find a recipe on Delia's website). It is simply sausages baked in the oven with yorkshire pudding batter....YUMMY!