Thanks for resting your eyeballs here for a moment.(They are resting, right?) If you rest them a little longer, you may learn some interesting,(hopefully)entertaining, and, yes, ocassionally BIZARRE things about French Country life. (more…)
Bicycle Gourmet | June 24th, 2009 | Continued
Who’s the greatest French chef ? Depends on your terms of reference, dunnit? Your definition of “great.” The extent of your experience with GFC’s. And, of course, ultimately, it’s all subjective. Who’s the greatest French chef –for you? The personalities of the GFC’s I’ve met, come in more flavours than Summer ice cream. They are, to a Man, (rarely a Woman) dynamic, “can do”, individuals. Basically, “Type A” personalities on speed.
Most of the GFC’s to whom the adjective “great” can be applied, base their cuisine on the cooking of their Grandmothers.(“Cuisine Grandmere”)
While not all future culinary superstars at age seven were tugging at Granny’s aprons strings demanding :“Hey, Gran……..why did you whisk the cream in at the last minute?” – Most were raised in an atmosphere of respect for the products of the land. And it’s associated history and traditions. They understood, from childhood, that the preparation of food, was an act of love. A celebration of the gift’s of the land. A serious, but joyous responsibility that required equal amounts of attention and imagination.
Before I met him, one of the GFC’s was described to Me thusly : “He used to be a very great chef. Now He is a very great businessman.” Too true! Not only the too upholstered restaurant, festooned with photos of the GFC bear–hugging movie stars, politicians and corporate criminals – but – a cote – a turn of the century bistro. For those jonesin’ for some faux Belle Epoque ambience.
A few doors down, the GFC boutique. Exclusive retailer of autographed aprons, chef’s hats, knives, sheets, pillow cases, tee-shirts, stemware, mugs, and all else GFC.
Outside the village, a massive heli-pad equipped Chateau assures the GFC will not have to turn down any convention business.
The extent to which Mr. GFC grasped the gospel of marketing, is evidenced by his firm “no” to my request to film in in his video-monitor strewn office. He smiled smugly.“Eats not part of ze dream.”
This GFC did learn his sauce-making at Granny’s knee. And, He’s the fifth generation to man the stove. Inevitably, his son will be number six. For those chef wannabes who were not dropped by the stork into the silver saucepan of culinary royalty, There’s another road to GFC-dom.
It’s the same road you follow to become a carpenter, a brick layer, or a sorcier. You apprentice! You willingly, eagerly submit to excessive hours of verbal/physical torture, usually in plus tropical heat, for minimum wage. Eyes fixed firmly on the prize. For as long as it takes. Perhaps this is the reason there are so few Women in the GFC club? As the logical inheritors of Granny’s gifts, should We not expect more female GFC’s?
There is an association of Female chefs in France. Separate and distinct from the all gender “Cuisiniers du France.” Having chowed down at more than a few restaurants with a woman behind the stove, I’ve found them, their cuisine, ambience and service, consistently exceptional.
Part Two – Next Time.
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
This French Christmas Pot Pouri, while perhaps not sufficently memorable to print out and immortalize on your refigerator, will, I hope give you an unvarnished view(and isn’t that the best kind?) of “La Belle France” as it prepares to celebrate the death/rebirth gig of the Son of the invisible super being.
THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Uh…that would be the “shopping spirit?” – The French certainly have that in quantities “beaucoup.” After all, it was the French who invented luxury by adding an “E” to otherwise non-lux words. Thus enabling merchants to charge double or more. Not to forget also, the World’s largest consortium (now there’s an illegal sounding word if I’ve ever heard one) of luxury products is French. I Forget their exact initals, but if you’ve ever enjoyed French champagne or have a certain pricey brand of luggage, you”ve “been there – done that.”
THE ECONOMY
While not in the toilet, it’s certainly circling the bowl. As is all of Europe, to varying degrees. The culprit is the same one that brings on indigestion. Having eyes that are bigger than your stomach.
The European Union, with one currency, the Euro, began with 12 countries. Then Spain, Then Greece . Then assorted Eastern European lands. Yes, dear reader, the EU has eyes too big for it’s stomach. It just can’t feed all those member nations. They’re eating up more euros than the EU has in the kitchen.
Thus the current economic crisis. The reason for so many long purposeful walks along the seashore by the most unlikely of couples, French President Nicholas Sarkozy and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. It is there, the leaders of the two most affulent Euro Nations, do their “perp walk” for the TV cameras.
Supposedly to assure we mere mortals that even when they “take five” from the conference table, they never cease their search for a solution. The press here have dubbed them “Merkozy.”
Are you ready for a shocker? Most French hate the Euro. Here’s why. When France floated along blissful on the currency cleverly named “the franc” – an “entry level” loaf of bread -”le baugette ordinaire” was 4 Francs.
Then one day, the French woke up to find that francs had gone the way of the 8 track cassette. And something called “Euros” were now the cats meow. One euro being equal to about 7 francs. And “baugette ordinaire” was now a minimum of 1.10 Euro. You can understand why this got French panties in a knot, can you not?
POLITICS
Sadly, (in the view of most French, and me) there appears to be no one capable of dethroning the current Emperor in the forthcoming election. (Anyone who lives in a guarded palace with 61 cars and his own airplane, is definitely an Emperor, folks.)
Dominique Strauss Kahn, before his descent into “moral errors”, probably could have done it. but he’s waaay damaged goods now. And, in the opnion of many, there’s more “damaged” than just his political reputation.
CRIME
Sadly, France seems to be having more horrific sex crimes . Doubly disturbing is the fact that a seemingly overwhelming majority are committed by those under 21. IN THIS CASE by a Male teenager who raped, murdered and then burned a Female classmate.
BOTTOM LINE : Pyschotic people come in all ages and nationalities.
France has no death penalty. Yet.
COUNTRY COUSINS
In The French Countryside, as in almost every rural setting, the locals could give a rat’s ass for the “world out there.” (As long as there’s wine in the cellar and a chicken on the table!) Their involvement with National politics is usually limited to shaking their heads in disgust as the 8 o’clock news blonde recounts the latest misuse of their money.
And they celebrate festive events, in a much simpler and uniquely Human way. As I explained last Christmas IN THIS POST.
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT 2
Another word for the “Christmas Sprit” : Hypocrisy. That’s how it hits me, folks. To designate one time of the year when we think of/try to help those less fortunate than ourselves, is, to me, not the mark of a highly evolved, truely compassionate society.
BG’s CHRISTMAS WISH
So, my Christmas wish for you this year, is that you’ll live the “Christmas Spirit” all year round.
And also, “appreciate.” Whatever you feel you “need” or “must have”, be thankful for what you have now. Remember there are those with much less. And those with nothing. Appreciate what you have. And do what you can to help those who need it.
This space will be blank until sometime in January. See ya then?
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
French Travel Country Life Dreaming is what I do. As my regular readers are well aware. And I suspect that their French travels, or dreams about them, is what contributes to them being faithful followers of DA BG.
They will be the first to tell you that my French Cycling Gourmet gig isn’t always a bed of roses. But, fortunately, so far I’ve always been able to find a bed! And, Rain or Shine – it’s never routine or boring.
I’m No Hemingway
Everyone who writes “mo beddah” than I do in this genre (and there are many) will admit that words, however elegantly employed, can only hint at the experience they attempt to describe.
Fortunately, some wise guy invented video. Which, in most cases, can give us a more intense taste of the subject at hand. Hopefully this petite slice of French Country Life will give you a taste of the dream. Bon Appetit!
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
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Thanks Sylvan for pointing that out - you beat me to the punch. (lol!)I too have "The Healing Gift." I ... as someone who has your excellent CD "The Healing Gift"....i just wanted to let your other readers who loved the ... no one does "mo beddah' beddah than you. I especially love the country landscape scenes;...the ones with the flowers and the flowing grass. carl - nice description!.......for me DA BG is more peter mayles on a bicycle. you're right - you're no hemingway.....you're closer to faulkner, with a dash of bill bryson! Another great Bg vid! - What more can I say? Your always authentic, always perceptive essays are a breath of fresh air in the too polluted internet landscape. Never doubt ... what i like most about your posts is that they're not the usual clich-ridden ramlings about how perfect and one ... Your portraits of the French people in the country and their liestyles are the most honet, perceptive, and refreshingly interesting ...