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French Chic & Slim
|| 30 August 2018
Synthia's Daughter's French Lesson
Chic & Slim reader Synthia’s daughter is in Paris. Recently Synthia shared an account of how her daughter and her daughter’s roommates got a lesson from a young Frenchman in in how to enjoy food properly. I was happy to learn that, despite the reports that the French are becoming more like Americans in their approach to food, some still retain traditional habits.
Hi Anne, I thought you might enjoy this funny incident that happened with my 21 year old daughter, her roommates and a Parisian male guest who came to visit them.
My daughter was talking about how they had come home one evening very late from a night on the town. My daughter said that they had purchased waffles (??) earlier in the day that she and her roomies felt were a wonderful treat. She asked "Pierre" if he wanted one. He replied "sure" but then was horrified when she brought out a plastic wrapped Belgian waffle!
Pierre exclaimed, "I thought you were going to MAKE them. This is awful! It tastes like it came from a factory." She said "make them?!! No! We bought these and they are delicious." She and her roommates were laughing and thought he was so funny.
The next day he wanted to try a bakery he had heard about. My daughter said, "that is a very good bakery but we are all starving. It will take us a while to get our food."
Pierre's response, "that's ok. It will make it taste even better."
Long story short, the line was huge, the girls were starving, they got their food and some one made the MISTAKE OF TAKING A CROISSANT FROM THE BAG AND NIBBLING A BITE.
My daughter said Pierre was horrified! He said "What are you doing?! We must eat properly and ALL TOGETHER back in the apartment with fruit and napkins."
My daughter said he was so militant but they obliged and they had a wonderful breakfast. He insisted on cloth napkins and sliced fruit. Everyone had to sit and WAIT.
Pierre lives in Paris and is 21 years old. Pierre has been raised the way you experienced Paris when you were there.
I just had to share.
All the best, Synthia
Image: view of Paris. Photo by Yann Caradec via Wikimedia