|| 15 August 2019

French Pizza Machines

A French pizza machine. Almost unbelievable. If our Chic & Slim Special Correspondent Kat had not sent a photo, I would have been skeptical that such a device existed. Seems so un-French. But there it is in the photo above. And the French company Gang of Pizza has more such machines scattered around France.

According to Kat, you put in your ATM card and make your selection. Voilà. Out comes a pizza with your chosen topping. Of course we know that obesity is becoming a problem in France. And the adoption of American style eating habits is greatly responsible for that increase. The widespread availability — and enthusiastic consumption — of the same items that have put excess fat on Americans are taking their toll on the French. Kat writes:

As you have pointed out in your books and website, the traditional French Diet, butter, cream, wine, foie gras and croissants notwithstanding, does not make one fat. But it seems they are continuing to indulge in all those things, and then adding pasta, pizza and sugary soft drinks to the mix. Disaster.

One thing I noted as I reviewed topping choices offered for the machines was that all the pizzas were much more like American pizzas than the French pizzas I remembered. My favorite was one called Quatre Saisons, Four Seasons. Slices of green pepper, onion, tomato and zucchini baked on a thin crust and sprinkled with a little olive oil. No cheese. And small. About 7 inches, 18 cm in diameter. With a small bottle of chilled mineral water this meal was unlikely to increase one’s waistline.

Merci to Kat for the photo and her continuing reporting from France. On a more encouraging note, she assures me that while French women may be getting fatter in the provinces, Parisian women are still très chic and slim.

be chic, stay slim — Anne Barone

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