Bonjour to you lovely French people! This is our last Friday in February so today we will be finishing the book French Women for All Seasons by Mireille Guiliano. It is always a little wistfully that we say goodbye to something, but take heart, there is always something new around the corner. I noticed while walking to our little sidewalk cafe this morning that the tulips are starting to push through the ground, yes, spring is coming. Along with spring, we will also be reading a new book Fridays in March titled, Mindless Eating: Why we Eat More than we Think by Brian Wansink. Tangled Noodle will be joining me in these discussions which are sure to give us lots of tips on how to eat more mindfully. Please join in for the discussion at our little sidewalk cafe.
Now, are we ready to discuss the book? Mireille is so expressive in her writing that I will be a little less so today as there is not much to add. However, I feel that adds to my French mystique right? Bon, let's dive in.
Chapter 6: Wine is Food
Where do I even begin as this chapter is massive! Mireille gives us tips on buying, storing, tasting, and enjoying wine. She also gives us some guidelines on food/wine pairings but of course, her personal preference is that champagne goes with practically everything! What I love about this chapter is she makes buying wine so un-intimidating. Just buy a bottle, make a great dinner, drink the wine with food and see how you like it! That, in my opinion, is a great place to start. One can delve into wine however deeply they want to and she gives you the tools to start, but at the very beginning, just drink some and see how you like it. How simple does that get?
Chapter 7: Recevoir: Entertaining a la Francaise
Mireille gives us great and simple recipes in this chapter that are "company worthy". She also gives great ideas for hosting different types of get-togethers. Entertaining need not be a stressful or budget straining thing, it is merely a time to get together with friends and enjoy each others company.
A Bientot: A Little French Lesson
Very concisely, Mireille sums up her philosophies of French living by translating a few choice French phrases. This chapter is great when you need a little reminder of how to pursue you joie de vivre.
I have so enjoyed our time today in our little sidewalk cafe. As I said before, it is always a little sad when we finish a book, but I am looking forward to our March French Friday discussions! Don't forget to pick up a copy of Mindless Eating, and I will see you here next Friday when we will discuss the Introduction and Chapters 1-3. Until then my lovely French friends, a bientot!
Bonjour to you lovely French people. It is time for another installment of French Friday. Today, we will be discussing Chapter 5 and the Entr'act from Mireille Guiliano's book, French Women for all Seasons. Seeing as how the weather is overcast and cold today, let us move our little party inside. It is fortunate that our little cafe has excellent indoor ambiance as well. I am noticing many more people in our little cafe today as the weather has driven many people inside. The jostling and indoor noise make a jovial atmosphere though to help us shed our winter blahs. After today, we will have one more Friday in which to finish French Women for all Seasons. Fridays in March, I will be reviewing Mindless Eating: Why we Eat More than we Think by Brian Wansink. While I am on the subject of March French Fridays as well, let me take a moment to introduce you to another French woman in the making, Tangled Noodle. Tangled introduced me to the book Mindless Eating and I loved it, as it incorporates so many French principles in concrete forms. I have asked her to collaborate with me for March French Fridays and she has so warmly agreed to do so. Doesn't she look so elegant and French with her little doggie sitting so nicely under her chair?
Has everyone a glass of citron presse or their Perrier? Bon, let us now dive into our discussion.
Chapter 5: En hiver: Winter Pleasures
After reading this chapter, I so wish I would have read it at the beginning of winter as it was an instant lift to my flagging spirits. I have had spring fever so badly that I have somehow forgotten that French women find pleasure in each season. Mireille talks about exercise being an instant mood lifter during winter. Not necessarily gym exercise, although if that is your pleasure then go for it, but rather simple ways we can incorporate more movement into our day when all we want to do is snuggle up with a good book and a cup of tea. She talks about walking and enjoying the cold and snow (I have yet to manage actually ENJOYING the cold however) and incorporating things such as stair climbing, housework, and yoga into your day. This chapter is also chock full of recipes to enjoy the fruits of winter. Recipes for enjoying oysters, chestnuts, celeriac, root vegetables, scallops, bananas, oranges and other citrus fruits, duck and fennel are all in a French woman's arsenal on how to derive pleasure from bleaker winter offerings. Mireille ends this chapter with a discussion of winter flowers and how forcing bulbs indoors can bring pleasure and color to your home.
Entr'acte: The French Eat What?
This chapter had me giggling as Mireille speaks about the French women's pleasure in eating foods such as frog's legs, rabbit and pigeon. Although these delicacies can be a hard find in America where the idea of eating Bugs Bunny repulses some people, pleasure is very subjective and what is repulsive to some may be pleasurable to others. Mireille gives us recipes for rabbit, pigeon and liver in this chapter. I for one was pleasantly surprised to see rabbit for sale at my local butcher recently and can't wait to give it a try!
These chapters impressed upon me the French woman's ability to derive pleasure from her circumstances, even in the bleakest of seasons. What brings you pleasure in winter? For Valentines day, my mother in law bought me a bouquet of daisies with lilies. They are still gorgeous even 6 days after I received them as I've been careful in changing the water daily. They bring a little boost of color and spring to my home and table despite the gloomy weather outside.
I have so enjoyed our time together in our little cafe today. Next Friday we will finish French Women for all Seasons by discussing Chapters 6 and 7 as well as the chapter titled, A Bientot. Please join me next Friday in our little cafe for that discussion. Also, don't forget to pick up a copy of Mindless Eating for our French Friday discussions in March! I found my copy at my public library but I'll also include an Amazon link below. Until next week, my lovely French friends, a bientot!
Bonjour to you, gorgeous French people. This week, I will be reviewing Chapters 3 and 4 from Mireille Guiliano's book French Women for all Seasons. I will continue reviewing this book every Friday in February for my French Friday's series, followed in March by Mindless Eating: Why we eat more than we think by Brian Wansink. Please join me every Friday for this series.
Bien, now that we have the formalities out of the way, let us journey to our outdoor cafe in Paris. Tie your scarves ever so nonchalantly around your necks, order your citron presse, make sure your make-up is impeccable and your dress is classic. Are we ready? Bon, let's begin.
Chapter 3: En Ete: Summertime Smiles
I actually had a difficult time reading this chapter this week as I am so ready for warmer weather I can actually taste it. Unfortunately, seeing as how it snowed just two days ago, it seems as if winter is going to hang around here a while longer. Reading this chapter on summer was practically torture for me. But alas, I endured for you, gentle readers.
In this chapter, Mireille discusses the attributes of summer that help French women stay slim. One need only embrace the bounties of summer to enjoy this season free from the fear of getting fat. French women embrace summer produce and make it the main focus of their meals. Their dress is light, but covered, as a nice pair of linen pants is often cooler (and a whole lot classier) than denim cutoffs. Jewelry is simple and of course, French women always have their scarves handy in case of getting chilled in an air conditioned building, and for looking chic. Mireille again talks about different ways to wear scarves in the summer. The following short video clip shows Mireille demonstrating how to tie a scarf skirt.
In this chapter, Mireille also tortures me by giving luscious sounding recipes featuring summer produce at the peak of its flavor and enjoyment. Oh summer, why do you tease me so?
Chapter 4: En Automne: Fall Ahead
In Autumn, we often get back to the busier routines of our year, the new school year, seasonal holidays, plus the chill in the air all conspire against us and make us naturally want to layer on a little extra insulation. Unlike bears, however that eat nothing all winter, therefore using their extra fat as energy, we seem to keep piling it on. Mireille talks about indulging (of course you can), but French women are very mindful of their indulgences and compensate for them. They also only indulge when it really counts, for example, for a luscious chocolate truffle, not a mediocre one. Again, she also gives us yummy sounding recipes for the seasonal produce of fall: potatoes, squash, cauliflower, pears and apples. Also, she illustrates more ways to wear a scarf. Inspired by this chapter, I started the day out today with a shoulder wrap scarf, but of course, being American, I failed to pull it off effortlessly. It looked more like my arm was wrapped in a sling. So I knotted my scarf around my neck loosely and it worked. It's all about improvising, isn't it?
Next week, we will read Chapter 5: En hiver: Winter Pleasures as well as Entr'act: The French Eat What? Until then, you gorgeous French people, A Bientot!
Bonjour to you lovely French people! How have you been doing employing the healthy living principles we learned in French Women Don't Get Fat? I have had a terribly American week, but I am mentally back on the plane to France as we speak! This month for French Fridays, we are reading Mireille Guiliano's second book, French Women for All Seasons. In it, she promises to give us little secrets and refinements to the French lifestyle that she "forgot to mention" in her previous book. She promises us little tips on living well, dressing well and enjoying life. This week, we will be discussing the Ouverture and Chapters 1 and 2. Does everyone have their fashionable silk scarves tied jauntily around their necks? Did you order your citron presse from the waiter? Bon, then let's pull up chairs in our cozy little sidewalk bistro and start our discussion.
Ouverture
In this chapter, Mireille begins discussing the clash between two cultures, the American culture (really the globalized culture) and that of the time-honored French culture. In America, we are so far removed from our food that often times we have no idea what we are putting into our bodies. We eat mindlessly and on the run. She gives a very sad example of an eight year old she met at the Greenwich village farmer's market who didn't know what an apple was. This contrasts sharply with Mireille's idyllic childhood of growing up surrounded by a wonderful garden and fruit trees from which her family would get the majority of their produce in their own backyard.
She also discusses the tale of two airports, that of Chicago O'Hare and the other in Paris. She witnessed the majority of people in the Chicago airport eating huge portions of food mindlessly at 10:00 am in front of their computers, or T.V. sets. "Why were they eating at 10:00 am anyway?" she wondered. Were they between flights and just needed to pass the time? Why were they eating and watching T.V. or on their computers at the same time? She contrasted this picture with that of an airport in Paris where the majority of people still sit down in a restaurant to eat with a fork and knife. Occasionally she will see someone eating Pizza Hut or McDonalds, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
Questions to ponder after reading this chapter:
1. How many times a week do you eat mindlessly?
2. How many times a week do you eat just to pass the time?
3. How many times a week do you watch T.V. or work on the computer while you eat?
4. How many times a week do you actually sit down to eat with a fork and a knife?
If you start eating more mindfully, with a fork and knife, slowing down, not eating while distracted and emotional, you will naturally eat less!
Chapter 1: J'ai Oublie de vous Dire: Something I Forgot to Mention
In this chapter, Mireille had me giggling imagining some of her French friends up in arms at her for revealing their secrets to staying slim. Mireille would always counter, "Don't worry, j'ai oublie de leur dire..." (I forgot to tell them)....Fortunately, she is letting us in on the secrets now!
Mireille discusses one of the oldest women in the world, a 122 year old French woman, who only recently passed away. This woman dutifully rode her bike every day into her 100's. She had a very regional diet, ate at home three meals a day, drank wine once or twice a day and obviously was very healthy. She attributes this woman's longevity to staying slim, staying active, never eating fast food, eating locally grown produce, and enjoying life. A lot of diseases Americans suffer from stem from being overweight. How much healthier would we be if we could all stay slim our whole lives like the 122 year old woman?
This chapter also contains one of Mireille's "gems": the 50% solution to portion control. Basically, the 50% solution employs eating mindfully to control portions. Say you are at a restaurant and are served a dinner. Using the 50% solution, mentally divide your dinner in half. Once you have eaten half, stop and ask yourself, "Have I eaten enough to be satisfied?" If so, stop eating, if not, look at the remaining portion on your plate and again mentally divide it in half. When you have eaten that half, again stop and ask yourself, "Have I had enough to be satisfied?" If you continue to do this, you will never eat the whole portion because you keep dividing it in smaller and smaller halves, each time stopping, reflecting, and asking yourself if you've had enough to be satisfied. Mireille employs this principle not only with dinners, but with dessert, wine, even a banana.
Mireille also has some advice for the dreaded buffets (I could have used this in college!) to save on overindulging. First, make a pass by the buffet without your plate and see what is offered. Next, make a small pass (if it is a breakfast buffet, perhaps some yogurt and fruit). If you are still hungry, make a small second pass (perhaps for an egg or for oatmeal). Then, if you are still hungry, make a third pass. In this way, you must ask yourself each time you get up, "Have I had enough?" It is a stopping and reflecting point.
Questions to ponder after reading Chapter 1:
1. How can I utilize stopping points such as the 50% solution or the "pass by" system at buffets? Am I willing to try it?
Chapter 2: Au Printemps: Spring Into Life
Mireille speaks about French women being attuned to the changing of the seasons and being aware not only of culinary changes of the seasons, but changes all around them. It is in their celebrating of the season that leads them to better enjoy l'art de vivre (the art of living). She talks wistfully of the first spring flowers of the season and how to arrange small vases of them in our homes to enjoy their color and fragrance. She also discusses the first bicycle ride she takes of spring and how liberating it is to pedal through the French countryside. (It is not only liberating, but good for the figure!)
Mireille also speaks in rich detail about spring peas and asparagus, how to enjoy them, mixing them with pasta as a trick to eat less pasta, and gives us quite a few family recipes to try. (If anyone tries one, please let me know how it is!)
With the end of winter comes the shedding of the heavy wardrobe. Mireille gives us the fashion tips for spring using neutral colors, clean lines, classic tee's and signature accessories. She also gives us handy scarf tying tricks to be oh so chic. Here are three short clips that show Mireille demonstrating some of her scarf tying tricks. Isn't she so cute?
Mireille ends this chapter with some sample menus for spring.
Questions to ponder after reading Chapter 2:
1. Do I take pride in the way I dress?
2. What sort of image do I project to others?
So, are you ready for your new French week? Do you have your silk scarf all picked out? I want reports and reactions from your week of dressing French!
Every Friday in February I will be discussing the book French Women for All Seasons by Mireille Guiliano. Next Friday, in my virtual Parisian bistro, I will be discussing Chapters 3 and 4. Please join me!
Don't forget: If you would like to pre-order the book for my March French Fridays to read along with me, I will be discussing the book Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink.
Bonjour to you lovely French people! This is our last Friday in February so today we will be finishing the book French Women for All Seasons by Mireille Guiliano. It is always a little wistfully that we say goodbye to something, but take heart, there is always something new around the corner. I noticed while walking to our little sidewalk cafe this morning that the tulips are starting to push through the ground, yes, spring is coming. Along with spring, we will also be reading a new book Fridays in March titled, Mindless Eating: Why we Eat More than we Think by Brian Wansink. Tangled Noodle will be joining me in these discussions which are sure to give us lots of tips on how to eat more mindfully. Please join in for the discussion at our little sidewalk cafe.
