American Food VS French Food
It is safe to say that the battle of foods between the French and Americans was over before it even started. The French is known for its excellence when it comes to cuisine. In fact, they had it mastered since the Middle Ages - the 5th through 15th century. This was thousands of years before America was even discovered! They are an old pro at this game, and American food is simply no match. That all being said, I still dream about the day I return home and get to stuff my face with a Taylor Ham, Egg, and Cheese, on a plain bagel with a Dunkin Donuts (flavored with whatever I am feeling that morning) iced coffee and cream. Don't get me wrong, I am all for the rich and savory French food found throughout this country, but sometimes, especially now more than ever as I near the end of this excursion, find myself longing for a home-cooked dinner.
One obvious difference that I have noticed when it comes to food here is the portions. If you order at a restaurant, you will get the appropriate serving size. Even in a chain like Starbucks, the coffee cups are considerably smaller. To put the size difference into perspective, the "venti" size in France is comparable to that of a "grande" in the States. I am not even sure if they offer the extra large, "trenta" - bigger than a bottle of wine.
Although the servings of everything are cut down, that does not mean that you will leave your meal still feeling full. Even after indulging in a cheese and charcuterie board, I already find myself feeling somewhat satisfied. The French pack their dishes with fats - but all healthy fats. These fats fill you up every time. Not only that, but French food overall is also extremely rich. So even if you only have a few bites, or you skip your usual seconds, the richness will appease any usual existing hunger.
I have ate my way through Europe. I have covered almost every traditional French dish, other than escargot because I cannot get past the fact that snails in general disgust me let alone eat one, I ate some of the best tapas in Spain, ate more carbs than I did in 21 years in ten days in Italy, checked off fish and chips and, of course, tea in London, had probably the best Indian food I have ever had in Edinburgh, and of course drank German beer paired with wurst, potatoes, and of course a giant pretzel! Even after living in France for almost four months now, I still cannot stop myself from enjoying in an afternoon Nutella and banana crêpe or croissant. I have had some of the most delicious food, some of the most eccentric - foie gras (duck liver), and even some questionable foods. Yet, I am counting down the days until I get to enjoy some good ol' American comfort food.
Besides the previously mentioned breakfast sandwich and Dunkin Donuts iced coffee pairing, there is a long list of foods that I cannot wait to get my hands on. The first food, or rather snack, that once topped my list was my all-time favorite munch food, Cheez Its. Something about the cheese, perfect salt, and crunch combination that always hits the spot. Fortunately, when my family visited they surprised me with not one, but two boxes and so that craving has been met.
What I am most looking forward to, however, is my mother's cooking. After awhile, restaurant food starts to get old, and it especially begins to take a toll on my bank account. I cook the majority of the time, but I cannot cook nearly as well as my mom. My absolute favorite dish she makes is her eggplant parmigiana. I could not even find a better eggplant parm in Italy! She thinly slices the eggplant, bakes them to a crisp, adds freshly shredded mozzarella and sauce between each layer and sprinkles even more cheese on top. That beats any dish I had abroad.
One obvious difference that I have noticed when it comes to food here is the portions. If you order at a restaurant, you will get the appropriate serving size. Even in a chain like Starbucks, the coffee cups are considerably smaller. To put the size difference into perspective, the "venti" size in France is comparable to that of a "grande" in the States. I am not even sure if they offer the extra large, "trenta" - bigger than a bottle of wine.
Although the servings of everything are cut down, that does not mean that you will leave your meal still feeling full. Even after indulging in a cheese and charcuterie board, I already find myself feeling somewhat satisfied. The French pack their dishes with fats - but all healthy fats. These fats fill you up every time. Not only that, but French food overall is also extremely rich. So even if you only have a few bites, or you skip your usual seconds, the richness will appease any usual existing hunger.
I have ate my way through Europe. I have covered almost every traditional French dish, other than escargot because I cannot get past the fact that snails in general disgust me let alone eat one, I ate some of the best tapas in Spain, ate more carbs than I did in 21 years in ten days in Italy, checked off fish and chips and, of course, tea in London, had probably the best Indian food I have ever had in Edinburgh, and of course drank German beer paired with wurst, potatoes, and of course a giant pretzel! Even after living in France for almost four months now, I still cannot stop myself from enjoying in an afternoon Nutella and banana crêpe or croissant. I have had some of the most delicious food, some of the most eccentric - foie gras (duck liver), and even some questionable foods. Yet, I am counting down the days until I get to enjoy some good ol' American comfort food.
Besides the previously mentioned breakfast sandwich and Dunkin Donuts iced coffee pairing, there is a long list of foods that I cannot wait to get my hands on. The first food, or rather snack, that once topped my list was my all-time favorite munch food, Cheez Its. Something about the cheese, perfect salt, and crunch combination that always hits the spot. Fortunately, when my family visited they surprised me with not one, but two boxes and so that craving has been met.
What I am most looking forward to, however, is my mother's cooking. After awhile, restaurant food starts to get old, and it especially begins to take a toll on my bank account. I cook the majority of the time, but I cannot cook nearly as well as my mom. My absolute favorite dish she makes is her eggplant parmigiana. I could not even find a better eggplant parm in Italy! She thinly slices the eggplant, bakes them to a crisp, adds freshly shredded mozzarella and sauce between each layer and sprinkles even more cheese on top. That beats any dish I had abroad.
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