Feeding French people

[SaligoBay]

One nice thing about feeding a big group of French people is that they're a kind of monoculture, not a whole lot of variation.

In a group of, say, 20 British, you'll have a couple of vegetarians, you'll have somebody who eats fish but not meat, someobody on lo-salt, somebody on Atkins, and so on, and they'll all expect to be catered for. Suddenly your great feed-your-friends plans become a source of major stress!

I find that French people will think you're a good cook if you give them French food, with maybe a little foray into Italian or Spanish. Anything beyond that might be interesting for the novelty, but that's all.

As for eating non-French food, I find that in general the women are more supportive and politely interested, but the men remain suspicious and firmly entrenched in their traditional habits.

The best ones are the ones who have spent time in India, of course, cos they can cook curries!

[Teamedup]

Suspicious....... that is an understatement. I find first time french guests chez nous excessively suspicious about just about anything I serve.

And an awful lot of people, rarely cook anymore, 'vive le traiteur' at best, or its the section congele at the local supermarket.

[Laotze]

>I find that French people will
>think you're a good cook
>if you give them French
>food, with maybe a little
>foray into Italian or Spanish.
> Anything beyond that might
>be interesting for the novelty,
>but that's all.
>
>As for eating non-French food, I
>find that in general the
>women are more supportive and
>politely interested, but the men
>remain suspicious and firmly entrenched
>in their traditional habits.

I am alwaays being cross examined about what food we eat by the locals. To be honest I havent a clue what nationality I cook - Mauritian mother, British father, raised in South Africa which has a very "fusion style" cuisine. When we first moved to Britain friends thought my cooking was very exotic and I was always having to find little Indian shops to get my ingredients but now one can buy anything in Tesco or Sainsbury and here in France I struggle with some things. When I ws complimented by a French guest on being able to produce a "French meal" I smiled to myself - it was what I always cook but perhaps served up differently as separate dishes. My husband (British) doesnt eat curry and hates the smell of it which makes me quite desperate as it was something I ate at least once a week. In the Uk I could at least have an Indian meal out. Ah well at least when I DO have a curry I REALLY appreciate it!

[St_Jacques]

>
>The best ones are the ones
>who have spent time in
>India, of course, cos they
>can cook curries!
>
>


Lets hear it for Nippi, Nigel and Rezza!!

[BruceR]

I offered tandoori chicken, potato salad, tomato salad as a 'dinette' (new word to me but thats how my neighbours describe a light snack after heavy aperos and before the wine and cheese).
It got woofed and I had to bring back a jar of Patak's estimable Tandoori Paste for them and write my version of the cooking instructions in French.