Having spent a lot of time with various French friends and family over the past few weekends, I have noticed that their table manners are all quite similar and very different to mine!
Maybe its my British upbringing and what goes on in France is totally normal but it just seems so strange to me.
I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed, but it would appear that the French don’t apply what I consider as hygiene common sense to some produce. For example bread. Go into any French supermarket or bakery and you will see bread being sold without any plastic covering or paper protection. Environmentally friendly yes, but not hygienic IMHO.
Its as if there is some belief that the bread is immune to any germs or other dirt it may carry. Maybe it has some type of invisible protection like the new Cif cream spray I’ve just seen advertised on TV? You only have to look at how many baguettes people handle in the supermarket before settling for one… Think of all those germs that transfer onto the crust… ukk!
Then, once bought, you often see people holding their baguette under their arm (not in rhe summer I hope as you may get the onion effect…) or put it on the seat in their car (you know, the one where the dog sits!). Sometimes you’ll even see them at the pharmacy or Doctors.
I’m not a maniac but I am sensitive to basic hygiene, and what has really made me smile is some of the people who I have watched carry out the above won’t eat the skin on boiled new potatoes for fear of germs (not even chemicals, germs!). So it doesn’t really make sense does it?
Now, on to breakfast. Most of the French I have observed do not use a plate for breakfast. This really annoys me as it means crumbs get absolutely everywhere including on the floor!
We were 5 for breakfast the other day so I laid out 5 plates as well as all the traditional stuff; butter, pain au chocolat, bread, jam etc. My friend looked at me with curiosity and asked what the plates were for. Hubby who happens to share my point of view (at least when I am with him), told her that she’ll see. I think she was expecting us to drink our coffee off of them or something really bizarre, as when we put our food on them she seemed surprised! Basic hygiene obviously doesn’t apply at the breakfast table either…
After eating breakfast all five of us on plates our friends were pleasantly surprised that we didn’t need to Hoover around the table afterwards. The plates were then slipped in the dishwasher and we were able to start the day. Possibly three converts?
Kudos to you for positive cross-cultural exchange here!!
You have just unraveled a mystery for me, too. I have wondered why Paul’s kids (whose mom is French) seem to make crumbs *everywhere.* I have been thinking maybe it was a “kid thing” but now I see how it is also a “French thing.” I am so glad to know this.
What a great piece on one of those kind of subtle but very key cultural differences!
P.S. I hope the hand is getting better.
Hey, thanks for the comment. Glad you liked the post. It is something that has been bothering me for a while and I only recently worked it out. Hope the insight helps you too!
Hand is mending nicely thanks, still hurts and typing with just one hand is driving me nuts!!!! How’s your foot??
It’s not 100% but I can feel it is getting better. I’m taking off for Antibes tomorrow to stay at my friend’s place. It will be nice to heal up some more *there*.
I’m sorry you are still having to one-hand type.
Boo on that ish!
I totally agree! Thanks for this post. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for years! (Although I find myself assimilating and now I handle my baguette almost as if it’s not bread that will be eaten later, either
)
Glad you liked it! Funny how we see things differently as a foreigner isn’t it?
I’ve been to America some years ago and i was wondering why people would use gloves to buy fruits or veggies. And i was thinking : do they think how the fruit was picked ? with gloves (may be in America ?)!
Well as for bread, you’re wright, but I think it is good for our immune system to be “in touch” with other gems , no ?
Les microbes, ca fait des anti corps !
Very true, I hadn’t considered it from this angle and I see your point.
I personally don’t buy fruit & veg with gloves and I eat the skins as well but I wash my produce before consuming. In Britain we certainly don’t wear gloves to buy this stuff but we do have giant tweezers to pick out individual bread rolls! LOL
Just the thought of some peoples lack hygiene makes me cringe with bread though. I mean, what if the bloke who had handled the bread before you hadn’t washed his hands? Ewk!!! I always therefore try and buy it in the plastic covering if I’m in the supermarket. I don’t mind the bakers as much as the bread is kept far away from the coughers and sneezers and I’m always careful where I leave it.
I guess it just come downs to cultural differences and what we’re used to at the end of the day.
I agreee 100% about les anticorps even if I cringe about the bread – leading a too sterile life is not good for the system!!
Oh god the no plate at the breakfast table thing is totally infuriating to me!!! Eating a crusty croissant without a plate just screams idiocy to me. Sure you can sponge off the crumbs but those flakes are tricky little buggers…seems like a lot of hassle for nothing.
So true! I really adore this post! The things the French do with their food is at times horrifying to me as an American.. but always amusing ..
xxo H
Marianne: I just don’t know why they do it! The French are an intelligent bunch for most things but this as you say screams idiocy!
Haley: Thanks for stopping by and for the comment Haley. Had a look at your blog and will definitely be visiting! Love the images you use.