Rather than write about politics and the UK Election results today I thought I’d share a recent gastronomical experience with you.
My French family in law are quite the gastronomes and my Belle-Mere is such a good cook it’s a really daunting experience whenever I have to cook for them. I’m sure everyone knows someone like her; the type of person who can throw together a feast from nothing and who can easily follow a recipe and have the food come out looking like it’s supposed to.
Anyway, last Sunday I was brave enough to face the supermarket after everything in France closed on the Saturday for the Fete de Travail national holiday. It was a nice change to visit a different supermarket in a different area of France and I leisurely strolled around admiring all the produce which I could buy (but didn’t as I had to take back a sofa suite to Lyon – see yesterdays Jardinage Jeudi). At lunch I was commenting on how my beaux parents (BP) were lucky to have such a wonderful choice of interesting produce in their local supermarket.
You can buy all types of things that I’ve never seen in Lyon, such as delicate little cheeses filled with fig or honey for the aperitif, fig bread or olive sticks for dipping. Our conversation continued as we each recalled different produce that we purchase and enjoy.
Then the conversation turned to things that we couldn’t find anymore and my Beau-Pere mentioned that they couldn’t buy buns anymore. I immediately thought he was referring to a sweet delicacy that I was obviously missing out on given how highly he was speaking of them. I was then really confused when everyone started talking about the pros and cons of Bolognese and Leek fillings.
I’m proud to say that I didn’t cotton on, as ready-made frozen food isn’t really my thing (except for Picard, but that’s another story) so I eventually asked. As it turns out they were talking about frozen fast food, no less than McCain’s Buns!
Now who would have thought that you would hear such a conversation at a French dinner table? Not me for sure and it’s not exactly what I thought I would be hearing from my In-laws!
A really missed delicacy - My French BP's cannot find these in their local supermarket!
Piglet in France 