A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 2 – Food Is Life
April 18, 2020
I skipped Days 1, 2 & 3 from Fiona’s Ferris’s book, 30 Chic Days, when I started blogging each day of Paris’s CoVid-19 lockdown. (I started writing on Day 4 of Paris’s lockdown so wanted to start on Day 4 of Fiona’s book.) When I went back and reread those days in the book, however, I found too much valuable insight in each day to just cavalierly skip them. Let’s take a look at those first three days of 30 Chic Days before we close the book.
Fiona Ferris calls Day 2 “Eat Real Food” in her book 30 Chic Days. In this chapter, she writes about how to create a “chic food mentality.” She suggests several mental tweaks that have helped her enjoy a much healthier eating style and a slimmer size.
I like how Fiona phrases her chapter as “Eat Real Food.” Food literally is life. Since we are designing and living a chic and elegant life then we must give ourselves the gift of a chic and elegant mindset about food. One way I contemplate the potential health value of a food item is to look at its packaging. We are taught to read the dietary details on the packaging. But, as Fiona writes in this chapter, I’ve found that just having a lot of packaging itself is a big clue. If something comes in a lot of packaging (think brightly colored cardboard boxes or crinkly plastic containers,) it’s probably not the most elegant choice. Fresh fruit and vegetables that we can pick up with our hand, wash and bite into have about the correct amount of packaging for a chic and tasty meal.
In Paris, I have found that food is a big topic. Most people consider dinner to be the main event of the family day. It’s something that is looked forward to and leisurely enjoyed. Everyone is there. Meals don’t have to be elaborate. But they must look nice and be of high quality. In my kitchen, my husband and I don’t always meet the threshold that Parisians set for mealtimes. Meals don’t have “courses” – all the food is prepared and brought to the table at the same time. Most of the time there is a meat and a vegetable side. There is usually a starch like rice or a pasta. If there is no rice or pasta, then there is baguette. This Spring, there are fabulous fresh berries for dessert (usually decorating a small shot-glass of vanilla ice cream.)
I also like Ina Garten’s (of Barefoot Contessa fame) idea that not every main meal has to be “cooked.” Many a terrific meal, especially in Spring and Summer, can be assembled. Think of sharp cheddar cheese paired with a sweet, crisp apple sitting beside a slice of ham and a small green salad dressed simply with a balsamic vinaigrette. No stove is involved yet it’s a delicious and filling meal. A slice of quiche (made yesterday) and a green salad makes a terrific (and very transportable) lunch.
The challenge that I have here in Paris is trying to feed two teen-agers without breaking the bank. Luckily, eggs, cheese, chicken breast and ham/pork chops can be prepared in many ways. (We find red meat is pretty expensive.) My children have also had to adjust to the idea of smaller (much smaller!) portions than they were accustomed to in the US. Happily, they seem just as healthy and full of energy as they have always been.
One great thing about Paris is one usually shops the market street along with a more traditional grocery store for the daily/weekly menu. The food in the little shops is beautifully arranged! With such a gorgeous backdrop, it’s easy to be inspired to try a new vegetable or to pick up an extra small “barquette” (little boat) of fruit. My US hometown does not have quite the lovely food ambiance. I admit that I struggled more there buying fruits and veggies because they just didn’t look that appealing.
While lockdown has been a game-changer in our daily activities, it has not had a big effect on us eating out. We didn’t eat out very much as a family anyway. It’s pretty expensive to feed teenagers at even casual Parisian cafes so my husband and I have kept the habit of eating at home most of the time. (I’ve found that eating out can have a negative effect on how my clothes fit so I’m happy to limit that activity.)
Lockdown has definitely changed how I go through my normal day. Many of the changes are not terrific. A surprising benefit, however, has been a more relaxed mealtime routine coupled with trying new recipes and fresh fruit and veggie combinations.
