One of the biggest difference’s was meal time. Eating in France takes TIME, there is no such thing as a quick meal. You start out with bread, then a salad, then a soup, then the main course… just then you think you could not eat anther thing they bring out the cheese, bread and fruit. Only to then end with 90% dark chocolate and coffee.
All of this take about 2 hours, at the end of the meal they sit around and talk about what went on that day and continue to eat cheese and bread. There is NO yellow cheddar cheese to be found, instead a large assortment of aged cheese both hard and soft. Some of it so “smelly” I could not bring myself to put it in my mouth. Others I did get in my mouth but it was all I could take to swallow. I did not want to offend anyone, after all sharing cheese seemed to be a real symbol of love. Finally I found a cheese that I could not only swallow but rather enjoyed. Brie is a soft cheese, with a firm/ almost rubber like outside. It is mild but still very much an aged cheese full of flavor.
Since we have come home we have decided to share this tradition with our children. We do not eat cheese on a daily basis, but on special days or occasions we bring out the cheese, bread, fruit and even a little meat so all the kids can share in a little part of France. I have to admit it makes me rather happy to see them gobble it down with a smile on their face, as they grow we will continue to introduce them to more varieties.
This is a sponsored conversation with Albertsons, all opinions are my own.
