Monday 2 June 2008

taking a new approach.

I've decided that this weekly cramming all my comings and goings together in one one big prosaic post thang isn't working. So from now on I'm going to do dot points for that stuff, unless I have something more meaningful so say than "I did this, I went there...", and try and write single theme stories about what it's like to live here.

In that vein, this week I:
  • worked a LOT
  • went to the Musee du Quai Branly
  • enrolled in the Sorbonne Summer course
  • had a very nice Panna Cotta
  • went to an actual mothers' meeting (quite fun actually)
  • discovered dried strawberries and cumquats (yum!).
And: the bread. The French are renowned for their bread, right? Well...I find it thus far a rather uninspiring thing. In fact I would go as far as to say that the bread in America was better. Vastly better in fact, although I wouldn't be game to say that aloud here. Perhaps my perspective's just off, but I like bread with lots of...well...bread. The French on the other hand seem to prefer a lot of crust. They are horrified that I freeze bread (just for toast mind you, and don't get me started on their universal preference for long-life milk) but if someone can show me a loaf of bread that's actually got a big enough circumference to make a reasonable sandwich out of, I'd be very grateful. And don't tell me to go and slice a baguette lengthways - it's not the same thing. Maybe it's just not an important criteria here because they all get lunch vouchers and have a 3 course meal on the company every day. Yes, some good sandwiched sized bread please, and if you can manage that, then find me something brown and with big fat grains. My kingdom for a big floppy slice of Tiptop multigrain - I'm dying of bland skinny shite white butterless baguettes. They're called French sticks for a reason - that's what they taste like.

HOWEVER. I figured out what brioche is today (or at least 'brioched bread'...I'm assuming it's the same thing?). It's NORMAL shaped bread, but it tastes like a croissant. Ask me what I'm having for breakfast tomorrow.

5 comments:

Elsie said...

Oh YUM. Panna cotta. Love that stuff :)

Elsie said...

PS Andrew is very much enjoying your comparisons of France and the rest of the world :P I think you'll know what I mean...

m∃ said...

I know what you mean. =P Tell Andrew from now on I'm taking more notice of his opinion.

Kate said...

What are you having for breakfast tomorrow?

m∃ said...

Haha. I knew someone would ask! =P

But since you're a day late, I'm having a (real) croissant, and some bonne maman yoghurt with apricot jam in the bottom. And maybe a nana.