to think that the French can't cook?

[Idratherbemuckingout]

I base this on experience, as I live in France. Okay, they have lovely restaurants, but the general public CANNOT cook.
My friend Dominique has just told my husband that she has bought a turkey for her family. She is going to boil it. He explained how the english cook theirs, but she thought it sounded too complicated.
Hmmm.
In the supermarkets you can of course buy fresh food, but having stood behind french people at the till countless times and seen their mountains of ready prepared meals, I doubt that many of them actually BUY the fresh food. Or if they do, that they cook anything interesting out of it.
I have a friend called Isabelle who is quite mad. We asked her once if she liked spicy food, thinking to cook her a curry. She declared that she did, but that she would bring us her signature dish. Chocolate Chicken. Yes, I kid you not, it was like chicken in chocolate sauce and it was NOT very spicy.
She also once asked us if we liked eating snails, and foolishly we said yes. "Ah," she said, "I 'ave a secret recipe zat I will cook for you. I shall collect snails in my garden (!!!!) and put zem in my snail 'otel and feed them special food and zen we will eat them together."
Well, the first year they died (silent sighs of relief) but the second year she did it again, and we were duly invited to her house. The kids refused point blank to go. DH tried to but I made him come with me. She had cooked us 200 snails. TBH they tasted much like all the other snails I have eaten - snaily. Not enough garlic in my opinion. That wouldn't have been so bad, but she followed it up with duck with apricots (very rich too) and then American Peach Pie. We had indigestion for days.
ANd they can't make coffee either. Never have I been to a french house and had a decent cup of coffee, or tea either if it comes to that.
They don't seem to possess kettles you see, so they heat the water in the microwave, to not boiling point. Then they give you the cup of hot water and a sachet (I kid you not) of instant coffee to stir into it, or a teabag to dunk.
My DS was at the local primary school and after the Christmas (not) spectacular, we stayed for the buffet meal. Poo Sausage was the highlight. You know you are mixing with peasants when the offal is high on the menu.
Poo Sausage (my DH called it that)is actually called Andouille, and is a bit like chitterlings, should any of you know what those are - ie made of some horrible bit of the insides of an animal.

I could go on, but I won't or this is going to look like an essay.

When I was a child I was known for being a fussy eater. When I was 13 I went on a French exchange trip to Versailles. The food eaten on a daily basis by the family was a complete revelation to me. It was delicious, so appetising. When I got home an awful truth dawned on me. My mother was an awful cook, that was why there were so many things that I would not eat.

I have had some amazing culinary experiences in France since those days, in both family homes and restaurants. Last year we had to take shelter from pouring rain in Paris in a random cafe in Les Marais. It was lunchtime and we decided to stay for lunch. The food was wonderful and that was just lucky dip.

LyingWitch- you need to ask for a side of veg instead of/with fries

Oh, I've had good meals in restaurants over here. Very good ones. And I kid you not, most (obviously not all of them) people fill their trollies with ready prepared stuff. I like to look at what goes on the conveyor belt and it is TRUE. Maybe it is the region I live in, which is very rural. Of course there are some that can cook, and I'm not saying there aren't english who eat ready prepared stuff, but the french have this amazing reputation for being gourmet cooks and it is unjustified.
I see the knowledgeable amongst you have also had experience of the microwaved cup of tea water.
And french birthday parties! My DS had his first one here and we invited his class who sat staring at British Birthday Party Food par excellence, stupefied. He then was invited to a french child's birthday. I stayed as he was only little. Cake. Shop bought, in small individual packets and a plate of sweets. Then one of those brownies, in tin foil, with a candle on it.
Cooked cow's head. Not my experience, someone else's.

Vegetarian School Dinner - same as everyone else, minus the meat. But NOT the gravy. Seemingly vegetarians SHOULD eat meat based gravy. Only of course, it isn't gravy over here.
I like well cooked french food a lot, it is just FINDING it. I like french wine, which is just as well, as finding wine from any other country is not easy. Just for a change it would be nice to drink a nice Zinfandel.

But the French do have lovely tea-shops. I brought back many boxes of Darjeeling - and they do Lipton Green Tea, which I can't find here. So all is forgiven on the food side.

Winnybella... I never saw anybody eating fries there. It just seemed to be meat/fish in creamy sauces with potatoes or rice.

I did order a side salad once; it was tiny...

Well, perhaps it's your region then. Not many people buying pre prepared meals here in Paris, except perhaps for lunch in the office. My local market sells lots and lots of amazing veg and I see people with bags stuffed with them.

French know how to make a great coffee . Well, at least those in Paris and in the South do.

This post really made me laugh...

I did have a nice Salad Lyonnais at the Forum Hotel though, if anybody knows it?

I had a mouse run into my bag in a restaurant in Paris. There were several, running freely under the tables.
My French meals have been in the company of locals, or in holiday places where we have chosen the places where French people were queueing / booking, the 'Logis' chain, business areas, generally with French person, or places on the recommendation of a French colleague. Mostly 'ordinary'. And old fashioned. I think that what can now be found in the UK has improved so much over the last couple of decades that French complacency has left it lagging. But I am sure wonderful food is available - recommendations, please! Especially for affordable meals in Paris and Boulogne.

Very amusing. I needed to smile. Thanks.

However, casting my mind back to the week I spent with my sisters friends outside Paris, where I ate squid rings heated in the oven every day, aside from one day where they fried fish, you may not be far wrong in your assessment!

good grief you clearly unhappy with your lot and France
why and when did you move there?) l do love a cuppa tea, so yes inadequate tea I would be mighty perplexed. so here's a thought why don't you get busy
invite a few folks over,pop the kettle on, demonstrate good cuppa

Winnybella... My boss said that in the Alps regions, fruit and vegetables and very expensive. At home, they eat what they grow in their gardens but the stuff in supermarkets there is quite old having been transported. I don't know about that - I just couldn't find in local shops. I did find a mango for 3euro though.

I miss my colleagues there very much. :(

Perhaps I'm biased but I lived in France for a year and found the food pretty bad. My bosses' other nanny arrived after me each night and cooked for them- a two week set menu, with every item noted down including brands of pesto. And several days were repeated. All the veg apart from peppers were frozen- frozen broccoli cooked in pesto until almost liquid was every tuesday. And I had a menu for the two year old, Mondays was cherry tomatoes with beans and a kiri (cream cheese triangle). Thats it! Every snack was biscuits or cakes, the housekeeper did the family's shopping and adored the little boy so bought him cakes every time. And my French boyfriend wouldn't even know what a kitchen was!

I think we live in the same rural region I'drather there are lots of ready meals and tinned veg in trollies here.

The first time my lovely friend made me a cup of tea, it was the first time I'd been to her house and we were on that verge of getting to know each other, language barrier etc,anyhow to make my tea she boiled a pan of milk on the stove, put the milk in a mug and then gave me the tea bag to dunk in that (and out of politeness I did). Thank goodness we've got past that initial awkwardness.

I've been here 10 years Winny and I've never had a cup of tea that wasn't made from water boiled in the microwave or a pan on the stove - different regions obviously.

The first birthday party I held for my DCs I put out loads of lovely savoury snacks and the French children said but where are the sweets? I've learned my lesson now - fill them up with sugar and send them home and I do remember being shocked when I took DS1 to his first party when he was 4 and they just fed them Haribo and chocolate cake. Now I've done it myself though, it makes life so much easier. I do impress the French children with my birthday cakes though, a novelty one bought from Tesco, you can't get anything like that here.

I should say, it was that set menu that says to me they can't cook- that was set by the parents and they went mad if I changed it even slightly!

DP is French and I have choked down one too many disgusting home-cooked meals en France to disagree with you, OP. Overcooked pork and frozen broccoli anyone? Or how about soggy pasta covered with 'bolognaise sauce' from a jar (what the FUCK is that stuff? Full of what I think is ground meat, but could easily be broken glass). I often pretend to be vegetarian to avoid being served offal du pommes or some other horror, and was memorably once served a piece of cheese and some rice. It was the best meal of the trip.

Mind you, they do do the best bread in the world which is served with every meal, so it's not all bad. Just mostly bad.

i have family in rural france and this hasn't been my experience at all!

I've had some great food in France, but haven't eaten food cooked domestically...
DP has had the odd holiday without me when climbing and has stayed in these gites where sometimes food is part of the deal - mixed experiences, some fab, well cooked local food and also the odd really bad one!

We also suspect that our local supermarket buys short duration food in. We KNOW they split multipacks (friends daughter did a work experience there and told us they did) which is illegal isn't it?
Their veg often looks on its last legs (yellow brocolli, wrinkled peppers etc and milk about to go off the next day, which when you consider it can have a date on it three weeks in advance is a bit suspicious).
On the subject of the millk, with its three week use by date, they only keep about 20 bottles on the shelf at any one time, and very suspiciously indeed, they run out one day of perfectly fine milk with a date a good few days in hand, and then the next day, suddenly the milk has a much shorter sell by. NOw, you are not telling me that they had that in store and just found it, are you? They went and bought it in cheap to sell for a bigger profit.
As they have never heard of reducing stuff (at least, not unless it is putrid). We ALWAYS check sell by dates.
And the till receipt as they have a habit of overcharging. You have to be very vigilant indeed about prices.
In fact, just got overcharged again today.
DH wanted a new door handle (don't go there, but it encompasses toilet seats too) so the other day went to a DIY for one. Marked as ?3.40 on the shelf. At the till they wanted to charge him ?7. He refused, they stood firm. Today, different branch of same shop. Found same handle. ?3.25. At the till, ?4.60. Argued the toss again. Cashier calls the boss, take her back to said shelf with door handles on it. Show her the price. We get the doorhandle for ?3.25.
Small amount, I know, but it is the PRINCIPLE of the thing. If they do this every day to every customer, think how much money they are making illegally.
We once got charged for an extra chest of drawers! We were buying two, flat pack, and the cashier added another one on for good measure.
It happens so often it can't be chance. It must be design.
Last week DH went shopping with DS, speaking english, so was presumed to be over here for Christmas on holiday, we think. Bought a selection of articles for about ?28. Cashier tried to charge him ?98 and flashed two phone cards at him that she reckoned he was buying!

Not even for his phone either!
THere was NO WAY he had put them on with his shopping. She must have had them under the till and scanned them in. She was most put out to call her supervisor and have the till reset.
If they hear your speaking english, they think you won't be able to argue so they can do what they want.
Sorry, I am getting rabid, which is what ten years does to you.
Send for the straitjacket.

xpost on the frozen broccoli, Scarf- what is the obsession with that stuff? How hard is it to cook fresh broccoli?

You got broccoli, Tethers?

I would have whipped it out of your hand and gobbled it, still frozen...

I feel a longing for Moules frites coming on. Also wonderful open flans of fruit and savouries. Gently grilled sole, my first ever experience of le nege (incredible soft meringue floating on something equally delicious, wonderful fat, whole fresh fish, breakfast pastries, amazing meat dishes, marvellous bread. A delighful tiny hotel in Juan Le Pins that my grandparents took me to as a child in the 60s and 70s and which awakened a joy for food and fresh ingredients and fabulous restaurants alongside the beach. Incredible patisserie in Cannes and Nice.

I also remember going to Paris with a boyfriend in the early 80's and having a marvellous duck dish next to a European Royal family.

Nowadays we venture South as a family and still find delectable food in charming restaurants even if Super U is a bit ubiquitous but where in the UK do you see a lobster swimming about for you have a good look at.

Lying, I would have let you. Gladly.

alicia Yes, I can see how a 'lot od lovely savoury snacks' and no sweets would be met with disdain by French kids

French cuisine is full of lovely stuff, but of course, there will be lots of good and bad cooks, like in any other country, I guess.

DD's nursery menu is lovely- plenty of fresh veg and nice meat and fish. You can see into the kitchen and all the fruit and veg is fresh.

"They don't seem to possess kettles you see, so they heat the water in the microwave"
This would suggest that the French people that you mix with are some bizarre subsection of the general population.