Posted on 10/26/2013 3:42:30 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Are the French developing a secret fondness for British cuisine? And will they ever admit it? Paris-based blogger Naomi Firsht explores this spikey issue in the first of a new series that will see The Local France team up with some of the many talented bloggers in France, as they share their musings on life in our adopted country.
Having lived in France for five years, the number of times I’ve heard my home cuisine insulted by a French person is too high to count.
It seems to be wired into their DNA: French food is the best in the world (“mais bien sur!”) and British fare isn’t fit for an animal to eat. Tell a Frenchman there is no English expression for “Bon appétit” and he will almost unfailingly reply, “They just say ‘Bonne chance!’” (Good luck) to the hoots of laughter of any fellow countrymen listening.
Well, “Enough!” I cry! I have done my best to undo French stereotypes by earnestly reporting to friends and family in the UK that French women do shave their armpits and no, no-one smells of garlic or onions – Parisians do wear a lot of striped tops though, that one is true.
So now it’s time for the French to admit how much they really like British grub, because they do.
A couple of years ago, when Marks & Spencer opened on the Champs Elysées, there was a queue to enter for the first three weeks.
These people were not queuing for the Per Una collection. They wanted scones, cheddar cheese and pork sausages, and guess what? Most of them were French. They love our pies, sandwiches, bread and Victoria sponges; they just don’t like to admit it…
Or do they?
SEE ALSO: M&S opens new Paris store amid expansion
Following hot on the heels of the New York burger craze in Paris, it’s the humble British fish & chips that is taking the French capital by storm.
Chic restaurants all over town are offering a “Very British” (pronounced “Verrry Briteesh”) fish & chips on their menu. Some even go so far as to offer mushy peas on the side.
French magazine “A Nous” dedicated a whole feature to the British culinary craze this month, calling it the “Royal baby effect.” In it they listed no less than five popular Paris restaurants who have added fish & chips to their daily menu. And I could name at least five more!
The last few months have seen the advent of a fish & chips truck, the Daily Wagon, and the opening of the very first fish & chip shop in Paris, The Sunken Chip, based in the trendy Canal Saint Martin area.
Whilst it’s definitely more of a fish & chips restaurant than genuine chippy – the French aren’t quite prepared for that yet – the grub certainly gets top marks for authenticity, thanks to its British chefs.
Fat chunky chips, crispy battered haddock and mushy peas with mint are served in a cardboard dish with disposable wooden knives and forks. Jars of pickled eggs line the back wall and bottles of Sarson’s vinegar sit on every table, ready for liberal dousing.
And just who is enjoying salt n' vinegar chips and pickled eggs? When I was there, the tables were full and there was a steady flow of take-away customers. In all I counted two English people, including me, the rest were French.
So ok, the French are definitely pro-batter, but what about the rest of our fine British cooking? Has anything else made it across the Channel? Of course it has. The latest trend in new Paris cafés is small New York style coffee shops that serve, amongst other baked goods, fresh scones with jam.
Baked goods
Fusion food and British-inspired dishes are also becoming more commonplace in the French capital.
Le Bal Café in the 18th arrondissement is a perfect example of an Anglo-French blend. Run by two chefs, one English, the other French-Irish, the menu is British-based and includes Welsh rarebit, kippers on toast, scones and porridge.
I went for brunch and once again found the restaurant bursting with Parisians all chowing down on fry-ups and bacon pie.
It looks to me like it’s time to stop the British food bashing. No-one’s saying that our national gastronomy is better than that of France (quelle idée!) but it’s not all baked beans on toast in Blighty, we do have some culinary tricks up our sleeves.
The next time one of my Gallic friends has something “witty” to say about my home cuisine, I shall force them to eat their words – along with their steak and kidney pie.
“It’s always appropriate to bash British food.”
Well, seriously, the Brits don’t give you a lot to work with. Once you get past the fish and chips and then the bangers and mash..........your pretty much left with various blood dishes and intestines.
“It is called, “McDonalds”...”
Tut, tut. That would be a Royale with Cheese and plenty of mayonnaise to go with your French Fries.
“There’s a rivalry between Cornwall and Devon as to who has the best pasties”
So they have strip joints too. Cool!
In Heaven:
The police are British
The engineers are German
The chefs are French.
In Hell:
The police are German
The engineers are French
The chefs are British
When I visited England in the 1960's, there was a chain of hamburger eateries called Wimpy--and that was an apt description of British hamburgers. On the other hand, I enjoyed subcontinental cuisine--curries, somosas, tandoori dishes, etc. on my last visit to England in the 1980's.
Ukrainian borscht with black bread and ice cold vodka that will get your motor humming!
You are right. The original McDonald brothers were Irish. I was thrown off by the Big Mac, and “Old MacDonald”.
I don't recall blood sausage being peppery (I cannot eat black pepper), but I do recall that the flavor was extremely intense and rather unpleasant. I tried it in France.
I remember seeing a Wimpy's when I lived in France in the 1970s. I never was tempted to try it, I think the name put me off.
BTW, I like your screen name. We had a very nice family vacation in Fiji a year ago, and would dearly love to visit again.
I had it in Ireland. Maybe its prepared differently.
Good question!
British food is bad? Its all French propoganda! You’ve just been drinking the bordeaux!
Thats because Haggis really IS horrible. :)
There has been a concerted effort to rubbish British food by the international cuisine elite for decades.
Ni sa bula vinaka!
Real men eat real food.
Only a pussy would turn their nose up at some black pudding, part and parcel of the full English. Can’t take 2 eggs, bacon, beans, toast, some nice Cumberland’s, and a cuppa?
You don’t like lamb chops, mint sauce, mash, parsnips? No?
You don’t like a nice steak and chips? No?
Peh, go have a salad and a mochachocafrapacino instead.
I'm still not convinced anyone actually eats haggis. I strongly suspect it's just a jape played on outsiders, to see if any of them are gullible enough to eat that monstrosity.
It’s on the menus of many restaurants in Scotland. :)
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