Aero: Brent Roberts – France 2018 – Food and Dining

Posted by LEAF Architect on Friday, September 14, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Aero: Brent Roberts – France 2018 – Food and Dining

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Brent Roberts

The food in France is amazing, to say the least. It was a breath of fresh air from the fried or sugary foods I eat here. Meals, especially with guests, seemed to almost be a ritual. Everywhere I ate, I could tell that a lot of care and effort were put into preparing the meal. Restaurants didn’t only have incredible food; the service was often times very impressive. However, dining with my host family made me realize just how awesome meals can be.

I ate a large variety of foods during my visit. I normally tend to be picky; however, I set that aside in France. I ate everything that was put in front of me, and I enjoyed all of it. I ate many different types of fish, a lamb haunch, some type of beef tail or something similar, many different types of caramel desserts, and even a variety of African sauces on rice. Of course, I also had some classic Parisian foods such as the croque-monsieur, escargot, and a ham and butter sandwich.

Eating dinner was often a process, and this was especially the case when guests were dining with us. We started with everyone sitting around the coffee table making small-talk. We would eat small snacks such as sausage and crackers, and drink wine. We would make toasts, usually to the guests or myself being there. Then we move to the dining table for the main course. After eating the main course, smaller dishes such as fruit and salad were passed around (I was usually quite full at this point). Finally, desert dishes were handed around.

Every time I dined, I was amazed by the effort that was put into preparing foods. It was never just a fish and chips, or pizza with some basic toppings. It always seemed like a work of art in its attention to detail. The fish was combined with rice and sauce, and the “American” pizza wasn’t like anything I’ve ever seen or tasted here. I had a lava cake which had music notes practically painted out of a strawberry sauce on the plate.

Most of the restaurants I dined in had a rather modern interior design, and they were all beautiful. The service they provided was usually above average. One of the restaurants we went to had the most incredible waiter. He was very friendly, and fast about preparing a table for our large group on short notice. He even performed slight-of-hand tricks such as pulling doilies out while there were still dishes on them.

Dining with my host family was spectacular. Everything from preparing the meals to eating them was very memorable. The whole family contributed while preparing meals, and they had a carefree attitude while doing so. They were very talkative and cheerful around the table. The food they served never ceased to amaze me. It was always very unique food. For one of the meals, the mother made some home-made french-fries that were identical to those my grandmother used to make years ago. It was very nostalgic; however very strange at the same time. Here I was, across the ocean, eating something which I considered extremely unique to my home.

Overall, food was one of the most memorable aspects of France for me. I ate some of the best food I’ve ever had. The people I dined with were all incredible to be around. The restaurants provided above-average service. However, the most memorable dining experiences I had were with my host family and their guests. Their almost ritual-like process of dining with others, and their cheerfulness will forever be etched in my memories.

Brent Roberts
Study Abroad – France 2018 @ FLCC

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