Monday, September 27, 2010

French Lunch

French lunch is the BEST is it not?

Even better than French dinners, because it's that pause.


A salade. On occasion I'll stop at Au Pain Quotidien, since their menu is universal and I never leave their communal table all draggy and stuffed to the gills - ever onward to more tearing around Paris.

I LOVE for these lunch boxes at Fauchon - this one holds 'Risotto Langoustine citron'. Practicement poetique non? Now even Monoprix carries rectangular boxes..

I do love eating lunch out of a box (only in Paris)

Very carefully designed boxes they are too.

Don't you love getting something fresh in the marche to eat at home.

I'm a Taurus

We're homebodies you know

My favorite concoction-
"American Soup" French Girl calls it, because there are more than 3-4 ingredients. This plus a side of tabouli and you're armed to do battle with the endless cobblestone rue of Paris.

A nice read while you eat your lunch in or out is Liz Bard's Lunch in Paris, especially if you like to cook but it's not required.

Shall we all celebrate Google on their birthday with this little petit four painted by Wayne Thiebaud's for dessert? 

Today's PB subject came to mind when I got this video made by David Turecamo in Paris on What French children eat for lunch. It was on CBS news this weekend - oh to be a French child in a school in France...oui!
WHAT DO YOU EAT FOR LUNCH IN PARIS?
(do you gobble your food?)
Do watch and enjoy!

30 comments:

  1. Hi, CArol! I saw David this weekend as well--cute segment, and lovely post about lunches. Good and healthy. That's why I try to bring mine to work if I'm in the office, like today.

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  2. Ahhhh.....I wondered who painted Googles Birthday cake. Love it. Also love your salad with lucious tomatoes, sprouts & hard boiled eggs! Looks yummy - I must make that. Maybe you'll paint that!
    Creative blessings

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  3. I guess everyone has their favorite lunch that they like to relax with in the middle of the day. Western people seem to prefer soups and salads, while I prefer something hot like rice or noodles.

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  4. Ahhhh....I wondered who painted Googles Birthday cake. Love it. Also love your salad with lucious tomatoes, sprouts & hard boiled eggs! Looks yummy - I must make that. Maybe you'll paint that!
    Creative blessings

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  5. You'll never catch me painting SPROUTS!!
    And you won't catch me eating them either.
    I don't drink grass either.
    Oh why did the French have to pick up on that foodie trend or ours?
    Desserts are much prettier to paint-much nicer colors.
    I have every book on Wayne Thiebaut
    I can't get enough.
    merci Google
    I will be having a combo of Hot & sour soup + a beanie concoction
    French Girl would have a fit but I still have my cold to contend with
    :(
    Carolg

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  6. Chapeau, I am in awe of the French,
    such fantastic school lunches, the care, the thought that goes into the menues, simply grand!

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  7. Chapeau, I am in awe of the French,
    such fantastic school lunches, the care, the thought that goes into the menues, simply grand!

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  8. I was just on Dave's site earlier watching the segment, too -- such a good one! My son actually told me all about it last night (Paris time) when I phoned him. He said he'd gotten up early to watch "CBS Sunday Morning" and seen the segment from the guy he said "kind of looks like Einstein" (now minus a mustache, I noted!). He was lamenting not being a French high school student and getting one of those lunches. I was glad to be able to see the segment today.

    Lunch is a beautiful thing. :) Thank you for sharing more about French Lunch on Paris Breakfasts.

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  9. Elizabeth10:59 AM

    I love this post, especially learning about the children's lunches. North America should definitely take note! I am disappointed at the over cooked eggs in le fast dejeuner and risotto to go? Fantastic idea but only if cooked to order! The boxes, however, are fab!!

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  10. Ah Karin,
    I am lamenting along with yr son that I do not eat like that daily...
    BUT YOU CAN!!!
    just shrink very small and join get on the bus for school
    c'est possible non?
    :)

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  11. Hi Carol, Great post! I sooooo much enjoyed the video clip! Ahhh, someday Lord willing, i will find someone who will travel to paris with me!!! (hubby's not interested!). I'd luv to explore like YOU! CHEERS! Michele

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  12. You make me wish I lived in Paris. Wait! I do! I do live in Paris! Alors, tomorrow I will have to have une salade chevre chaud. Or maybe some creamy soup accompanied by crusty baguette. Or maybe even rotisserie chicken - a whole one! Miam.

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  13. I haven't eaten yet today & I go to your blog and, I'm Hungry!!
    Beautiful layout of photos and great looking food...

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  14. Yum!

    Great PB post!

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  15. Super fantastic news segment! And it doesn't start with school...I've read that even the baby food is more than our wishy-washy unsalted plain meat and veg. French babies get poulet au champignons, carrottes avec thyme, etc! Wish I hadn't just had my lunch...ah, well there's always dinner!

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  16. Great post!
    Lunch is now my favorite meal of the day. So much nicer to take a break mid-day and regroup, relax and enjoy a nice meal.

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  17. What a feast for the eyes. Inspires me to put a little effort into tonight's making food pretty for my family.

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  18. Thank you for posting that video, I've just forwarded it on to my husband.

    I'm fortunate that my children eat fairly well for their age (I have the only 4 and 2 yo that I know of that will turn their noses up to chocolate chip cookies, but wolf down blood rare steak) and being American, but obviously there can always be some improvement and this video was INSPIRATIONAL! MERCI!

    Cheers!
    J.

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  19. I was in Provence 2 weeks ago, teaching a painting workshop.
    And of course, consuming vast quantities of French foods.
    And of course, now ALL my meals are skimpy, as I try to lose vast quantities of whatever it is around my waist.
    But it was ohhhhh so delicious.

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  20. I know what I'm making a B-line for next visit!!!
    FRENCH BEBE food in little jars
    I will look for coq au vin etc. for you Mistress Longears.
    Peut-etre lapin?
    toute c'est possible!

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  21. I am so hungry now I'm going to have to have a midnight raid of the fridge!!!!!!!

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  22. Anonymous7:27 PM

    I miss our long lunches with my husband drinking champagne savouring delicious food and long conversation about how we would redo the world. That's what Paris did for us.

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  23. Paris lunch is great because you can usually get a menu prix fixe and try out a few different things for a reasonable price.
    My favorite salade has got to be the Salade au chevre chaud...So good, and near impossible to replicate here in the U.S...Due to our shortage of French cheese. :)

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  24. Goodness me. Where we live that's not enough to feed a sparrow. Don't expect little salades and beautiful served klunches. The full whack is what you get round here.

    Potage, entree, plat du jour, fromage et salade et dessert. Cafe et vin rouge inclus pour entre €11 et €15. Mind you, you might not be able to move afterwards, but if you live in foie gras and confit de canard country, what do you expect!

    BTW the school meals at maternelle and primaire are good. Once the kids go up to collége and then lycée then they are not so good.

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  25. Ah very interesting how the school lunches change as kids grow up..
    In the video the kids are eating like you are-the real deal!
    I had a French kid stay with me once and all he ate were hamburgers hamburgers hamburgers
    It drove me nuts!

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  26. I recognized that Au Pain Quotidien lunch right away! One of my faves. Loved the Paris Lunch Lady segment. I've written about Big Fry's first school lunches -- every time I asked what he had, he replied "chicken" with a Gallic shrug.

    La Mom
    An American Mom in Paris

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  27. LA MOM-
    Can you give Big Fry a doggie bag to bring home samples..
    You must test his food of course!

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  28. I've never heard of American soup! How funny! ; )

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  29. It was very interesting to read about the Paris lunches & I became hungry watching the wonderful pictures. Thank you!

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  30. We love you just as you are Carol, don't change a thing svp! But thanks for asking.

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