Well, let me tell you, I heard some folks talkin’ ’bout somethin’ fancy. They call it “the gastronomic meal of the French” in some big-shot paper. Sounds mighty peculiar to me, but I reckon it’s just how them French folks like to eat.
Fancy Eatin’ in France
They say it’s all about eatin’ together, enjoyin’ the food real good. Good eatin’ and drinkin’, that’s what they’re sayin’. Sounds like a good time to me, though I don’t need no fancy name for it. We just call it supper ’round here.
This French food, they say it’s famous all over. Lots of different stuff, they say. Been doin’ it a long, long time. And them cooks, always tryin’ new things, makin’ it fancy, I guess.
What’s in a French Meal?
From what I gather, it’s got all sorts of things from different parts of France. They got their own way of cookin’, an’ it looks all pretty on the plate. They say them’s French cultures. Don’t know much ’bout that, but I reckon food is food.
- Bread, lots of bread, I hear.
- Cheese, all kinds of it.
- And wine, gotta have wine, they say.
Now, that sounds familiar. We might not have all them fancy cheeses, but we got our own. And bread? Well, everyone’s got bread. Wine, too, though ours might be a bit stronger, if you catch my drift.
Eatin’ Together is What Matters
They say this “gastronomic” thing is ’bout bein’ together. That’s somethin’ I understand. Nothin’ better than a good meal with family and friends. We do that all the time. Don’t need no fancy name for it, though.
They got these rules about it too, these “semantic classes.” Culinary tradition is one thing, cookin’ art. They say it is all about these big-shot cooks, “Grand chefs” they call them. We just call ’em good cooks ’round here.
I heard they even put this French eatin’ on some special list. Some UNESCO thing. Sounds important, I guess. Makes it sound like it’s more than just supper. They call it “Intangible Cultural Heritage.” Lordy, that’s a mouthful.
Old Ways and New Ways
They say this French cookin’ is a mix of old and new. They got their fancy cookin’, “haute cuisine” or somethin’, and then the regular food from different parts of France. Sounds like they had some big, fancy feasts back in the day. That’s how they got to this level of fancy eatin’.
Someone was sayin’ they did some study, askin’ folks ’bout how they see food. All these different ways of eatin’. Seems like they make a big to-do about it over there in France.
France and Their Food
I reckon every place has its own way of cookin’. But these French folks, they really made it a big deal. It’s like they’re famous for it, like it’s a part of who they are. They got all these types of foods, styles of cookin’, call it French cuisine. That’s a big word for just French cookin’.
They talk about French Meal Structure, don’t know exactly what it is. It’s just how they eat their meal, I think. Well, we all eat our food differently.
There was also somethin’ about some frozen food company. Picard Surgels, they called it. They use this French food to sell their stuff. Guess even frozen food can be fancy if it’s French, huh?
One fella, John Murphy, he studied that, I hear. And another one, Robert Launay. They wrote about all this. Seems like folks spend a lot of time thinkin’ ’bout this French eatin’.
And someone said this “gastronomy” thing is ’bout knowin’ all the rules of eatin’ well. Sounds a bit much to me. Just eat what tastes good, that’s what I say.
Anyway, that’s what I heard ’bout this “gastronomic meal of the French.” Sounds like a lot of fuss over supper, if you ask me. But I reckon if it makes ’em happy, and they enjoy their food and each other’s company, then that’s all that matters. Ain’t that right?
