Week 21: France

We love France; the food, the wine, the coffee, the tauntings, the franch fries, the franch dressing and the franch bread. We have been there and experienced the deliciousness first-hand. And we aren't the only ones, France is the most visited country in the world (CIA world factbook). And why not, France is home to the some of the most popular cuisine in the world and the French do their best to protect it's integrity. The Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) makes sure that France's signature products like wines, Cognacs, cheeses, butters and many others are safe from infringing copycats. The baguette is regulated by law in France. The Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I between Germany and the Allied powers affirmed France's sole right to produce Champagne. This, mes amies, is a country with priorities.

Even with such a massive appreciation for food--or perhaps because of it--French people are not fat. French men have the lowest incidence of obesity in the EU, and French women are fatter only than the ladies of Denmark. 44% of Frenchies are atheist, and family and friends greet one another in France with cheek kisses. The number of kisses varies by region from one kiss to as many as five kisses. Skinny, godless and gay? This is why the Bush Administration promoted anti-French sentiment, not because France opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq!

France is a powerful player in the games of international intrigues. It is the fifth largest economy in the world, and the number three military spender in the world behind the U.S. and China, according to estimates by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

All this packed into an area a bit smaller than Texas... seems like we could do a little more with Texas but anyway...

We found the easiest way to choose a dish to cook was simply to throw an imaginary dart at the lists and lists of regional specialties. Actually, it was pretty much that we were in the mood for something seafoody.

Moules à la Normande


2 T unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
2 T fresh thyme
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
2 lbs mussels (we used Penn Cove), de-bearded
1 cup white wine
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup crème fraîche

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, shallots, and mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes. Add herbs, mussels and wine. Cover and increase heat to high, shaking pot to distribute mussels evenly. Cook until mussels open (3-5 minutes), discarding any that haven’t opened. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. Bring pan juices to the boil and cook until reduced by a third. Remove from heat, whisk in crème fraîche and season to taste. Pour over mussels. Serve with a crusty baguette.

* If you are planning a visit please feel free to contact us and we can recommend a good beret monogrammer.