Anyone who has heard me wax lyrical (or just blab on about) Italian food, usually feels the draught of the scorn I pour on the reputation of the French as Europe's premier food country. Well guess what, McDonald's France is the best performing European subsidiary of the U.S. company and obesity is on the rise there - in line with U.S. rates of growth in the area. One U.S. academic quoted in this Financial Times article suggests increasing rates of obesity around the world has something to do with "increasing defiance of adult guidance by the young", and a French academic seems to concur by saying "Today, French schools have a self-service system inherited from the US, which is good because it promotes choice but bad because children simply have no idea what they should eat."
I'm sure obesity is on the rise in Italy (no data to support it, but they are such large eaters), but they just have more fun en route.
Posted by Joe at August 9, 2003 05:14 PMA subject close to my heart (and stomach)!
I don't know that much about the French, but Italians, as you know, spend an awful lot of time eating their mother's cooking and spend hours and hours in restaurants, eating food just like their mother's cooking. I wonder if even the kids enjoy McDonalds all that much (unless they're abroad, I guess). But Italian food is so healthy, I wouldn't expect that they're getting any fatter. I'd be interested to know though.
I wonder if the French still have that sort of home cooking tradition anymore?
Posted by: Lisa at August 10, 2003 02:59 AMI'm sure the tradition of good home cooking still exists in France. I can't believe a generation of McDonald's restaurants could destroy that. At least I hope not.
I've always thought the French talk good food, but the Italians just get on with eating it. That's not to say the French don't cook good food - I would give them 2nd place on the European podium ;+) - but I've eaten more than my share of ordinary food in France whereas I've never had an ordinary meal in Italy. There was, for example, this Lasagna in a restaurant in Bologna ... sigh!
Posted by: Joe at August 10, 2003 08:01 AMLOL. I found some sage growing in my garden yesterday and remembered an amazing pumpkin ravioli I had in my favourite restaurant in Bologna.
I won't come close, but it's worth a go at least!
Posted by: Lisa at August 11, 2003 07:28 AMHow did it go and what's the name of the restaurant in Bologna?
Posted by: Joe at August 11, 2003 09:31 PMThe filling is in the fridge now waiting to fill something. Probably store bought fresh pasta because I've never made it myself!
The restaurant - now there's a question... I seem to recall it was just behind and to the right of San Petronio. It might have had "albergo" in the name but I don't think there was a hotel (though there might have been). They also did the most marvelous steaks served on a hot grill and carved at the table.
My other favourite was called Al Fagiano. It was in Vado, actually - near Sasso Marconi. They did an amazing wild boar in barolo wine sauce and *the* most perfect tagliatelle Bolognese.
Damn, I'm hungry...
Posted by: Lisa at August 13, 2003 01:52 AMMmmm. I'm going to run all of that past my Bologna contacts and see if we can't go there if I ever get back to the city. :+)
Posted by: Joe at August 13, 2003 03:30 AM