You may be aware that there is currently a debate raging about school lunches in the United States. Books such as School Lunch Politics by historian Susan Levine or Lunch Wars by activist Amy Kalafa have been recently published; activism is gaining momentum; and even the first lady has taken on childhood diet as a main initiative. …
Today, I would like to introduce you to a food that I tried for the first time in a little bistro in Paris. It took me by surprise because it’s a simple food but with a very unique texture. It’s called Aligot and it’s basically mashed potatoes with cheese. But the unique thing about aligot … Continue reading Aligot d’Aubrac
As promised, I am returning to the topic of baby food products in French grocery stores, which I skipped in my grocery tour. As I browsed the baby food section in the store near my in-laws’ house, I found a few interesting things. One is the presence of an intermediary formula for ages 1-3 called … Continue reading French cuisine, baby style
In France, chocolate is a food group. Along with yogurt and bread, chocolate has an importance that Americans may have difficulty understanding. In the US, chocolate is generally found in what we could call “candy bars,” such as Snickers or Kitkat. These are decidedly in the category of candy and junk food. Pure bars of … Continue reading Eat your chocolate!
Update from France: We just finished our second and final birthday party for our son. For our French party, I wanted a relaxed Sunday lunch in typical French style. Everything is closed in France on Sunday, and people generally have a big lunch and then spend the afternoon strolling or playing. We rented an old … Continue reading Repas de Dimanche
We are in France right now visiting my husband’s family, and so I’ll be doing a few posts on France in the coming days. This is the first time I have come to France with a child, so it’s a great opportunity to discover the food options for children in France. I also have an … Continue reading Le Supermarché
Today I’d like to share with you a French tradition that has become well-established in our household. This is the soirée crêpes, or crêpe night, and it is really a lot of fun with kids, when good friends are over, or anytime. Like most Americans, you probably think of pancakes and crêpes as breakfast or … Continue reading Crêpe Night
In Italy, doctors recommend that babies be given a brodo, or broth, made from vegetables, to which rice cereal, meat, olive oil and parmesan cheese is added. The broth is considered a very important part of baby nutrition. Of course, always consult your pediatrician before feeding an infant. If we assume that Italian is basically like French but with … Continue reading Feeding Bambino
Did you know that the Japanese love fast food? And no I’m not talking about Big Macs with Japanese writing on them, although they certainly exist. Knowing the Japanese, it is of course something far simpler, healthier, and more beautiful. They are called onigiri. I first discovered onigiri when my colleague Jessica brought a couple of them in for her lunch in … Continue reading Onigiri
For today’s post, we are traveling to the island of Martinique in the southern Caribbean. Martinique is part of France and as such is heavily influenced by French culture. Yet it also has own history, traditions, language (Creole, although French is the primary language these days), and foods, which it shares largely with fellow French Antillean island Guadeloupe. I … Continue reading First Communion Cocoa
The Children's Table 