May 18
Dear Liza,
France is famous for food, and Lyon is considered the Capital of Culinary Arts. And we have eaten very well since we’ve been here.
But French food means different things to different people, and as we’ve been here longer, it has come to mean different things to us.
At first, you think of the beautiful pastries and delicate desserts. These are iconic, perfect, and take a lot of skill to create. But for me, they are a lot of sweet cream in a pretty shape, and not very satisfying.
A step above them, actually, are more homely traditional foods, like the Croque Monsieur. This elevated grilled cheese sandwich has different kinds of cheese melted on brioche bread with just a few green onions tucked in. I swear, it would bring you back from the dead.
And what is becoming my favorite French food are the meals we make here in our apartment with ingredients from the twice a week marché across the street. Rotisserie Turkey rolls cooked with herbs and olive oil, are delicious pan seared with vegetables from local farms.
So far, that’s the best dinner I’ve had. And there was no reservation to make, crowd to deal with, bill, or language barrier. Just fresh, yummy food, simply prepared, at the end of a fine day’s site seeing.
Lunches are more grab and go, with cheese and veggies, bread and butter being my favorites. Vegetables here are bred for taste, not shelf-life, and the cucumbers are firm and flavorful. French cheeses number in the hundreds, and the butter is amazing.
We are having lunch out with some new friends at a new place in a few days, and I’ll let you know how that goes!
Love,
Grandma Judy
Dear Liza 