Foie Gras and Fried Chicken: The Old and the

New for France

By Khari Johnson

French culinary history is a tradition that dates back 400 years, its

gastronomic roots a part of French identity.

Marion and Anna, authors from Blaise Pascal University say Louis XIV aka the “Sun King” would eat large glamorous meals alone but in public to show France’s prestige with original and sophisticated cooking as visitors watched him from behind bars.

But signs point to a thinning of the famed food customs. Frozen food
profits are on the rise. McDonald’s is bigger here than anywhere else in
Europe. The food company Findus reported that the traditional family meal,
which 25 years ago lasted 88 minutes today is only 33. But nothing has
changed in the Vilmorin’s house.

Caroline Vilmorin lives in the Colombes suburb outside Paris with her
husband Alban and four children. She spent the first part of her children’s
lives at home but a few years ago went back to work. She works full time now
but her routine hasn’t changed, devoting the same amount of time to cooking
as when she was a homemaker.

“First thing I do in the morning before going to work is prepare meals for

the kids,” said Vilmorin.

In France some children, including Vilmorin’s, come home for lunch and

when her children do their food has already been made.

She goes shopping once a week for groceries which means she can still
buy fresh food like meat from the butcher bread from the baker and fresh
cheese. She goes to the local supermarket to pick up other items but because
she goes once a week she has to buy frozen vegetables, the only thing her
family eats that isn’t fresh.

She cooks a traditional multi-coursed meal every night.

First the soup or salad, then the main dish and finally some cheese and

bread with a dessert of yogurt or maybe ice cream.

Dinner, an important daily ritual at the Vilmorin house, is on at 9pm every

night.

“It’s important because it’s the only time of day we get to see each,”

Vilmorin said.

Because of her job she’s had to begin cooking more frozen foods and

buying take out, things she deems “survival food” but never fast food.

Pizza delivery is still expensive so most families stay away from it
including the Vilmorins but she does pick up freshly baked pizza from the
market every week.

And though it wasn’t a concern for her three older children, she wants her

12-year-old son Pieter to see a nutritionist.

“I think it’s because he’s growing but he eats too many sugars and

sweets,” said Vilmorin. “He’s not fat but I think he needs a little bit of help.”

Pieter, her youngest son, is very active. He has four hours of P.E. every week in school and another four hours of exercise from rugby and fencing. But, she says, it’s not enough.

He snacks a lot, buying fast food like fried chicken and french fries on the

way home from school and snacking at home in between meals.

“He’s bored,” said Vilmorin. “He’s too young so he doesn’t go out with

friends or others at school and is alone when he comes home.”

“If I don’t look after him he won’t have good habits,” said Vilmorin.

“He’s getting used to the junk food.”

Her friend Virginie Fouquet can relate. Both women have a lot in
common. They live down the street from each other, work in neighboring
buildings and their kids are friends. Fouquet has three girls and one boy,
Vilmorin three boys and one girl.

They eat traditional French food in a traditionally French way.

Dinner’s at 9pm in her house too and like the Vilmorins, they treat it as a

special part of the day.

Like Vilmorin she shops once a week, picking up fresh food, only buying

frozen vegetables and potatoes and rarely getting take-out.

And like Caroline Vilmorin her older kids didn’t have weight problems, but she brought her youngest daughters Sarah, 18, and Héloïse, 17, to visit a nutritionist when they were 15.