Jen, Julia and I spent a few days exploring France – from the French Riviera (blog post HERE) to Côtes du Rhône (first blog post HERE).  I knew that the dining experience would be different than what we’ve grown accustomed to while living in Italy, but I think I underestimated just how different it would be.

I’ll point out a couple of the noticeable differences.  If you’ve been reading this blog, you’ll know that I have made many references to pranzo, or lunch.  While the literal definition is simply, lunch – it should be modified to be more along the lines of, large meal in which copious amounts of pasta are finished with meats and salads and where the act of gathering is as important as the meal.  Wine and grappa are a must.  Since lunch is usually the “big deal”, that means we partake in a very light dinner.  Whereas in France, dinner was the star meal of the day.  Although, many of our days in France we also had a big lunch, and so our stomachs questioned our brains when we sat down to a second coursed-out meal at dinner time. 

Furthermore, the food itself is different in two distinct ways.  It also happens to be similar in two ways.  The differences – the types of food and the preparation.  The food served in France is not the same as the food in Italy.  Cassoulet as opposed to pasta.  Duck and pigeon as opposed to veal and pork.  Foie gras as opposed to cured meats.  Further, the preparation is different.  Italians cook with fewer ingredients and prefer simple, fresh cooking – a style I would classify as rusitco.  The French have a more refined style of cooking whereupon layers of flavor are built with many different ingredients and multiple sauces are used to style and accompany the dish. The presentation itself is much more polished, even at the most simple of places.  The similarities – they both use the freshest of ingredients, usually sourced locally at markets and they are both delicious in their own unique way.

There are subtle differences in even the small things.  The bread and the cheese are different.  The wine is different.  The pastry is different.  However, one thing remained consistent as we crossed the border into France and then back again.  We still remained within the cradle of food’s most wholesome birthplace – and the food in France was wonderful.

It is for this reason that I decided to feature a blog post dedicated to some of the meals we enjoyed while we were in France.  I’ve done a few “food posts” about dining experiences in Italy – so now it’s time to widen the circle.  Please excuse some of the photos – iPhone’s were used at times.  I only feel comfortable brandishing my large Canon camera in certain situations.

In Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, we found La Pignatelle, a charming restaurant that presents dishes in the Provençale style.  We had lost the benefit of our cell phone’s internet (in a different country – roaming charges apply) and so we couldn’t “google” where to eat.  We did it the old fashioned way – walking around, reading menu’s and assessing by looks.  We lucked out, and had a wonderful meal.  Jen ordered only an entrée, while I opted for the 3-course tasting menu with the understanding that I would be sharing some of my dessert!  The owner, Christophe was a saint and patiently explained each dish’s ingredients and preparation.  My favorite was when he got to the dessert we ultimately selected and his description was (read this to yourself in a French accent), “oohh… that one is too hard.  Trust me – it is delicious, just order it”.

The next day, we met our friends Michel and Shirley at their home in Sablet.  They easily slipped into the role of Guide de tous Cuisine Française (Guide of all French Cuisine) by taking us to some wonderful restaurants.  On our first day in Côtes du Rhône, we enjoyed a casual outdoor lunch at Le Jardin.

That night, we meet their friends, Bruno and Sylvie Bordeaux, the owners of the local Cafe des Sports, just a moments walk from Michel and Shirley’s home.  I never use last names in my blog, but their surname is simply too fantastic and too perfect not to use – Bordeaux!  Michel and Shirley became fast friends with Bruno and Sylvie in recent years, and they graciously took us to Côteaux et Fourchettes (translated to Hills and Ranges) in a nearby town, Cairanne.  This was one of the more memorable meals, because of my entrée selection as well as the fact that it seemed to hit most of the formal French dining traditions in a modern setting and style.  You’ll see below that I ordered the pigeon… a first for me!  And boy, was it delicious.  While I waited 32 years to try pigeon, Julia has now eaten it before she turned 2 years old.  Not only did she love pigeon, but she also couldn’t get enough of Jen’s foie gras (we drew the line at the tartare… I think she should at least be 3 years old before consuming raw beef). I think she would have done just as well in France as she is in Italy.

The next day was marked by a visit to Les Abeilles, one of Michel and Shirley’s local favorites (website).  The lunch was in the middle of a day spent wine tasting (blog post coming soon) and so our moods matched the delicious flavor of the food.

Our final day was spent visiting the markets of Carpentras, and our lunch was spent on the balcony of Chez Serge.  The refreshing selection of soup and fish marked the perfect meal to fit our moods.

I hope you enjoyed this brief tour of part of our French dining experience.  We hope to repeat again sometime in the future.  Of course, not until we loose all the calories we consumed the first time around… I’m thinking that will be sometime in 2014.