What does a girl who can’t have dairy, eggs or gluten eat while in France?!
I know the suspense is just killing you, so I’ll make it quick…
She eats like a friggin’ queen!! The food has been out of this world fresh, large vegetable portions, high quality local fish and far more healthy than I think anyone would believe {minus some dessert tasting << required!}.
Since this was on a press trip I had the good fortune of these small restaurants being notified in advance of my peculiar eating. This allowed the chef to prepare something a little different…otherwise yes it would have been very tough in some of the small family establishments.
Example: lunch Friday at La Fromagerie {the cheese store} where the featured menu for the day was a bagel with goat cheese and bacon. It sounded heavenly, but I’d have been in a world of pain later.
In fact, I’ll have you know the rest of the group either asked for what I was having or said they wished they were having it!! That’s right veggies, fresh and simple win the day!
BREAKFAST
In Nice, the Grand Hotel Florence provided a “continental” breakfast as we American’s would refer to it. The difference of course is I was the only one swiping a bowl to sneak back to my room to shower after running. Everyone else was sitting for a nice breakfast of breads, hard boiled eggs, cereals, fruit and tea..
To my utter delight in Aix-En-Provence the Grand Hotel Roi Rene included room service breakfast, which meant literally after I finished running a cup of hot tea, bowl of sliced kiwi, packet of nut butter and a croissant were waiting. <<Gluten I know, but it’s not as much an issue as eggs/dairy, so I’ve been making allowances to enjoy a little bread. I’m walking for 4+ hours a day so it feels justified.
LUNCH/DINNER
Most places I found amazing salads (the veggies fresh from the local markets) and fresh local fish. Honestly I hope I can take some of this style home with me.
Obviously I eat these things but differently than they have been prepared here…i.e. lots more olive oil and FRESH herbs to enhance or change the flavor profile.
OH my word what a difference fresh makes; I’d heard that but have always been too lazy to try it at home.
One of my favorites – from Blue Beach Plage Restaurant a grilled veggie salad with a side salad. I don’t even like tomatoes and I couldn’t stop. The whole table was MMM and AHH after each bite! The setting sure didn’t hurt either… That being said the views at Chez Thome were kind of amazing too…the whole setting felt like Alice in Wonderland.
I could talk about the settings all day, so I’ll save that for later!!
Now, back to the food. it was no surprise that everything was so fresh as they have these amazing local markets in the square of each city we visit at minimum 3 times per week, but many are daily.Maybe I’m wrong, but I feel like if this was what you walked past every day to and from work or on any errand it would be impossible not to eat more veggies!Socca chips <<next big thing you heard it hear first!
These gluten free bad boys are a Nice creation, though you can certainly learn to make them at home as they are mainly chickpea flour and olive oil…I say it’s all about the technique to get them so crispy!
DESSERT
To my great delight I found out that the French love dessert!
I sampled a few bites of the crazy concoctions the other ladies had {of course all with yummy foods that I am avoiding to not get sick} and so most restaurants made me adorable fresh fruit plates! The cooked apricots were insane, I am totally doing that at home!
Things I’m learning about French food:
- Each meal takes us 2-3 hours, not kidding
- Starter, meal, dessert, coffee
- The French are all about presentation
- No to go boxes! Nope they hate that here, see point above
- Biscuits are cookies
- They smoke a lot and walk a lot, so maybe that’s how they are so thin
- It’s too much food to do this multiple times a day
- Small menus that frequently change
- Chefs really do shop at the local markets for fresh foods
- Garnishes, fresh herbs and lots of olive oil {probably butter too, just not in my food} are key
Other eats:
Cafe Jeanne – They made us a special dinner of salads and I went with the Thai…hello amazing! Again just a variety of very fresh vegetables and shrimp
Chez Grand-mere – My first time eating lamb and it was very good! A traditional Provence style food from a family owned restaurant (unique dishes)
Regard cafe –A low key quick bite near the port (translation perfect for tourists who speak French and don’t want a long meal)
Rowing Club – It turns out I’m kind of love with artichokes now! Why haven’t I been eating them and why are the tomatoes here so amazing?!
Not yet visited: Victor Cafe, Mathazar,
In the end,I think I’m really just helping them become better chef’s, right?! Turns out people really love the simple paired down meal…at least people who feel like they’ve been feasting for days do!
For those of you looking to avoid certain foods, the key seems to be telling the chef you have an allergy. They are very accommodating in that case, but the request to simply add or remove something from a dish is usually met with a “no it’s not possible”.
What’s your favorite thing about international eating?
How do you stay on track with healthy choices?
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