Wednesday, March 9. 2011
Recently in French class, we had a presentation on bread which generated some interesting "food for thought":
- When we think of the French, the stereotypical image is of an incompletely wrapped and fully exposed baguette (or two) protruding from under the arm of a Frenchman or the purse of a Frenchwoman. It's really quite true. It may not be everyone, but it's substantial enough for it to seem absolutely normal. My husband and I even saw a man tying his baguette to the back of his bicycle! As much as bread remains an important part of the French diet, the average amount of bread consumed in France has actually been decreasing: from 177 grams per person in 1970 to 114 grams per person in 2008 (INSEE). Here are some thought-provoking statistics collected from a number of national surveys (INSEE, SOFRES, and CNBF). In France:
- 1 in 4 visit a boulangerie/pâtisserie everyday (1999)
- 74% of the breads purchased are baguettes (2002)
- 98% of the French population consume bread (2002)
- 83% of the French population consume bread everyday (2002)
- 71% of the French population believe that consuming bread everyday is a vital necessity (2002)
- 82% of the French population believe that eating bread is a pleasure that they cannot live without (2002)
- 36 million tons of wheat was harvested in France in 2001, making France the top producer in Europe and 4th in the world
- I have not noticed this, but apparently, the French eat bread with everything except for one thing: pizza. This includes anything from spaghetti, to quiches, to savoury pies, to even Chinese dumplings.
- Lastly, a student made the observation that most boulangeries and pâtisseries in France do not serve beverages. It seems like an obvious combination as many people who go there are buying breads, sandwiches, and pastries for immediate consumption. This lead my French teacher to exclaim: "Why don't they serve vegetables as well since you eat that with your sandwiches, or why don't butchers sell vegetables too since the two are eaten together!" Both have their points.
