Some More Franchouillard Truths

In case you missed this post, please go read it to catch up on it.

7) They don't eat snails and frog legs every day.

(And before you ask: I've eaten a dozen snails. I have yet to try frog legs)

Being in Burgundy, a good number of restaurants prided themselves in serving the famous escargots de Bourgogne, but snails are reserved for once-in-a-while dinners.

They are served fully dead in a wonderful garlic butter sauce.

8) The same goes for foie gras.

Foie gras (literally, fat liver) is not a light dish, nor is it cheap. It comes from either goose or duck liver, goose being the preference for its rich taste. Because of this special status, feasting on this gastronomic treasure is associated with special occasions, like Christmas time.

Some foie gras, served atop fig bread with a drop of fig jam and a glass of sweet Juraçon wine...gosh. My tongue quivers at the thought of that sensational mélange of culinary nirvana!

Ahem. Let's continue with the list.

9) The Rooster is a symbol of France.

Yes, really.

After all, the territory they currently reside in was referred to in Latin as Gallia, their ancestors were the Gauls, their most famous leader was de Gaulle, and they refer to their country as La Gaul. The prideful and cocky Gallus domesticus really lucked out here. And why not? The French tend to strut as they walk on their two feet. The Rooster suits them comme un gant (like a glove).

When I think of French chickens, I think about those of the Bresse variety. They have white plumage, a bright red comb and blue feet, just like the colors of the French tricolore.

They are raised in the Bresse area. Bresse is technically NOT a région nor is it a département. But it does exist. It ranges somewhere from lower Burgundy to some part of the Rhône-Alpes.

These chickens are raised in the open and fed a special diet that gives their meat a distinct flavor. This means that they are not cheap.

Cocorico!

10) They think their country is shaped like a hexagon.

Very often in news reports, you will hear the broadcasters say l'Hexagone this and l'Hexagone that.

Oh, yeah. I totally see the resemblance. Can't mistake that.

11) They don't all have B.O.

I'm not saying that people with body odor don't exist. I admit that I sometimes stood next to someone who reeked so badly that I felt that I would pass out on the spot.

The French, however, take pride not only in their sense of dress but also in their cleanliness. My ex-boyfriend ALWAYS smelled great. So did all of my co-workers, friends, room mates...

I noticed that when I had the rare chance of encountering someone with body odor, it was either a teenaged boy who still had not discovered the joys of using deodorant, or an elderly person who had earned his right to not bathe frequently, or a tourist from some other European country. So, no worries. The French smell great. Particularly my Ex.

Barb the French Bean

Some Franchouillard Truths

Throughout my years of studying and living among the French, my American friends always ask me about certain French stereotypes. These aspects, happily portrayed in films, have unfortunately created certain images about the French that are rather ridiculous. So, with some frustration, I hope to dispel some of these myths.



1) The French do not dress like this on a 24/7 basis:

I admit that you might often see them with a long baguette cradled in the crook of their arm, but scratch the whole striped shirt and Basque beret ensemble. Their taste in clothing tends to be very, very classy. I love the way Frenchwomen wrap their scarves in a casual yet elegant fashion.



2) They are not arrogant, rude people.

This is worth repeating: THEY ARE NOT ARROGANT, RUDE PEOPLE. They are, in fact, some of the nicest and most polite beings I have ever met.

I believe that the any perception of impoliteness comes from the fact that foreigners are not familiar with their social codes. When they walk into a store, the French stick rigidly to the custom of actually looking a stranger in the eye and saying "bonjour Monsieur" or "bonsoir Madame." They acknowledge the presence of the storekeeper. They don't just walk into the shop and ignore the person behind the counter. Failure of greeting the storekeeper is considered RUDE.

If they come across a foreigner who has little or no understanding of French, they will try to speak English. Yet once they are on American soil, the French are expected to know English or get out.

That's right. The French aren't the ones who are rude and belligerent; YOU are.



3) They do not dislike Americans (please keep in mind truth #2).

The French are quite fond of our music and films. They dream of visiting New York City and, for some inexplicable reason, taking a motorcycle and traversing the country from the East Coast to the West. They even have tours offering this sort of excursion. There are, of course, certain historical significances between both countries. IF there is some true disparity about why the French dislike Americans, it is because this discorrdance arises from political events (i.e. Chirac's refusal to participate in war and President Bush calling him out on it). Electing President Obama decidedly made things O.K. again.

4) Their laugh does not go "hon-hon-hon."

They have a normal laugh like any normal person. When my class of seconde were yukking up after I made a mistake, they didn't go:

Frenchwomen tend to avoid bursting out in loud, raucous whoops (but that is certainly not the case 100% of the time, either).

5) Not all of their music revolves around the accordion.

They have their own rock artists (Johnny Hallyday, Damien Saez), pop artists (Mylène Farmer), even rappers (MC Solaar).

I admit, however, that I have a preference for the old-style French music. Charles Aznavour, Edith Piaf and Enzo Enzo! My favorite Edith Piaf song happens to be, ironically enough, "L'Accordéoniste."

6) They don't consider the poodle a proper representative of their culture.


Yes. Really.


They reserve those cultural identities to their wines, cheeses, the flag, la Tour Eiffel, Vercingétorix, Jeanne d'Arc, Napoléon, De Gaulle and La Marseillaise. But certainly NOT the poodle. Pas de question.

I certainly won't forget the shock my room mates and my ex-boyfriend had when I told them that Americans link poodles with France. Their incredulous verbal reaction was a wary "quoi? Le caniche?" Yes, le caniche. The French poodle. That is why when we once checked out a Miami bakery's website, they displayed a pink cake decorated with a purple Eiffel tower with a fluffy snobbish dog drawn next to it.

Room mate: o_O"

"But those are mean, ugly dogs! Beurk!"

There are plenty of other untruths, but those are some that I can think off the top of my head. And for those Americans who say "if it weren't for us, they'd be German" : if it weren't for the French, we might still be British.

Barb the French Bean

Disclaimer: I do not own the video of Edith Piaf (though it would be awesome if I did)