The Food Diaries: Paris

(Katharine)

Walking the Rue Mouffetard

Yesterday we went to Chez Rene. I hated it. I thought it was horrible!  It tasted revolting.

Dad said it was AMAZING! I did NOT like it!  He said it was a great meal.

(Jim)

Chez Rene is an old favorite.  We first came there in 1997, when Jack was six months old.  We have a picture of Jack sitting on the bar at Chez Rene, looking around in confusion.  Why am I here?  Who are all these people?  Once we return home, I'll scan the picture and add it to the blog.

With the exception of Katharine, all of the kids have been enjoying French food.  About one month ago, Katharine declared herself a vegetarian.  She briefly maintained an exception for tuna fish, but that soon went as well.  We've been struggling to identify sources of protein for our growing girl that don't include meat, poultry or fish.  Right now we're working with beans, milk and egg whites.  (Yolks also turn out to be verboten.)

Lunch at Chez Rene

I really enjoy French food, but find that after two weeks of indulgence my digestive system essentially shuts down.  (If our area of Prague was dubbed, "The Land of Bad Food", France might be similarly titled, "The Land with No Fiber.")   Having our own apartments for most of our stay here has been of great value.  It has allowed us to maintain a more American-style diet.

The hardest thing to find in France is skim milk.  We've finally located a supplier in the little municipal market in Soulac-sur-Mer.  Unfortunately, our purchase of four liters of UHT ecrime (no fat) has exhausted the vendor's supply for the week.  In other words, our family's daily consumption of fat-free milk equals the normal weekly requirements for a small French village.

Jack back on the bar

Both Jack and Alexander have rallied robustly to the banner of French cuisine.  Jack has announced that he wants to live in Paris.  Alexander is attempting to consume the entire production of pain au chocolat.

The one downside to our time in la belle France is that Jim's weight loss in Britain and Norway appears to have been only temporary.  La plus ca change, la plus c'est la meme chose, n'est ce pas?