An American (Brunch) in Paris
I first heard about “Think Globally…Eat Locally!” on Meetup.com as I was making travel plans to come to Paris and looking for different things to do. The group is intended as a way for open-minded food travelers to come together and sample and learn about international foods in the city. Restaurants come as suggestions by members and include a wide variety of gastronomie (cuisine) from across the globe. However, there’s also the “Glass Jar Dinners” which are private parties hosted by Shelley and her husband André at their Parisian home. The theme- North American and…it’s all in English. Whew! This gives my brain a mental break from trying so hard to think in French. But in actuality, this is completely intentional and is offered by Shelley as an opportunity for locals to practice their English.
When I first arrived to the American Brunch event at Shelley and André’s home, we made our introductions and exchanged small talk as we waited for some of the other guests to arrive. Then came “the rules” and I was thinking, oh geez…not one of THESE parties. But then it turned out that “the rules” in a nutshell were to make yourself at home and simply have a good time. For example, have as many (or few) servings as you’d like; don’t be shy about your own personal traditions (e.g. women of certain cultures should not pour their own wine, so let the host know); if you want to take an after-meal snooze…please by all means; and for your feet to feel nice and cozy, there’s even socks available for that too!
My favorite part of the gathering was the conversation. I personally LOVE learning about other cultures and with guests who had backgrounds from Thailand, France, Vietnam, Guadeloupe, Shelley from Canada and myself from the USA, I found the cultural exchange fascinating. One of the highlights for me was hearing the old tradition of wearing red underwear for New Year’s in Naples, Italy. Who knew!
Shelley was an amazing hostess….warm, friendly, funny and very talented in the kitchen. It was fun to be able to share some North American food and traditions with the locals such as having coffee together with dessert. In France, coffee is typically served after dessert and separately. Some of us got a kick out of adding hot sauce to eggs! The conversation about the American kitchen or cuisine Americaine was particularly fun. Cuisine Americaine refers to kitchens typical of North America that are larger spaces with plenty of cabinets, countertops, some with islands, bar stools, and oftentimes are used as gathering spaces. In contrast, Parisian kitchens are ultra tiny and are off limits to guests. One French woman remarked that she has to use her food processor in the living room because the kitchen is so small!
Another major difference is the very act of inviting strangers to the home. In France, this is typically not done and so Shelley’s invitations definitely go against the norm. I liked how she asked the locals how it felt to be at a person’s home with whom they were not familiar with or had established friendships. The unanimous response…this was nice!
In addition, Shelley hosts a yearly American Thanksgiving dinner including the roasted turkey and all the trimmings. The event has become so popular that it now goes for 3 days! Shelley also has a catering company called Paris Bread Company where you can order foods not typically sold in Paris such as pumpkin pie, raisin bread or crumbles. She sends out a menu via email and from the list, you request your order online. Prices for the private gatherings as well the food orders are usually listed on the website or by email. So if you’re in the area and want to try some homemade American cooking, this is worth checking out.
