Be ready to reconsider everything you have ever known about french culture.
The "cliches" have to stop.
- French toast
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| Photo credits to GFDL |
The origin and the name of the bread are very vague. It was baked in Europe since the 16th century but where exactly? No one knows. On top of that, regarding the different taste preferences, the recipe changes a lot depending on the country of origin.
In France, the equivalent is "pain perdu" which means lost bread.
This recipe, in the past, was used for bread that had gone stale.
The main difference is that pain perdu is deep-fried.
" It tastes nothing like the American French toast", says the Chef of a French restaurant in Chicago, called "La Sardine".
Here is a link to the authentic French recipe:
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| Photo credits to fotopedia |
2. French fries
Sorry to break the news to all of you, but yes, French fries are not from France either.
Jonathan, a man interviewed on the street, says, " That's so weird.Why call them french fries, if you know, they are not French. That's really confusing."The first to cut a potato in strips and fried them in oil were Belgians in the 18th century.
It was the British and Americans soldiers during World War I who named the dish "French Fries" because at the time, the official language of Belgium was French.
However, the frenchies did copy this recipe in the same century.
Thanks to Mr Parmentier, a famous french chef and nutritionist from the 1900's, who was obsessed with finding new recipes based on his studies of potatoes.
3. The beret
If you go to France and you see someone with a beret, congratulations you just saw an American.
The original beret, simple with a basic color, was created by the French and Spanish in the 17th century. For some reasons, Americans wear them now.
It's only in the 1930's, with the beginning of the French feminist movement, that the beret started to be worn by women and became a fashionable accessory.
Michèle Morgan, Greta Garbo and Brigitte Bardot are famous French actresses who started this movement and embraced it at the time.
In France, the glory of the berets is over.
4. French kiss
The term " French kiss" is not French either. In fact, no one really knows where this kissing technique comes from.
Referring to recent studies, this expression has been used since the 1820's.
The psychologists still ignore the author of this term but they have a rational theory.
One of the theory for utilizing the country France in the expression "French kiss" is because Paris was always known as the city of love.
Plus, the French have always been more sensitive, romantic and more comfortable with their sexuality. France has always been a libertine country.
3. The beret
| Photo credits to Moria |
"The beret is so last season . When I went to France with my parents 2 years ago, not one person was wearing a beret", says Samantha, a vendor from H&M on Michigan Avenue.
If you go to France and you see someone with a beret, congratulations you just saw an American.
The original beret, simple with a basic color, was created by the French and Spanish in the 17th century. For some reasons, Americans wear them now.
It's only in the 1930's, with the beginning of the French feminist movement, that the beret started to be worn by women and became a fashionable accessory.
Michèle Morgan, Greta Garbo and Brigitte Bardot are famous French actresses who started this movement and embraced it at the time.
In France, the glory of the berets is over.
4. French kiss
The term " French kiss" is not French either. In fact, no one really knows where this kissing technique comes from.
Referring to recent studies, this expression has been used since the 1820's.
The psychologists still ignore the author of this term but they have a rational theory.
One of the theory for utilizing the country France in the expression "French kiss" is because Paris was always known as the city of love.
Plus, the French have always been more sensitive, romantic and more comfortable with their sexuality. France has always been a libertine country.
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| Picture credits to Jason Rhein |
As you can see neither French toast, French fries, the beret and the French kiss are French.
In fact, to avoid confusions, I believe they should be called: American French toast, American french fries.... You get the idea.
Remember, things are not always what they seem.
J'adore! C'est trop marrant! C'est la reaction quotidienne des Americains quand je dis que je suis prof de francais. They always make some comment or another about Freedom Fries. Really? That was a few years ago and didn't even make sense then.
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