FRENCH PARADOX EXPLAINED: IN ACTION IN NANTES, FRANCE AT RESTAURANT
LA LOCA
For people who are QUANTITATIVELY minded, they compare numbers to numbers and never about what makes the numbers significant. Because for a simple mind, the question WHAT is more palatable than WHY? This is evident more than ever in the USA from Politics to basic health care (in reality very poor, but the numbers are great).
A Venuzuelan politicians once asked me, there are 14 congressmen for 2 million Cuban Americans but not that many for 30 odd million Mexican-Americans. Most people are satisfied with the answer but very few would ask WHY is it so.
You cannot claim to be an intelligent person, if you do not have a curious mind and curious mind always enquires WHY.
In Medical Schools, they teach about the FRENCH PARADOX. Remember it is from the point of view of the Americans and not the French. Why do the French who eat so much more fat in their cuisine, cheese twice a day, foie gras as occasion demands, excellent wines at all dinners, yogurt (they would laugh at Low Fat Yogurt! But why do they have far less cardiovascular disease than the Americans and as the title of a particular book claims: French Ladies do not become FAT…. As you all know in the USA, the majority of people are overweight or obese and nearly half the women are OBESE.. so WHY is this happening where every one is clinging on to Low Fat, meditarranean, keto, vegan, and low carb and high carb and multitudes of other dietary plans?
The French eat to their heart’s delight and they don’t get fat. American consciousness has guilt built into it and they eat certainly the worst food available in any rich country and half the population (majority of the adult population) is on some diet or another. WHY? Noone asks that questions. If you do, you would find the answer.
I am here to extoll the virtues of the French way of eating and life. What is happening in USA is happening in all English speaking countries: United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand.
I had travelled to Paris CDG from Miami via Philadelphia airport, then from CDG to Paris train station Montparnasse and from there by train to Nantes. The Easter holidays which are two weeks long has just begun in Bretagne and I couldn’t have imagined the crowds.
But two hours after a day of travel, I was ready to go to LA LOCA restaurant
THE FRENCH PARDOX EXPLAINED
The restaurant had a simple design and pleasing interior. The waiters wore crispy shirts and aprons and were very professionals. Since the French waiters do not depend upon the tips and gratuities for their salary, their work is their pride. They were friendly without being intrusive. They don’t tell you what is their favourite dish.
The restaurant was full but the noise level was minimal. No one was talking aloud. There young and older couples and groups of people, like our group of five.
Analaysis of a French Dinner by a Cultural Anthropologist (C’est moi)
First of all the conversation.
The four of the people who invited me had known each other for a very long time. All are French. I spent the New Year’s eve with the very same people, three months ago.
1. No one was trying to impress each other with what they have, what they buy, how much things cost. In general, there was no mention of money, comparative expenses. I like this very much. You spend money according to your ability and keep silent about it and not broadcast it. There was no talk about shopping and what was on sale and where and how much. No one talked or complained about the price of petrol which was twice as much as USA. People had varied outside interests outside their work and being Europeans they travel at least two or three times a year to other countries. One couple maintain a relationship with Sitges in Spain and the other with Azamour in Morocco. Their roots are all in Brittany.
2. Even though France is awaiting an important national election tomorrow, no one was talking about politics or the possibilities of who would be a winner. So stressful subjects were avoided, by design or by nature.
3. Pleasant things took the centre stage of conversation, holidays, travel and also they pais a lot of attention to the guest in their midst (c’est moi). They wanted to hear about Cuba, Cochin (my next destination) and also my assessment of health care in USA and France. Also they took time to explain certain Breton customs and certainly about the food.
4. We arrived at the Resto a little after 8 pm and left much after 11 pm. And we walked home the half a mile. The night was crispy and fresh. The walk allowed us to further continue our conversation and also enjoy the night and get ready for a restful sleep. Even though I had flown in that morning, I slept for more than 9 hours without any symptoms of Jet lag.
5. No one was in a rush, to eat quickly and leave but savouring. I thought what Buddha had said: When I am eating, I know I am eating. I savoured the various desserts without ordering one, enjoying each one of them .
The lesson to be learned is not WHAT .. what is the cost of the food? What is the quality of the food? What was the method of payment? But Why was this small dinner party organized? Why were the conversation so congenial? You know that historically, MONEY, RELIGION and POLITICS destroy a conversation.
