Bistro Chic

British women "dress to impress" for a raise or promotion.

Leave it to Bridget Jones to do something drastic to get the boss’ attention…and I don’t mean keeping a diary. Like the fictitious character, many British women sleep with their bosses, but several new studies reveal that British workers will do this to actually get ahead at the office.

In tough economic times, it is not unheard of for workers to resort to unorthodox tactics to score a raise, promotion, or even extra perks at work. But recent studies suggest that British workers would rather “earn” their promotion by proving their skills as lovers rather than workers. Just last week, a study by the UK recruitment scoring group, HireScores, found that 1 in 5 British workers would sleep with their boss, while 1 in 4 would kiss their boss, all for a quick promotion. A similar 2008 survey found that 1 in 5 British would flirt with the boss to get the same.

Although the study found that men were more willing than women to use their charm to advance their careers, women are no strangers to using their looks to get what they want at work. Earlier this year, a study by fashion forum Web site, theragtrader.com, found that British women are willing to dress provocatively at the office in hopes of climbing the corporate ladder. The study showed that 27% of those surveyed would wear a “risky” outfit to work if it meant that they had a better chance for a raise or promotion and 20% revealed that they use this tactic on a regular basis.

But all British workers are not without scruples. Nearly 40% of British workers surveyed reported that they would work their way up the corporate ladder by working hard, long hours with no guarantee of a promotion or raise.

How far would you go for a raise or promotion?

French Authorities Advise Citizens to Put a Cork in It

France without wine? Mon Dieu – that’s blasphemy. Who would have thought that a country full of vineyards and wineries would recommend against drinking their own product? Well, France has done just that!

Last week, France’s Ministry of Health (MoH) released guidelines stating that wine – and any alcohol – can lead to cancer. This declaration is based on findings from the National Cancer Institute (INCA) in France. The MoH has, therefore, recommended that the French people stop drinking their beloved wine. How can this be? For years, medical reserarch has touted the health benefits of wine. It has been shown to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. The MoH and INCA want citizens to forget about all previous health benefits linked to wine consumption and focus on the fact that alcohol facilitates cancers of the mouth, larynx, oesophagus, colon/rectum, and breast. And, as the MoH kindly points out, even one glass of wine a day can increase your chance of developing cancer by 168%. 

“Small daily doses of alcohol are the most harmful. There is no amount, however small, which is good for you,” said Dominique Maraninchi, INCA’s president.

France advises citizens to stop drinking wine.

Good Intentions, Unanswered Questions

I know that the French government only wants what is best for its citizens. And, for a US citizen, I am thankful to the French government for taking a stand on this issue and for making me, and the rest of the world, more aware of the negative effects of wine as well as its benefits. However, the new alcohol guidelines leave many unanswered questions.

Now that the French know the negative health effects of wine, what will the government do to help citizens stop drinking alcohol? And, more importantly, will the French recognize these new findings and take the initiative to stop indulging in their favorite drink? Possibly, but this feat will be a difficult undertaking. Take cigarettes for example. In the early to mid 1900’s, smoking was nearly a national pasttime in the US and for many countries around the world. Even when the US Surgeon General reported that cigarettes were linked to cancer, people continued to smoke and many are still smoking today. But, unlike wine, there have been no health benefits linked to smoking cigarettes. 

Grape Expectations

Ask a Frenchman to stop drinking wine? You may as well tell a fish to stop swimming. Wine has been a natural part of the French culture for centuries. Expecting the French to stop drinking wine immediately or even in the near future is unrealistic, especially when the French consume an average of 13 gallons of wine in a year – that’s nearly a 1 gallon jug of milk per month. For the French, and many other countries, wine has been thought of as part of everyday life, and even medicinal. Getting the French to stop doing something they know and love will no doubt be a challenge, for the idea alone challenges a vintage belief. Besides, wine is seen by many as the national drink of France. What would replace this national standard –  Perrier?

What about the rest of us?

The new guidelines also leave the government in a Catch-22 situation. Now that the French government recommends against wine consumption, will they still permit the export of wine? France is a major exporter of wine, with 34% of the world wine market coming from French exports. If they do continue to export wine, it is like saying “we don’t want our citizens to drink wine, but we can sell wine to other countries who don’t know any better.”

Yet, if they do stop exporting wine, what will happen to the 2,134 acres of land used for vineyards across France? The economy in France and the rest of Europe is bad enough, take away a huge money-maker like wine, and the country may be financially worse off than before.

Now, the most important question, if the French can’t smoke (Amen to that!) and can’t drink wine, what do these poor French souls have left for indulgences? Well there’s always cheese, pate, and extramarital affairs. Vive La France!

Ahh, Mardi Gras…a time of extravagance, gluttony, and pancakes? Yes, pancakes. You may think that pancakes seem a little bland for Mardi Gras, compared with the Polish Paczki or New Orleans King Cake, but for our British neighbors across the pond, pancakes and even pancake races are major elements of Mardi Gras.

Celebrate Mardi Gras like the British by trading your Paczki for a pancake.

The British don’t actually celebrate Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday by name. For them, the day is called Shrove Tuesday. The word Shrove is actually a variation on the Old English term shriving or absolving. Shrove Tuesday is similar to Mardi Gras and Carnaval in that the day marks the symbolic, yet temporary, end of indulgence and the beginning of the Christian time of Lent, a time of penitence and absolution. In other words, these celebrations represent the last day to “feast” before 40 days of abstinence and fasting. Unlike Mardi Gras and Carnaval, Shrove Tuesday has never really taken on the “party” image. Shrove is more of a time to focus on or even prepare you for the spiritual aspect of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday. Still, the Brits have their own, very unique traditions for celebrating this religious season.

My Pancake is Faster than Yours

The British may not consume cases of jelly-filled donuts or hide plastic babies inside sugary danishes, but they are not without their indulgences in the cake area. Shrove Tuesday has traditionally been associated with making and eating pancakes, of all sizes and varieties. Pancakes have been synonymous with Shrove for hundreds of years.

Runners race with their pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.

They are believed to represent one of the richest foods to eat before Lent, because they are made with many ingredients that were once avoided during Lent, like eggs and milk products. Pancakes have become so important to the Shrove celebration that many cities and even Parliament hold Pancake Races. These highly competitive contests involve running as fast as you can while holding a frying pan with a pancake in it. The catch is that you have to flip the pancake a predetermined amount of times while you’re running – a skill many in Britain have seriously perfected. Many believe that the tradition of Pancake Races began in the early 1400’s when a woman was making breakfast on Shrove Tuesday. She is said to have lost track of time and began running to the church for services, frying pan in hand, complete with a pancake still in it. Although the origin of the pancake race is still unclear, one thing is quite certain –  Shrove Tuesday and its pancakes are an important part of British culture and tradition.

Have Your Pancake and Eat it Too

For Americans, celebrating Mardi Gras like the British can be a fun and more refined alternative to donuts, colored plastic beads, and raucous street parties. So, if you’re not up for a huge Mardi Gras party or can’t make it to Spain for Carnaval, celebrate Shrove Tuesday by making a batch or two of pancakes. And, although the idea of pancakes is traditional in and outside of Britain, your pancakes needn’t follow the traditional recipe. Check out some of the more unusual pancake recipes online, like chocolate pancakes with chestnut cream or hot whiskey pancakes with raspberries, they are sure to tempt even self-proclaimed pancake connoisseurs. And remember, whether savory or sweet, fluffy or thin, a pancake is more than a pancake when eaten on Shrove Tuesday.