Bistro Chic

With Spring just two days away, you can practically hear the French singing, I love Paris in the Springtime, I love Paris in the Fall. Yes, Spring has arrived in Paris and most of France for that matter. And, while the French are busy picking daisies and chatting over cafe au lait, you may be wondering, are they even feeling the effects of this global recession? The answer is yes. Like most of Europe, many reports indicate that France is entering into a recession, the recession that the US has been experiencing for months.

But, in spite of the recession, the French seem to be quite upbeat this Spring. In fact, a recent survey by Le Parisien newspaper, found that 2 out of 3 French were optimistic about the future and satisfied with their lives. How can this be? Well, in a booming economy, one might associate life happiness or satisfaction with lavish trips or excessive purchases. By contrast, a poor economy might actually help us put things into perspective or redefine our priorities. This may be what the French, and even Americans, are experiencing. 

Spring has arrived in France, and so has a positive outlook on life

The survey showed that the French positive attitude about life stems from things that many Americans, who are struggling financially, can relate to. The French draw their greatest satisfaction from loved ones and experiences, including their children (61%), friends (33%), and leisure activities (23%). And, they say the best moment of their day is spending time with their family in the evening, followed by waking up next to the person they love. 

To me, the French attitude is the classic idea of taking lemons and making lemonade – with a French twist of course. For others, the French attitude may seem too unrealistic, or even idealistic, at this point in time. But, even if you can’t be optimistic about the country’s or your personal economic future, you need not be French to look forward to the Spring.

Here are just a few of the things I’m looking forward to most….

10 Things I’m looking forward to most about Spring

1. Opening all of the windows in my house
2. Eating lunch or dinner outside
3. The smell of BBQ from an outdoor grill (whether it’s mine or someone else’s)
4. Not wearing a coat 
5. Wearing sandals and capris
6. Listening to Jimmy Buffet and Bob Marley on my Ipod, without having to hide it
7. The start of major league baseball – yeah!
8. Having a Starbucks Frappuccino without getting strange looks because it’s below freezing outside
9. Walking to the local cafe for lunch
10. Having the topic of every work conversation NOT be the cold weather

What are you most looking forward to about Spring?

I have collected tea cups and tea pots for years. Now, I adore all of my tea china, but there are one or two tea cups and pots that really stand out as favorites. Each time I make tea in my favorite pot – a simple 4-cup cedar green pot – or sip from my favorite cup – a bright pink cup with gold trim with a matching saucer – it reminds me of having afternoon tea at Liberty in London.

Not only does drinking tea from my favorite cup bring back great memories, but somehow, I’ve always thought that the tea I drink in my favorite cup, made in my favorite pot, always seems to taste better, especially when someone is sharing it with me. This feeling becomes quite apparent when I drink my tea from a plain mug at work (on those sad days where I’ve left my favorite cup at home). In those rare instances, the tea just doesn’t have the same taste or give me the same warm, cozy, and relaxed feeling. I also have many other, more expensive and fancier teapots and cups, but they don’t seem to meet my expectations like my little pink and green tea team.

Can drinking tea in your favorite cup actually make it taste better? Why yes, it can!

And I know I’m not the only one who has a favorite tea or coffee cup. Where I work, people are very territorial when it comes to tea and coffee cups. I’ve seen the hard stares that co-workers give one another when the tea/coffee cup line has been crossed. I’ve also read emails from desperate colleagues asking if anyone has seen his or her favorite cup and can almost see the person’s teeth grinding as they ask politely for the teacup borrower to “kindly put it back in the kitchen when you are finished with it.” 

As crazy and mundane as this sounds, having tea in your favorite cup could really make your tea taste better. In fact, new research from the University of Sheffield in the UK shows that a person’s brain may be trained to believe the daily ritual of making coffee or tea, including what cup you serve it in, must be done in a certain way in order to maximize enjoyment.

“Drinking tea and coffee is very ritualistic and people become very addictive to the way they want their brew made,” said study author and psychologist Tom Stafford. ”The long association with the delivery of a morning cup of coffee or tea people genuinely think it tastes better out of a particular cup.”

I’m not sure about Americans, but research shows that 65 percent of Brits have a favorite cup or mug they use for their morning tea.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Starbucks any day of the week. But for those stressful moments when I need a mental and physical break, the green potbelly pot – filled with Harney and Sons Paris Tea – and the little pink lady teacup are all I need. Top this off with a lemon scone with raspberry preserve and I’m in afternoon tea heaven. By the way, for all of you who covet the little pink lady, don’t even think about using that teacup when I’m gone on vacation –  believe me, I will know!

Like the British, I love a good curry. And, while in London, I witnessed and even experienced first-hand, the British curry craze. This left me with a respect for and curiosity about this saucy cuisine. 

Like a Starbucks on Every Corner

In London, Indian restaurants touting their “famous curries” are as common, or even more so, as Starbucks in the United States. Late at night, I enjoyed watching these little Indian cafes fill with locals, and even tourists, dying for a fix of their favorite aromatic dish – and I do me aromatic. In some areas of London, the distinct curry smell hangs over several blocks, nearly as thick as a London fog. Ok, maybe that’s exaggerating a little, but the smell was still very strong, so strong I could smell it on my clothes and hair after leaving the area. 

The British love their curry, as much as Americans love their pizza.

Although not indigenous to England, curry has been described as England’s favorite dish, nearly replacing such notable British dishes like bangers and mash and fish and chips in notoriety. It may be because traditional British food is quite bland. With the introduction of curry, the British finally had something they rarely experienced in their food – flavor, and a lot of it. 

Curry Addiction?

To many in Britain, curry is more than food, it is an experience – one that often occurs late at night when friends come together for a bit of filling food after a few rounds of beer. In fact, the British go out for curry just like Americans go out for pizza. One study published nearly a decade ago suggested that the British may even be addicted to curry, because the spices in curry itself may be addictive by nature. This may explain why the British keep coming back for more of this potent dish.

Difference Between British and Indian Curry

British curry is slightly different from curry in India/Asia, where the dish originated. The word curry is generally thought to have come from the Indian word kari, which means sauce. Indian curry is often thought of as the traditional curry, with a base of onions, garlic, and ginger. Spices are then added to the base to make a thicker stock or sauce, followed by the addition of other key ingredients, like chicken, prawns, and/or vegetables. The combination of spices and key ingredients actually give each curry dish its specific name, such as chicken madras (madras sauce with chicken).

Traditional British Curry

British curry is more of the anglo or trendy version of Indian curry. It uses many of the same spices, like coriander, cumin, turmeric, and, of course, curry powder. However, the British like to experiment with their curries and seem to be more daring, rather than traditional, with their ingredients, such as adding pineapple or tomatoes to a dish. More recently in Britain, curry has become a broad term used describe almost any spicy, sauce-based dish prepared in an Indian or Asian style. Some British even use the term so broadly as to describe a post-pub or late-night snack, as if to say, “we’re going out for curry”, while really meaning “we’re going out to grab a bite to eat.” 

An Acquired Taste

If you’ve never had curry, it can take some time to get use to. Although both Indian and British curries can range from mild to flaming, it is safe to say that the spices used in curry have distinct, strong flavors and may be overpowering for weak palates. I didn’t care for curry at first – from an Indian restaurant in the United States. However, a sampling of British curry quickly changed my mind and now has turned me on to many other types of curries, especially Thai curries.

If you’re hesitant about trying curry for the first time, you may want to try an Asian or Thai curry to start. In my experience, these are more like traditional stir-fry dishes, although with thicker sauces. As an alternative, try making your own British curry at home using a simple recipes taken straight from the source – Britain. By making your own, you can customize your ingredients and add more or less of certain spices to suit your liking.

And, if you’re still not daring enough to try one of Britain’s favorite dishes, you can always try a more traditional British dish – bubble and squeak anyone?