My recent weekend visit to Toulouse reminded me of how the French have got it right with food.

In my experience living in France, the French seem to eat better, and have a healthier relationship with food than we do in the US or the UK.  There are lots of reasons for this, and most of it is cultural.  In France, everyone cooks.  It’s normal to cook.  It’s not a fancy, specialist skill, or something you save for the weekends.  I’ve written before about why you should learn to cook, and I really believe this is one of the biggest things you can do to improve your health. [Read more...]

I recently spent a long weekend in Toulouse, in southwest France visiting a good friend.  Besides making stuff, creativity, traveling and cooking, one of my obsessions is France.  I used to live in Paris and have never gotten enough of the French lifestyle – especially it’s emphasis on real, whole, good foods.

I love the availability of markets throughout France, even in small villages.  Markets where you buy seasonal, local produce, just because that’s how it’s done, not because you’re posh or fancy or a hippie.  It’s just what people do.  It’s normal. [Read more...]