French and foreign products you like

[Coton90]

The food is one of the best things I like about France and by that I'm referring to basics ; a good bannette, jambon a l'os, produce that actually tastes the way produce is supposed to..etc. In France taste has priority over appearance and shelf-life for many food producers; unlike the States. I find poultry is usually more flavorable in France; even the plastic wrapped Pere Dodou turkey tastes better than what you find in the States. It's difficult finding decent produce in the States, unless you go to one of the local farmer's market and don't mind spending $2 for a tomato.

Where I live in the States, I can get an edible artisanal bread but I pay about $4 a loaf. I can find some but not most of the French cheese I like but the prices are astronomical and what's worse is, they wrap the cheese in plastic. This kills the taste and promotes mold (not the good kind).

I never bought peanut butter in France but I saw it all the time in the supermarket. This was at the Cora in Forbach near Saarbruecken. They also had respectable selections of Mexican and Oriental foods there. I do recall seeing Taco shells but I don't remember burritos. Not too far from the French border in the Kaiserslautern area, there was no shortage of decent Mexican restaurants.

I think what I'll miss most about the States is the library and the book stores. I'll have to order from Amazon or download ebooks to my reader. While you do find French book stores with English titles, usually the selection isn't that great.

[Bevdeforges]

As long as you cook for yourself, you're in good shape in France. You find substitutions you can make - like mimolette (the aged kind) for sharp cheddar, or creme fraiche for sour cream (or you make your own sour cream with creme liquid and a little vinegar or lemon juice).

There are some items that just aren't the same. Branch celery doesn't seem to grow very well in France, so you either use celeriac (celery root) or you put up with the disappointing branch celery available in the stores. Green onions (scallions) just don't exist in France - you use ciboulette (chives) or you make do with small, white onions. Pumpkins are of a different variety - though the French kind still make great pumpkin pie. Or you do like I do and bring back seeds from the US to grow your own.

I miss the variety of salad dressings available in the US - but have discovered this olive oil and lemon dressing that is actually quite good. I miss the variety of chunky type soups available in the UK - but have learned to make my own here.

When you're back home, you stock up on things you didn't realize you missed. Lately for me it has been Mrs. Dash - the salt-substitute combinations of seasonings. I don't have to avoid salt, but I find I really like Mrs. Dash on just about anything.
Cheers,
Bev

[AmericaninFrance]

Originally Posted by Alfas

Hi everyone,

Two questions please: which French products do you like and don't have in your country of origin? Which products of your origin country do you like and cannot find in France?

Just wondering

Thank you!

Somethings I have not been able to find in France are washcloths and dishcloths. I have checked out Carrefour, Ikea and Auchan with no success. I was able to have some shipped over from the US.

[Bevdeforges]

Dishcloths I've found with no problem - but they keep them in the cleaning section, not with the dishtowels. But you're right about washcloths. The French use little "gants" - mitts made out of terrycloth - and even at that, they don't seem to use them much. (I guess just for washing children.)
Cheers,
Bev

[Alfas]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your answers. Well, I notice that most of you miss French food in the USA.

As for cashclothes, I am kind of surprised you cannot find them. I am French and use them everyday. Here it is called "gants de toilette". Is there a difference between your washcloth and our gants de toilette?

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by Alfas

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your answers. Well, I notice that most of you miss French food in the USA.

As for cashclothes, I am kind of surprised you cannot find them. I am French and use them everyday. Here it is called "gants de toilette". Is there a difference between your washcloth and our gants de toilette?

Yes, a washcloth is a flat, usually square piece of terrycloth - not the little pouch thing used in France. Don't know why, but when you were raised with one, the other just doesn't seem to serve the same purpose.

When I was in hospital, I had to supply my own towels - and the nurse was quite upset with me when I only had a washcloth, and not a gant to take to the shower. I, on the other hand, find it annoying that the linens provided in French hotels do not include a washcloth of any sort. (Makes washing my face more difficult than it needs to be - but usually I just use a corner of a small towel.)
Cheers,
Bev

[frogblogger]

Interesting topic, cleanliness issues between nations. Here in Thailand the Thais (almost fanatically clean people) sometimes comment that a farang (white foreigner) has had a "French shower". What they are actually saying is that the farangs have not gone anywhere near a shower, they've just liberally splashed themselves with after shave/eau de toilette etc.

[Alfas]

Thanks for your answer.

Do you have a picture of a typical American terry cloth washcloth? I would like to compare it with what I use everyday.

Thanks!

[Bevdeforges]

If you google the term "washcloth" and then go to the bottom of the page to see the images, you'll get some idea what they look like. The thing to remember is that they are a single flat piece of terry cloth - not sewed into a little sack like the French gants de toilette. (All the pictures I found show the washcloths folded, so it's not clear.)
Cheers,
Bev

[Matou]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

As long as you cook for yourself, you're in good shape in France. You find substitutions you can make - like mimolette (the aged kind) for sharp cheddar, or creme fraiche for sour cream (or you make your own sour cream with creme liquid and a little vinegar or lemon juice).

There are some items that just aren't the same. Branch celery doesn't seem to grow very well in France, so you either use celeriac (celery root) or you put up with the disappointing branch celery available in the stores. Green onions (scallions) just don't exist in France - you use ciboulette (chives) or you make do with small, white onions. Pumpkins are of a different variety - though the French kind still make great pumpkin pie. Or you do like I do and bring back seeds from the US to grow your own.

I miss the variety of salad dressings available in the US - but have discovered this olive oil and lemon dressing that is actually quite good. I miss the variety of chunky type soups available in the UK - but have learned to make my own here.

When you're back home, you stock up on things you didn't realize you missed. Lately for me it has been Mrs. Dash - the salt-substitute combinations of seasonings. I don't have to avoid salt, but I find I really like Mrs. Dash on just about anything.
Cheers,
Bev

Bev, I recommend to try olive oil and Japanese white rice vinegar it makes a killer vinaigrette. Actually, Japanese and French cooking often do mingle quite well.
What I do miss from France when I am abroad for a long time (lets say more than a year) is cheese, wine and "saucisson"...
I have never seen washcloth in France but I do not care I use my paws instead