This just in from Paris: per capita consumption of cheese in France is up 60 percent in the past 15 years ... now just over 54 pounds a year. Seems like a lot, but it's actually not much more than a couple of ounces a day, barely enough to cover a Big Mac. Still, there's no arguing that cheese plays a central role in French gastronomy and it's definitely better stuff than Kraft Singles.
Renée Richard's cheese stall in the Lyon market
Along with the cheese stats comes a survey that food safety & security has supplanted taste as the most important quality that Frenchmen look for in their food. This no doubt in reaction to health scares. Why is it, then, that more than one Merkin politico has slandered the French as cowardly cheese-eaters? Do you think they're just jealous?
Posted by Ronald Holden at March 23, 2004 2:29 PM