Zut alors!

I've been enamored by all things ohh la la since the fifth grade, when I reluctantly chose France for my oral report on a foreign country. (I'd wanted to do Italy, but Matt Hackett - who I still don't believe is even Italian - got there first by virtue of his name coming before mine alphabetically. Anyway.) We also had to bring in a sample of native cuisine, and my mom suggested I take a baguette, European butter, and some Bonne Maman strawberry preserves. I remember trying it and thinking: nothing is ever going to taste better than this. It's still one of my favorite snacks, and in my head, France equals good bread.

So when I read in the New York Times yesterday that there's been a steady decline in bread consumption throughout Paris, I was both shocked and amused. No more bread?! But of course, the French are on it; there's now a government campaign to remind citizens to buy their beloved pain. It's all about how bread is good for you and can help you avoid weight gain! However, many top bakers are against the campaign because they feel that buying bread should feel special, not part of a daily routine as the ads imply. They insist, and I agree, that bread should equal pleasure. J'adore the French, and this is why.

And this.
And this.
Oh, and this.

But mostly this.