Why is breakfast in France boring? (rich, cons, famous, vacation)
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It's cultural and that's what most people there are used to. That is why it's called the "continental" (as in the European continent) breakfast as opposed to an English or American breakfast. Portion is often small, and most of the time, such breakfasts are not even "hot". For most Europeans nowadays, there's probably no explanation why that is so, except that that's the way it has been and that's what they are used to. My French friend who visited Asia just takes coffee and skipped the breakfast buffet at the hotel (which is paid for already). The only explanation is that that's what he is used to. If we find it perplexing, he says it's just the same way as he cannot explain why Spaniards eat dinner very late at night even if he lived in Spain for a while. It's just the way it is, and perhaps the reasons were found in the olden days in which the traditions went on, but the original reasons are now obsolete.
Anyway, you're in France, so it's for you to adapt there. It's up to you whether you have to buy food at the supermarket or prepare your own breakfast. But you just can't change the way people are. If there's a market for it, there are probably more breakfast restaurants in Paris open early in the morning serving all types of food. But alas, that's not the case. I have learned in travels to Europe, I was outraged that for an additional $40 per night for hotel breakfast for 2, in the "all-you-can-eat" breakfast buffet, we only got served bread, cheese, cold cuts and coffee. It's probably better to just walk to the McDonald's for breakfast in that case.
It's very different in Asia. People are used to having big breakfasts, and with that, comes more "options". But even "options" carry different cultural contexts. Asians may see it as just cereal and milk, but Americans may think of it as having "hundreds" of options (different cereals to choose from); they might only be cheese and bread for Asians, but Europeans might see it as more than 10 different types of cheese and 10 different types of bread to choose from. We traveled with an European guy to Hong Kong, and he didn't want to eat dim sum for breakfast on the 2nd day and can't take it on the 3rd day. For Asians, the dim sum menu offers so many options, as the number of dishes you can order for breakfast there can easily outnumber all menu options available in a Western restaurant. But to him, it's just the same "oriental" food that he is not used to and after two days, his threshold for trying so many new food is nearing its limit already (he didn't even try anything exotic, just pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, etc.). Maybe not boring, but a bit too much already...
It's cultural and that's what most people there are used to. That is why it's called the "continental" (as in the European continent) breakfast as opposed to an English or American breakfast. Portion is often small, and most of the time, such breakfasts are not even "hot". For most Europeans nowadays, there's probably no explanation why that is so, except that that's the way it has been and that's what they are used to. My French friend who visited Asia just takes coffee and skipped the breakfast buffet at the hotel (which is paid for already). The only explanation is that that's what he is used to. If we find it perplexing, he says it's just the same way as he cannot explain why Spaniards eat dinner very late at night even if he lived in Spain for a while. It's just the way it is, and perhaps the reasons were found in the olden days in which the traditions went on, but the original reasons are now obsolete.
Anyway, you're in France, so it's for you to adapt there. It's up to you whether you have to buy food at the supermarket or prepare your own breakfast. But you just can't change the way people are. If there's a market for it, there are probably more breakfast restaurants in Paris open early in the morning serving all types of food. But alas, that's not the case. I have learned in travels to Europe, I was outraged that for an additional $40 per night for hotel breakfast for 2, in the "all-you-can-eat" breakfast buffet, we only got served bread, cheese, cold cuts and coffee. It's probably better to just walk to the McDonald's for breakfast in that case.
It's very different in Asia. People are used to having big breakfasts, and with that, comes more "options". But even "options" carry different cultural contexts. Asians may see it as just cereal and milk, but Americans may think of it as having "hundreds" of options (different cereals to choose from); they might only be cheese and bread for Asians, but Europeans might see it as more than 10 different types of cheese and 10 different types of bread to choose from. We traveled with an European guy to Hong Kong, and he didn't want to eat dim sum for breakfast on the 2nd day and can't take it on the 3rd day. For Asians, the dim sum menu offers so many options, as the number of dishes you can order for breakfast there can easily outnumber all menu options available in a Western restaurant. But to him, it's just the same "oriental" food that he is not used to and after two days, his threshold for trying so many new food is nearing its limit already (he didn't even try anything exotic, just pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, etc.). Maybe not boring, but a bit too much already...
For Asians, the dim sum menu offers so many options, as the number of dishes you can order for breakfast there can easily outnumber all menu options available in a Western restaurant. But to him, it's just the same "oriental" food that he is not used to and after two days, his threshold for trying so many new food is nearing its limit already ..
I don't agree with this part.
As an Asian, I don't think all the western food are just one kind "Occidental" food that I am not used to. Cheese is very different from a croissant, which is different from bacon, which is very different from fois gras. Those who think Asian food is just the same "oriental" food are usually those who simply are not open-minded, unwilling to step out of their comfort zone and have no interest in trying something different.
I eat typical Chinese breakfast in China, have cereal, milk and toasts/butter in Canada, and croissants/pains au chocolat in France. I do what locals do mostly (and for years). However, most westerners are not as flexible and open minded. You wouldn't see a westerner having typical Chinese breakfast for a year in China, although there are many great options, they are like "this is not what I eat".
Charles De Gaulle famously asked how could one possibly govern a country with 258 kinds of cheese. They have added quite a few more since then.
And yet I only enjoy Emmental and Gruyère mostly, most of the rest stinks big time and disgusts me.
Italian cheese, on the other hand
I really eat a ton of cheese here, and stop when I return home, which many people consider weird, but that's the way it is.
When I leave France I look forward to eating Scamorza, Stracchino, Crescenza, Fresh mozzarella (the tasty one in the plastic bag with water), Asiago, Squacquerone, Provolone, Grana... somehow I can't find anything similar to any of these in the supposed world center of cheese. At least Parmesan can be found everywhere.
But on the other end I miss the variety of yogurt which is in France. Here it's very limited.
As an Asian, I don't think all the western food are just one kind "Occidental" food that I am not used to. Cheese is very different from a croissant, which is different from bacon, which is very different from fois gras. Those who think Asian food is just the same "oriental" food are usually those who simply are not open-minded, unwilling to step out of their comfort zone and have no interest in trying something different.
I eat typical Chinese breakfast in China, have cereal, milk and toasts/butter in Canada, and croissants/pains au chocolat in France. I do what locals do mostly (and for years). However, most westerners are not as flexible and open minded. You wouldn't see a westerner having typical Chinese breakfast for a year in China, although there are many great options, they are like "this is not what I eat".
I think a lot of western people (me including) view East Asian food as something really strange and different and are afraid to try it. The impossibility to sometimes understand what the food is makes it really daunting. Food is something important in life, it's what you put inside yourself, and it is normal that many people would be concerned, especially in a context where everything is different, including the language or the way people behave or express themselves. It is probably quite unsettling at first.
I currently work with a chinese kid. Sometimes his parents give him some stuff to eat for a snack. Several times they also gave me stuff to eat, but it really felt quite different from what I am used to. Like we had these biscuits with ginger on it, which tasted really quite specific. It was sweet, yet it wasn't. He also has some cakes with look like sponges, and eats black eggs that look rotten in a metal plate with rice and no vegetables that I can recognize. Also, even though he was born here he does not know anything about Italian food, which is strange.
I am aware that there are probably millions of other things, but I'd need to see a different version of chinese food because this one does not appeal too much to me.
I have less of a shock if I eat North African, Central African (at least the euro version) or Indian. It feels they use the same ingredients as us in a different way whereas in Chinese food I am under the impression the ingredients are all different.
And yet I only enjoy Emmental and Gruyère mostly, most of the rest stinks big time and disgusts me.
Italian cheese, on the other hand
I really eat a ton of cheese here, and stop when I return home, which many people consider weird, but that's the way it is.
When I leave France I look forward to eating Scamorza, Stracchino, Crescenza, Fresh mozzarella (the tasty one in the plastic bag with water), Asiago, Squacquerone, Provolone, Grana... somehow I can't find anything similar to any of these in the supposed world center of cheese. At least Parmesan can be found everywhere.
But on the other end I miss the variety of yogurt which is in France. Here it's very limited.
I like almost all cheeses. A Dolce Gorgonzola sauce on pasta is AMAZING!!!
Give me French, Italian, Dutch or whatever! The only thing I don't like are things that try and pass themselves off as cheese...processed crap. Doesn't have to come in a pre-sliced packaged. There is one horrible cheese that is made in Canada and it should be banned!! LOL it's a smoked gouda. Except, it isn't really smoked, they had smoke " flavour " . The cheese's texture is all wrong for a gouda and if you ever use it as an ingredient it overpowers all other flavours. I bought it once.....
I think a lot of western people (me including) view East Asian food as something really strange and different and are afraid to try it. The impossibility to sometimes understand what the food is makes it really daunting. Food is something important in life, it's what you put inside yourself, and it is normal that many people would be concerned, especially in a context where everything is different, including the language or the way people behave or express themselves. It is probably quite unsettling at first.
I currently work with a chinese kid. Sometimes his parents give him some stuff to eat for a snack. Several times they also gave me stuff to eat, but it really felt quite different from what I am used to. Like we had these biscuits with ginger on it, which tasted really quite specific. It was sweet, yet it wasn't. He also has some cakes with look like sponges, and eats black eggs that look rotten in a metal plate with rice and no vegetables that I can recognize. Also, even though he was born here he does not know anything about Italian food, which is strange.
I am aware that there are probably millions of other things, but I'd need to see a different version of chinese food because this one does not appeal too much to me.
I have less of a shock if I eat North African, Central African (at least the euro version) or Indian. It feels they use the same ingredients as us in a different way whereas in Chinese food I am under the impression the ingredients are all different.
good suggestion. Noodles are the Chinese equivalent of pasta, both with hundreds of varieties. Dumpling is more like ravioli. Italians among all should have no problem adapting to them (although I hate ravioli as long as it has cheese in it, it is just gross).
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