There are two types of French bakeries: Boulangeries work on bread-making, including varieties like baguettes, and Pâtisseries focus on creating sweet treats like cakes, tarts, and pastries.
The pain au chocolat, crepe, and baguette are typical foods from boulangeries (bakery), always fresh and made with simple ingredients like dough, butter, and chocolate. The mussels are served in a big bowl, cooked and mixed with coarsely chopped thyme, mint, and parsley leaves. The dessert Merveilleux is made of meringue, which looks very sweet but is not. The coffee is served in the smallest cup they can find, and is very strong, like a shot of espresso.
Food is not only what you eat, but how. And during those early days, I discovered two styles of Parisian eating. First, when they sit to drink coffee and enjoy some bread, eating is not their only goal; they take their time, don’t rush and they stop to take in and appreciate the city. On the other hand, on the more student-occupied streets, I remember the first time I saw a big group of students walking down the streets while eating their sandwiches or pizzas. I remember it was a little weird, because for me, lunch time is not only more than a sandwich, but also a moment where you sit and stop. Here in Paris, people eat for pleasure; they see food as company. Those first times I ate while walking made me see food differently, from a more tranquil perspective.
After one week of classes, I visited a cousin who is studying in Lille.
