Recipe nº5: French Pearl(s)

2 oz. gin

1/4 oz. absinthe

3/4 oz. fresh lime juice

3/4 oz. simple syrup

Serve chilled in a martini glass, garnished with mint leaf.

(slashfood.com)

As promised, I will now explain why France is great (from a francophile-American point of view, obviously). I am feeling a special urge to explore this idea, as today is gray and rainy and one of those days where it's best to constantly remind yourself why you're doing what you're doing...

Here, for you curious ones, are the things that spur on my desire to expatriate (remember that reason numéro 1 to move to France is the cuisine, which demands its own category) :

1) Les marchés. When I return to the States, my delightful mornings spent buying cheap, delicious fruits and vegetables in a picturesque outdoor setting will be reduced to only a fond memory. Sure, I can buy produce at roadside stands in the summer, or occasionally trek out to Quincy Market, but the country known for its "convenience" cannot compete with France in the open-air market arena. 6 days a week, I can find fresh seasonal produce, along with meat, cheese, bread, and herb/spice vendors in several locations around Grenoble (and that goes for any city in France). Through rain or shine, more dependable than the French postal service, the marchands are there selling lettuce with the field-dirt still attached (yes, this appeals to me). On most days as well, there are other outdoor markets selling clothes, kitchen gadgets, jewelry, etc. Already I am dreading returning to the sad, waxy produce of the U.S., a country where you can buy strawberries in December and must pay a fortune to have anything that's farm-raised or organic. I've made more food from scratch here in three months than all last year, and I've loved every minute of it. 

Contrepoint: The absolute unspeakable horreur of the big supermarchés; I honestly believe Carrefour is the long-lost 8th level of hell from Dante's Inferno. Give me Wegmans any day.

2) Le SNCF, Ryanair and Easyjet. Although it is becoming more expensive (like all travel, d'ailleurs), the train system in France is amazingly efficient and practical, only the more so for anyone who has ever boarded an Amtrak train. The trains come and go at exactly their scheduled times, to the minute, and most layovers do not exceed an hour. It can be a bit annoying to pass through Paris, taking the metro from one station to another, but on the whole train travel is relaxing and enjoyable. Not to mention the TGV, the high-speed train that can take you halfway across France in 3 hours.

The discount air carriers are also unparalleled chez nous les ricains, but watch out for hidden costs: they often fly from non-major airports requiring further travel, and you can't make connecting flights. These disadvantages are made up for by the fact that many of their tickets go for around 30 euro!

Contrepoint: The SNCF offers huge discounts to people 25 or under. Way to rub it in to those of us who are just slightly older than 25 and still dirt poor. Oh, and les grèves, which can put a serious damper on everyone's travel plans, and are completely unpredictable.

3) Health Care. Not being an expert in this realm, I can only recount my experiences with the French health system. I once went to a doctor on a Sunday, which is the most expensive time to visit a doctor for obvious reasons. After being examined, I trotted off to the pharmacy, prescription in hand, only to find they were closed but would open, for a nominal fee, for "emergency" prescription filling. 10 minutes later I left with antibiotics and paracetimol, which along with the pharmacy fee, reached a whopping 12 euros. The doctor warned me the visit would cost 30 euros, but I never received a bill.

This in addition to the superior knowledge of pharmacy employees themselves. Have a sore throat? Skip the médecin entirely and ask the friendly pharmacist, who will lay out your options for you and give advice, generally more precise and helpful than the typical CVS worker who will merely send you off to aisle 5, just to the left of the Cheetos rack, to pick out your own remedies.

Contrepoint: French pharmacies do not sell Cheetos. No, seriously, the only downside for a spoiled American is the possibly shoddy-seeming appearance of public hospitals; but that's just because we're spoiled. Also, cheap schools are a similar benefit to French life, but in their case, the shoddiness is really palpable and influential; although we pay a fortune for our education, I can definitely see the positive effects of this money in the quality of our classrooms, libraries, etc. I mean the University of Grenoble has Turkish toilets (i.e. holes in the ground) on the first floor. Maybe I'm spoiled...

Well, there you have it, the main attractions of France selon moi, after the food, of course. This is a work in progress however, and suggestions are welcome! More to come.