Homemade confiture, another French Tradition

The first couple of years I arrived in France, I "almost" found the country charming.  My mother in law was cooking great meals and I usually visited on August, where it was time for harvesting all the fruits and vegetables in the my in-laws' garden.  As if there are not enough fruits to pick in their garden, we would also go in the woods and gather wild berries, especially blackberries.  I enjoyed it very much, but my husband not so much.  He told me that it could take all afternoon to get buckets of blackberries with  his family when he was a kid.  Something I took for granted, having the pleasure to have organic vegetables and fruits.  Now no one is there to grow vegetables and get those wild berries, except me.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to my neighbour who had an open door event, for his non profitable organization (teach kids and adults to grow organic vegetables).  It was a Jam Trade event.  I was curious but I was thinking, "oh boy, this is so corny and I hope it's not a hippy thing with organic obsessed freaks".  It wasn't, it was interesting.  I learned how to make jams.  Something I wasn't really interested in since I don't usually enjoy sweet breakfast.  And my MIL was making her jams too sweet, ratio 1 kg of sugar for 1 kg of fruit.  I once told her that is was too sweet and she just answered it was the recipe period.  At the neighbour, they said that you can lower the sugar ratio and the jam won't turn, i.e. 2/3 sugar for 1 kg of fruits.  I brought cakes but no jams.  I left empty handed because I had no jam to trade.  But a couple of days after, the neighbour brought be one jar of rhubarb jam and a bunch of rhubarb.  That many rhubarb was overwhelming so I began to make jam too.  By doing a little research I've learned that certain fruits have natural pectine to set the jelly or jam and apple seeds are filled of pectine.  So I put an apple with the rhubarb.  What a great combination.  I thought it tasted great so I got a little carried away with jam making and haven't stopped making jams for the last couple of weeks.

Elderberries from the garden, the tree is considered a nuisance.

Blackberries

 

Blackberries are also considered nuisance since their thorns can grow wildly on fences.

As the elderberries have not enough pectines, I threw in cores and seeds of an apple

 

Dump the sugar and let it rest until the fruits explode and yield their juice

 

Boil the fruits

 

 Messy job when you want to make jelly.

Sterilizing the lids and jars.

 

Elderberry, blackberry and apple jellies.

 

For the wild berries in the wood, I was told to boil them before eating.  Animal germs can be found on them (bacteria).  I usually pick the berries above my waist. 

Making jelly is not really cheap, but you can control the amount of sugar and no chemical is in it. 

If someone in France gives you a homemade jam, consider this as a real gift, because it takes great effort to make one jar.

Élections municipales

A lot of topics are surfacing during municipal elections, even if the elections will only take place next spring. For now, the Socialist Government has decided to stop making any decisions until next year.  Because even municipal elections are governed by Socialists or UMP parties.  For instance, in Lille, the capital of North of France, Martine Aubry is still the mayor, and she is a socialist member.  There's a lot of polemics around the city, such as Roms (gypsies) camping right in the middle of the city.  And Martine Aubry has to relocate them.  French ministers are making harsh comments about this nomadic population.  Even Bruxelles had to stepped in and warned France to apply Europeans rules for this population.   According  to the media, France has only 20,000 Roms, compared to Germany who has 100 000 roms population.  This is a touchy topic because Roms are protected by European laws.  The cities are required to have "camping" sites for them, but some chose not to camp in those areas.  Since violence is one of the concerns for municipalities, Roms are the targets for the politicians.  The Interior Minister made hard comments on the Rom situation and François Hollande, has not yet commented on this touchy topic.  He really wants to win the municipal elections!

Another topic that concerns municipalities, is Sunday shopping.  Last Sunday, 14 hardware stores outside Paris have opened on Sunday, and greeted their clients with croissants and coffees.  The prefecture has forbidden those stores to open on Sunday but they decided to go against it.  The government has no authority.  They were fined 120 000 euros per day.  I've learned that it was the Unions who filed  complaints against those hardware stores and part of the fine money will go directly to the Unions.

Those stores say that Sunday sales represent 20% of their weekly sales.  In Europe, the majority of countries choose to not open businesses on Sundays.  In France, some exceptions are tolerated : food stores open Sunday until 1pm, gardening centres are opened, restaurants, movie theatres, etc.  Politicians try to minimize the fact the already 8 millions French people work during Sunday, by choice or not, policemen, hospital staff, etc.  Wether it is a right or left wing government, Sunday Shopping has always been a touchy subject.  Out of tradition and because the working unions are against it, Sunday should remain a day to rest.  In comparison, in Canada, we are free to shop on Sunday since the late 80's.  It was a drugmart that took the governement to court and won in 1985.  Sunday was the day of rest for Christians, but it can no longer be a tradition in Canada.

In my opinion, I find insulting that the government wants to have Sunday closed and doesn't take any consideration that a lot of people already work that day.  Of course, who really wants to work on Sundays.  But some do, like students for instance.  The government should allow any store to open whenever they want.  There are also a little extra on the paycheck for those who work on Sunday, depending on the work contract.  French people are more concerned about the economic crisis and are mad that the government is not willing to change.

Also, a few stores on the Champs Élysée are opened until 9 pm, and Unions have made complaints and want the stores to close at 8 pm.  Of couse, employees are not happy about this.  It seems that those who represent employees don't have the same interests and goals.

French people have been perceived as "lazy" workers because of the law of 35 hours/week (implemented by Martine Aubry) and their many holidays. The reality is that they want to work just like any other country, but the government and the Unions are not willing to budge and make labour laws more flexible.  France is its own enemy.


http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e8ea1880-29c6-11e3-bbb8-00144feab7de.html#axzz2gkVEO5Ga

Still Struggling - Losing weight part 2

I can be redundant, I have probably already blogged about this many times, but my weight is my struggle. 

About a couple years ago, we (husband and I) decided to do something about our health.  (We gained a lot of weight after we got married).  We've been hitting the gym 3 times a week for the last two years, almost religiously.  The weight is not coming off quickly, but it doesn't matter.  Working out has become a need, since we lead stressful lives.  Of course, the goal is to lose weight, and exercising is not enough, eating less is the key.  I have not lost a lot of weight since I have started, only 3 kg (6,6 lbs).  I would have to lose 20 lbs to reach my "college weight".   At my University, I had access to free gym and free swimming pool (included in the tuition fees of course), and I just went to the gym without any goals, except that it was free and my friends were going too.  Sometimes, I even jogged along the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, between classes.  I never thought I was athletic back then.  I thought it was just fun. 

The only indicator that I have done something right is that I have lost 3-4 sizes, I got from size 14 to 10 and I no longer have chubby arms. You can call me cheap or weird, but I rarely buy clothes in France, even after 8 years.  I just hate the clothes here.  The sizes are not the same as in Canada.  Size 12 is more like a size 14 here (44).  I always feel fat when I try on clothes.  I think French women like their clothes tight.  Last time I bought clothes was 2 years ago, when I was in Canada.  I didn't get to go last year since I was in South East Asia.  Now I just look ridiculous with those big pants and floating t-shirts.

Eating

We don't diet, but we have changed the way we eat.  As an Asian, I would eat rice at every meal, except for breakfast.  I would probably eat on the weekend a  rice porridge for breakfast if I were at my parents' house.  Now I would have rice less than once a week.  I no longer crave it.  My husband told me that we were eating too much carbs.  I have cut down on carbs, often for suppers.  I have noticed that my mother in law rarely has carbs in the evening.  We have substitued the carbs for beans, potatoes, salads, etc.  

We also try to eat less meat, sometimes 2-3 days a week.  I don't know how vegetarians and vegans do, but it is really hard to come up with balanced meals without meat.  Last week, we didn't have a lot of meat for 2 days, and when I finally eat my pork chop, I was almost shaking (of pleasure). I thought I can do without meat but I'm not vegetarian.  The same day, I saw a truck full of pigs heading for the slaughterhouse.  I felt sad because these pigs have probably never seen the sun, maybe this one time in the truck.  But this is not stopping me from having meat.  Shame shame.

In France, nothing is made to help vegetarians.  You would have to shop at a bioscoop (organic store) to find tofu or at the asian market.  In Canada, vegetarians have more choices.  In Québec, they have a restaurant chain, "le Commensal" that is strictly vegetarian. Some populations do not eat meat at all and they get by just fine.  The least I can do is try to eat less meat. 

Fun facts (wiki)
Vegetarian populations
Estimated 1 millions vegetarian in France 2% of the population
In Europe, vegetarians are found the most in Germany (8M) and Italy (6M)
India is where you find the most vegetarian population, about 40% (500 M)
Canada : 4%

The most sastifying vegetarian meals are asian (for me).  I made a pad thai, with bean sprouts and tofu, rice noodles and it was delicious.  Vegetarian curries are also good and filling.  Now, I just need to find the time to cook.  The meat will be still present in my meals but just a little less.

 Vegetarian Pad Thai

                  French classic, salade de gésiers de canard.  With my mâches from the garden and poached egg.