BRITS BETTER COOKS THAN FRENCH ?

Will World War 3 be fought with pie-pans and charlotte moulds?

Brits better cooks than the French?
Yesterday The Guardian published an article* affirming just that.

France's reputation "as the home of unrivalled culinary excellence"  was undermined.

"Results suggest the British cook more often, for longer, and produce greater variety than their French counterparts."

The French have always been sniffy, if not arrogant, about English cooking...understandable 20 years ago but less so today. They remain sniffy, believing that everything is underseasoned and overcooked but this can be rationalised by the fact that the majority of French nationals haven't travelled to Paris, letalone dared to cross the channel to London! 

It is my observation that French attitudes are largely based on swelling ignorance and nationalistic pride. This is understandable given the depth and technique of French cuisine...but where has it gone? Where do we find this amazing French cuisine today?  Yes, we do have the new wave of Bistrot ( a word of Russian, NOT French, origin!) cuisine which is bringing back the classics, made with simplicity, time and love. There is Nouvelle Cuisine which is more refined, modern, simply delicious but out of reach for most budgets. Perhaps it is this lack of a middle ground that has lead the British to believe they are superior?

And is it just the British who are giving the French a run for their money?

Everytime I go home to New Zealand I am amazed by the quality of the food, in both restaurants and in private homes. Compare top selling cuisine magazines from NZ/Australia with French counterparts...the superiority of anglo saxon culinary journalism is flagrant. When French friends make negative comments about anglo saxon cooking I sling them a copy of NZ's Dish magazine..that usually shuts them up!

The media has played a huge role in educating the anglo saxons about food. Julia Child pulled it together for french cuisine in the 60s and 70s but now we have warriors for our own food - Jamie Oliver, Gorden Ramsey and the list goes on. They are teaching the public not just about cooking but regional ingredients. They are people the public can relate to and want to cook like -  so they DO! French media is still making the mistake of using 3 star chefs who the public simply can't relate to. Worse, there are the characterless bland women in food media who promote old fashioned anglo saxon/american mainstays like...muffins, trifle and cup cakes! Middle ground?

Let's not forget the question of produce. English cooking was confined by what was on sale to cook with. When the Euro zone opened up Britain was flooded with good produce. Good produce = good food ! So perhaps we could also add that now the Brits are attacking French cuisine on a more level playing field?

So the French are no longer ruler supreme of the kitchen ? 

There is certainly an element of truth in this but let's not forget the basics they have taught us. Maybe its simply time for the French to move beyond mayonnaise and quiche..the rest of the world has!

*Link to article : http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/22/british-cook-better-than-french?CMP=AFCYAH