IT WAS DURING MY LAST VISIT TO PARIS when something hit me. It was when I realized that eating healthy meals in Paris is easier than I imagined. Meals taste amazingly good and flavorful without being overly filling. So, what is it that makes food so healthy and flavorful in Paris? I attribute the reasons to something very French: first, there are no convenience stores or mega-grocery stores selling food wrapped up in plastic, frozen, or in tin cans; secondly, the shops have a well-defined purpose: baking bread and pastries, butchering meats, squeezing fresh juice from oranges or whatever they offer; but the small-shop owner is an expert excelling at what he does and offers.
• Paris Cuisine vs U.S. Cuisine •
The greatest difference I have seen between Paris Cuisine and any U.S. Cuisine is the great respect that Parisians have for food which Americans do not have.
To continue my search, I jumped on the Metro and headed for the world-famous 'Rue Cler Market'. It is an outstanding market where I could verify why eating healthy food is so much easier in Paris. I also found another top-notch market: 'Paris Market' which is big in fish. It is clean, fresh, no flies, and no fishy smell. I found 'Fromageries' specializing in cheese. Some offer nothing but cheese, and they are experts at it. All these businesses are family-owned which ~for generations~ they take great pride in what they do.
These markets do not display large quantities of food. What they display is fresh, in season, fragrant food which ~once combined with simple cooking techniques~ they yield heavenly delicious meals loaded with nutrients. Why is their cuisine so delish and healthy? Is it because French people cook complex recipes? No, Paris Cuisine ~like other French Cuisines~ have simple cooking with fresh and seasonal ingredients.
