Regional Products

Living in Paris has been great. I’ve been exposed to many wonderful sights and I have also eaten delicious food. I was amazed on the variety of regional products in the market. The French are very meticulous when it comes to giving their products a label. They like to give credit to the place of origin where the product was manufactured, and they do it well through the Apellation d’Origine Controlée, which is a rigorous labeling process that the French use for certification granted to certain French geographical indications like wine, cheeses and butters and other agricultural products. The government office of Institut National des Apellations d’Origine controls this process.  

To my understanding this process was created to obtain the best quality of products by applying regulations and to promote consumption of such products, which derived from the best of quality according to the region in which they were produced. The Norman butter has been known to be the preferred butter through the centuries.  It is known that the milk produced in this region gives the butter its unique taste. Just like Champagne from Champagne, or Roquefort cheese from Roquefort there are many other French products that are produce in certain geographical areas and whom the AOC gives them the right to label the product as theirs. In the states consumers don’t really see much of regional labeling, we simply label our products “MADE IN THE USA”, the French do it differently. Those who love butter will go to Normandie for the butter; those who love Champagne will visit Champagne and so on and so forth. This tactic allows the consumer to experience the best of France and also boosts the town’s economy by attracting tourists with their regional products. 

J'aime les Français!

It is amazing how long I’ve been from family and friends. I have been here long enough to notice many differences among the French and the Americans. They are so different in many aspects. I’ve made several observations of how the French handle their bodies and their gestures. It is very awkward how these mannerisms vary according to their perspective countries.

I was at the Galleries la Fayette the other day and I noticed a man holding his wife’s purse. The lady had one shopping bag on one hand and had the other hand completely free. It didn’t seem like she needed help with her purse, but the man looked completely content to carry his wife’s purse and it seemed like he was a natural at holding it too. I was in awe when I noticed this, so I decided to keep and eye on them to see how long he’d hold the purse. He definitely beat my husband’s record. Unfortunately my American husband would never go beyond a minute to hold my purse.  The longest that he has held my purse is for a few seconds- just enough time to tie my shoelace.  American men say that carrying a woman’s purse is like wearing make-up. They find little things like this very demeaning for a man to do.  French men are more liberal in that sense; they just don’t see anything bad with that. 

Their hand gestures vary in comparison to the Americans, they don’t place their hands in their pockets, instead they tend to cross their hand and stand very rigid. The bending of the wrist is considered a feminine trait, yet French men tend to do it all the time. French don’t see that as a feminine trait they just see it as a movement. Many of my American friends have explained that is really hard to distinguish homosexuals here in France since many mannerisms that Americans consider feminine are also practiced by straight men in France.

I’ve gotten accustomed to the French and their gestures and I think I can pull it off and make myself look pretty Parisian.  All I would have to do is not act American; speak French 24/7 wonder off by not making too much eye contact with the person in front of me, dress more elegantly, walk rigidly and make a man carry my purse while I do some serious shopping!