A Little Lyon Goes a Long Way

So the week before last was no ordinary week. Ok so I ferried my children to school. I washed clothes, dishes, and little bodies as usual. But I also experienced something rather remarkable and most definitely outside of my regular routine. I flew to Lyon, in France. For the night. With a friend of mine. To eat French food. And drink French wine. And have 48 hours of conversation (mostly) about French food and French wine. It was a delicious little slice of time and I savoured every moment as I did every meal. And every sip of wine. 

I’ve only ever visited Paris – in all its delightful touristy glory. Lyon is something rather different. Refreshingly so. Like its residents, Lyon is a city that’s unapologetically comfortable in its own skin. There’s beauty at every turn. A simple, complicated elegance that just is. In architecture, art, food, wine, culture - but more than this, there’s a truth to the tableau, an authenticity that’s humbly appealing.

We visited restaurants recommended by the locals. Off the beaten tourist track. Without the cheesy red tablecloths. We feasted on flavourful French cuisine. Four courses for lunch. And the same for dinner. Again we marveled at the simplicity of it all. Fresh wholesome ingredients, cooked simply. Nothing more, nothing less. Artfully presented, of course. These are the French after all. Presentation is everything. But again, behind the beauty, there’s unmistakable substance. And it’s oh so satisfying.

We visited a business in the Beaujolais region who select and bottle wine to sell around the world. The owner was gracious enough to meet with us. We were invited to taste their latest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and offered tutelage on the correct colour and clarity of the perfect Provénce Rosé. We were treated to another four-course lunch at a quaint country chateau and then chauffeured to the airport. En route, we asked him how the French remain so fit and healthy in spite of their indulgent lifestyle. To which he replied: We source good quality ingredients. We take pleasure in well-prepared food and good wine at mealtimes. Only at mealtimes. And where we can, we walk. That is it. 

American chef, author and TV personality Julia Child who brought French cuisine stateside with her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, said it too... "small helpings, no seconds, no snacking and a little bit of everything." 

Taking the time to savour simple, mouth-watering pleasures without unnecessary excess...
What a lovely philosophy for health. 

What a lovely philosophy for life.

Lyon

Little plates of perfection.