15.18 - A Fascinating Weekend Of French Food, Fromage, Fashion, and Film
In this FREE edition of le Bulletin the focus is on the letter 'F' of French culture... Let's indulge ourselves in the best of French life.
Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter
Bonjour mes amis !
It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today! Bienvenue !
In this newsletter, you’ll:
- Meet a new MyFrenchLife Magazine Contributor, Laura Washburn Hutton, and read her introductory article about a delightful French custom.
- Next, Kelsey Rose Williams Barthés has us drooling over an iconic Film.
- And then Mark Jespersen challenges us with his article: “What Would You Take to France? “ and shares his personal story.Watch out for the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin this weekend: “15.18.a - Exposed: The Brutal Truth of French Rural Life Tourists Miss - It’s not too late to subscribe←
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À bientôt !
Warmly,
Judy - 3.5.2025
1. Let’s explore & read the new articles in My FrenchLife Magazine
Thank you to all the talented Contributors to MyFrenchLife magazine. I love that your articles take us from one end of France to another and constantly remind us of the rich culture of this wonderful and diverse country.
Merci.
Judy.
Introducing New MyFrenchLife Magazine Contributor Laura Washburn Hutton
I am pleased to introduce Laura as a new Contributor to MyFrenchLife Magazine and look forward to hearing from her regularly. Here is Laura’s story:
There are two places I call home: London, with its eternal rainfall, and Fourcès, a medieval village in Gascony where time moves to the rhythm of market days. At seventeen, I left California for France, unaware that this country would claim me for the next decade, and its spell would never entirely release. In those formative years, I learned that kitchens are where a country reveals itself — and that what no one tells you is that’s also where you’ll learn the language.
Since then, I’ve written and translated over fifteen cookbooks. My blog, Bad Vinaigrette — named ironically for my best culinary skill — won the Fortnum & Mason Online Food Writer Award, and I’ve written for the Borough Market website and taught in London cookery schools. Each endeavour has served as a reminder of my own path to understanding French cuisine.
My formal education includes a degree from The American University in Paris, a Master’s in Food Policy from City University London, and culinary training at L’Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris. My first proper job was testing recipes for Patricia Wells and Joël Robuchon — which in the world of French cooking is like apprenticing with culinary royalty.
Today, I write for The Connexion and publish my newsletter, Le Bureau of French Recipes, sharing everything I know after thirty-plus years of French cooking. And because life has a way of coming full circle, I’m back in France, still learning all I can about how the French cook.
Now, let’s enjoy Laura’s introductory article.
a) →How Long is Too Long at the Table: The French Gastronomic Meal
by Laura Washburn Hutton ←
“…My husband could not get over how much time we spent at the table. I was amazed we — everyone at the tables — never ran out of things to talk about. My husband and I left some time after 5 pm. The first diners to go, almost. He still talks about that meal. Lunch lasted until dinner, he says.”
I cannot think of a better way to spend the day.” ways Laura.
Read the article in MyFrenchLife Magazine←
b) →Drooling over Audrey Hepburn and her Givenchy wardrobe via Funny Face
by Kelsey Rose Williams Barthés←
I’m ashamed to admit that I had never watched any Audrey Hepburn movies until now, when I finally decided it was my time to see Funny Face. Images of Audrey in this film were popping up everywhere for me as I was sourcing vintage clothing and accessories for my upcoming wedding day, and as I was sharing my Paris recommendations. As soon as the title sequences began, I felt myself beaming. This movie is right up my alley in so many ways!” wrote Kelsey Rose.
c) →What Would You Take to France?
by Mark & Kim Jespersen←
People will bring anything from a favorite pair of jeans to a classic car when they move to France.”
I brought my guitar, my music, and my memories. I hit my teen years in the late 1950s just as rock and roll was taking hold in Chicago. “
Music was a big part of our family life, and we had weekly sing-alongs playing old favorites, a hymn or two, and some of the new folk songs I was learning. My sister played the piano, brother Earl was on tenor guitar, Roy on his snare drum, Dad with his violin or harmonica, and Mom leaning in with her fine alto harmony. “
“Your dad and I once sang in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir,” Mom would remind us. “Back when you didn’t have to audition,” was Dad’s self-deprecating follow-up,” writes Mark Jesperson.
“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’ the newsletter of MyFrenchLife Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon
Chers amis (dear friends)
I'm already dreaming about my next meal in the department of Gers—perhaps a leisurely lunch stretching into dinner, just as Laura described! Have you experienced the joy of a traditional French gastronomic meal that lasted for hours? I’m sure that you have!
Do share your thoughts—your French adventures inspire our community tremendously!
Until next week,
je vous embrasse (I send you warm embraces),
Judy
judy@myfrenchlife.org
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Those are fascinating statistics from Laura, and I loved reading more about the UNESCO status of the French gastronomic meal. I knew it had been attributed, but not much more.
There are plenty of big village meals in Aveyron, including meals to celebrate the organization of a village festival, but generally with simpler fare than the one she describes. That village went all out, I'm amazed!
I've of course enjoyed many a festive French lunch in my decades living here. Generally, I like the experience, but sometimes I find them too long, as does my French husband. It depends on the conversation on the atmosphere, but the great food is a constant!