Then, in 1806, Napoleon interfered by setting up a naval blockade, which limited supplies and and making their availability unpredictable. They were known as the best producers of chocolate even the Swiss came to Turin to learn the trade. Gianduiotti, boat-shaped chocolates, and Ferrero Nutella have similar ingredients.Īgriculture, economic necessity, and smart thinking created these now-famous products. Back in the 18 th century, Turin’s chocolate makers imported raw materials from across the Atlantic, turned them into fine chocolate, and exported 750 pounds a day. Modern versions may include almonds, walnuts, or bittersweet chocolate. The classic gianduja (also called gianduia and probably other spellings as well) is a mixture of chocolate, sugar and about 30% hazelnut paste. I didn’t know this until I arrived in Turin, saw the dazzling array of shops, and learned that chocolate in dozens of forms is as important as pasta and truffles to the city’s cuisine. If you’ve ever tasted the creamy combination of chocolate and hazelnuts called Nutella, you’ve had a slight hint of the flavor of this marvelous confection. My hope is that these menus (together with my other blog posts about the French approach to kid’s food) will spark a conversation about what children CAN eat, and how we can do better at educating them to eat well.One of the greatest of Italian inventions is gianduja, and the best place to sample it is Turin, Italy. About 60% of Italy’s chocolate comes from this city on the River Po, in northern Italy’s Piedmont region. These meals cost, on average, $3 per child per day (and prices for low-income families are subsidised). Every week, I post the school lunch menus from a different village or town in France, where three-course, freshly-prepared hot lunches are provided to over 6 million children in the public school system every day. This blog post is part of my French Kids School Lunch Project. Main: Fish curry with sautéed vegetables (broccoli, organic carrots, turnip, mushrooms) Main: Sautéed chicken with mustard, and zucchini-potato ‘gratin’ casseroleĭessert: Apple-rhubarb ‘clafoutis’ (a mosist cake) Salad: Fresh veggies (tomatoes, beets, lettuce, carrots) Main: Beef casserole (‘parmentier) with organic carrots Main: Fish (pollock) filet with lemon and organic spinachĬheese/Dairy: Fromage frais (somewhat like a mix of yogurt and cottage cheese) Main: Sautéed guinea fowl with mushrooms, whole wheat organic pasta No flavoured milk, juice, sports drinks, or pop. All meals are served with fresh baguette (eaten plain, usually one piece per child!) and water. On Tuesday, the kids are having fresh baguette, honey and milk….simple but delicious! Bon Appétit!Īs usual, the meals follow a four course structure: vegetable starter main dish with vegetable side cheese course dessert. Afternoon snacks (for those who stay in after-school care) are also listed. The French believe that ‘learning doesn’t stop in the lunchroom’, and this menu certainly makes that point. So, what are French kids eating this week in the 12ème? This menu is typical: a mix of old favorites and new tastes, designed to teach children to appreciate a diversity of foods. It’s perhaps less well known that some other neighborhoods, but has my favorite green space (the Bois de Vincennes), the Opéra (Bastille)…lots of wonderful things to see! This week, we’re in Paris - the 12th ‘arrondissement’ (neighborhood). My ‘French Kids’ School Lunch Project’ is back by popular demand! (For a full explanation of how school lunches are organized in France, click here.)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |