Emily in France 🇫🇷 Happy Bastille (?) Day!
Happy Fête de la Fédération!
What most Americans think of as Bastille Day is actually more commonly referred to in France simply as le 14 juillet – the 14th of July – and is in reality a commemoration, not of the storming of the Bastille in 1789, an act that is widely accepted as being the jumping-off point for the French Revolution, but Federation Day, which commemorated the aforementioned act in 1790. Federation Day was framed as an acknowledgement of an uprising that had already ended. In attendance: monarchists and the king.
Hindsight's a funny thing.
The Revolution continued – and other Revolutions would continue, in France, for decades. But the French still mark their appreciation of the values of liberty, equality, and fraternity on July 14th each year, usually with outdoor balls, fireworks, and a military parade.
In these pandemic times, the firemen's ball is cancelled. With November-esque temperatures, most of us are celebrating indoors and forsaking more jovial picnic spreads and seasonal glasses of chilled rosé.
But regardless of the weather or the current state of the world, I must admit... I'm pretty pleased to be French.
What I'm Eating
The Japanese-inspired fried chicken cutlet at Le Verre Volé was my favorite part of the meal at a natural wine stalwart that nevertheless proved to be a bit uneven. Find out more on the blog. (And for more of my foodie finds, follow me on Instagram @emily_in_france.)
Â
What I'm Writing
1. The French gastronomic meal, as defined on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, is a festive repast enjoyed around a beautiful table and boasting a fixed structure: aperitif, starter, main, cheese, dessert, and digestif. It's highly systemized – and it's currently undergoing a revolution. For Whetstone.
 2. Plastic straws were never the problem – but these household staples just might be. I ranted about the metal straw trend and virtue signaling for Organic Authority.
3. What foods is the Midwest actually known for? Inquiring minds want to know! For Mashed.
What I'm Reading
1. You know that feeling when you’re so overtired you don’t know your own thoughts? Imagine that feeling magnified: that’s what it’s like to be in the head of Emma Glass’ protagonist in Rest and Be Thankful, a short novel about a pediatric nurse in an abusive relationship who’s being worked to the brink. My thoughts on the blog.
2. I am nothing if not a fan of deadlines, so reading this exploration of their negative effects was eye-opening. In the New Yorker.
3. Have we forgotten how to make pie? This story in the Washington Post warns we might have – and also tickles me by finally clarifying why we say "easy as pie."
A bientôt !