Emily in France 🇫🇷 On the Difference Between Moreish and Delicious
How do you think about delicious?
If you're an American, the word "moreish" might not mean very much to you. To me fair, it didn't used to mean very much to me, either. It's a word I've gleaned, over the years, from my Aussie and British friends: a word used to refer to a food that's so good, you can't stop eating it. There's a comfort food connotation. An inborn satisfaction with what you're eating. Cake can be moreish; so can chips. Foie gras? Not so much.
Ever since I stumbled upon the existence of the word, I've found myself using it, well, more and more. It's such a phenomenal compliment to a food that it's so good one bite just isn't enough. And while it doesn't fly too well in fine dining settings, it's applicable to everything from cheese to pastry to the last of the summer's figs.
This week, I've eaten a phenomenally moreish cream puff from Tâpisserie, but also spicy peanut noodles I made with leftover veggie ends. I've had moreish kettle chips with wine and old friends, and I've had moreish bleu du Vercors too soft to slice.
How about you?
What I'm Eating
If you want to sample Michelin-starred cuisine but are put off by the hefty price point, lunch is always a great option. I was delighted by the lunch at 6th arrondissement Quinsou, which featured everything from sous-vide veal to luscious vegetarian pasta. More on the blog.
Discover more of my foodie finds via Instagram @emily_in_france.
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What I'm Writing
1. Did you know that foods including coffee creamer, Coke, and even papaya are illegal abroad? Find out which American foods are banned in other countries for Mashed.
 2. According to one new study, organic food – even when processed – is healthier than conventional. For Organic Authority.
3. Madeleines are an essential French afternoon snack, and one Michelin-starred D.C. chef is sharing his recipe. For Inside Hook.
What I'm Saying
1. Show up at a French person's home 11:30am (or 6:30pm), and you'll likely be invited for apéro. But what makes this tradition stand out from cocktail hour? And why the heck can't you pour your own drink? Forest Collins, the cocktail expert behind 52 Martinis, explores this uniquely French pre-dinner (and pre-lunch!) tradition with me this week on Navigating the French.
2. On Chez Toi, Caroline Conner and I pair your home-cooked recipes with the perfect wine and most complementary cheese. This week's recipe comes from Sherilyn Caudle: a flavorful take on a traditional Stamppot. This hearty Dutch dish is just begging to be paired with big flavors: an historic washed rind cheese and a big wine with bacony aromas are the perfect thing. Tune in as we discuss everything from islands of sheep to bored monks, to kale’s proper place in the world.
(And if you want your recipe featured in a future episode, shoot me an email! We're always up for a challenge.)
What I'm Reading
1. I'm a longtime fan of Angie Thomas', and Concrete Rose, the prequel to her masterful The Hate U Give, has just as much heart as the original. More on the blog.
2. I often thought (as, I suspect, many of us do) that English teachers see far more in a text than the author must have ever put there. But the depth of what Kafka may or may not have slipped into his work – and what translators tried deftly to see anyway – is mind-blowing. In the New Yorker.
3. As a born-and-raised city kid, I've always been aware of deft bike delivery messengers weaving in and out of traffic. But with the rise in delivery apps, the situation has gone from bad to worse, and this story opened my eyes to what has become (or, let's be honest, what has perhaps long been) a massive health and safety issue. In Curbed.
A bientôt !