Is it me, or does Konstantin Slawinski’s SL 14 S-XL CAKE pan, which outlines slices in several sizes, seem tailor-made for judgment and humiliation? Go ahead, take the piece that’s the size of a throw pillow, I dare you. The French are very good at this kind of foodie peer pressure – and to be fair, it produces excellent results. Moderation is king – so nobody wants to take the last bite, or the biggest. Bien sur, nobody should deny themselves the pleasure of dessert, but just un tout petit peu.
French eating habits are all about balance. If you never go overboard, you never have to swim your way back. As an American who grew up with her anchor firmly planted in a jar of Pillsbury vanilla frosting, it takes time to learn. But it does work.
Slawinski's pieces are so smart and beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, the key is balance. I, too, spent a good deal of my childhood with a finger in a frosting container (despite the fact that my parents only kept healthy food around the house; I had my ways...). I've had to unlearn a number of habits.
The encouraging thing is that once you've trained yourself to eat mindfully, it becomes instinctual and your body knows its own equilibrium. It also helps to wear tailored clothes or slim-cut jeans often. The waistband never lies. It's far too easy to slip into denial in an easy-fitting dress (though they certainly have their place!).