How to Tie a Scarf Like the French

Walk down the streets of Paris or any French town and you will be struck by the endless variety of carves. Worn by women, men and children alike, the scarf is the quintessential French finish. But how do you tie a scarf to get that look that says, "I am French". I have spent some time analyzing the question. Of course, I learned how to tie a scarf from my French mother. It has always been a part of me. When I was too young to tie them myself, my mother would always tie a scarf for me. There are pictures of me in strollers bundled up, no more than 6 months old, and there I am with the scarf.




Basically, avery technique of scarf-tying starts with one question: do you first bring the "A" end and the "Z" end together before you drape it over your neck. Or, do you start with one end only and let then use the other end to go around your neck.

If you choose to bring "A" and "Z" together first, you have the option of creating a loop. What I mean is this. Once the "A" and "Z" ends are together, you have the middle space of the scarf. This middle space could be a noose, for lack of a better way to say it.


There are so many different ways to tie a scarf. Here is a basic way, sometimes called the French loop or the European loop:


1. Fold the scarf in half, so that the long ends of the scarf meet. The result is a scarf half the original length. Now, the A and Z ends are meeting and at the other end you have a solid crease.


2. Drape the scarf around your neck, with both ends on one side.


3. Tuck the square ends into the loop.





This is Segolene Royal, who ran for President of France in 2007.What Segolene has done is to simply drape the scarf. She did not bring the ends together first. If you think of your scarf as a rope, running from the "A" end to the "Z" end, what she did was to simply drape the "A" end over one shoulder, then loop the Z end around her neck once and let it hand loose after that.












Here are several pictures of Christine Lagarde, former French finance minister and now head of the International Monetary Fund. Watching Madame Lagarde is like watching a French master class in scarves:

Perfect Day for a Merry Go Round

Pan Seared Salmon Recipe

Recipe for Pan-Seared Salmon

Okay, call me salmon-addicted. I can never get enough salmon. Here in Lyon, I visit 3 open-air markets a week, looking for the special catch of salmon.  My favorite --this week-- is the Sunday market in Place Carnot in the 2nd arrondissement. Lyon's 2nd arrondissement, for those of you who haven't added this city to your tour of France, is located in la Presquille, literally a penisula, borded on either side by rivers, the Saone and the Rhone.  The Sunday market where I buy my fish is manned by two ruddy, flirtatious men who always save a large two pieces of wild salmon for me. The salmon is then packed in a metal bag and sealed right there to stay fresh as I walk the few blocks home.  I usually cook one large piece on Monday and another on Wednesday. I re-stock my small fridge on Thursday with a quick trip to the local supermarket, Carrefour or "U-Express".

The way I cook salmon is designed to let the fish speak on the plate. What do I mean? I use a thin griddle, one you might use for pancakes. These griddle heat up faster than normal skillets. I then coat the griddle with extra-virgin olive oil.

Heat the griddle with oil first, before you add your fish. Put the heat on low to medium, so it will heat up gradually as you finsh your prep work.

Now, season the salmon with ground pepper, a pinch of paprika  --very tiny pinch-- and just a sprinkle of sea salt. 

Place the salmon skin side first on the griddle. The gray skin of the salmon should be the side touching the pan. Let it grill slowly.

While your salmon grills, you can assemble a plate of salad.

I use two kinds of fresh lettuce, red onions, feta cheese, and cucumbers. Slice in your beef tomatoes. 

Now comes the "voila" touch.  In a small cup, I scoop two generous spoons of course mustard (my favorite is Maille ancienne moutarde because of the large mustard grains). Add extra virgin olive oil (I ususally add two tablespoons. You may want more or less, depending on taste and whether you are limiting calories). Finally, add a dash of balsamic vinegar. Stir, just enough to mix, but not enough to whip.

Flip over the salmon to sear or to cook more thoroughly. I prefer a medium-rare salmon, so I just sear the salmon.

Place your salmon on the bed of salad.  Sprinkle your  the salmon salad with the Ancienne Mustard dressing. Voila!  This dish is music to your mouth:

A Day in Beaujolais

One of the things that continues to surprise me about France is that this country is so varied. Those who think they know France because they have spent a lot of time in Paris are missing out on treasures. Every town is specific, and yet similar in ways that all French towns share. Specific treasures of the Beaujolais region just outside Lyon are the pierre d'or --- gold-colored stones from local quarries which make up the building material for the simple homes and the castles in the region.

I was thrilled when two friends from a little town in Beaujolais offered to show me their home terroir.

The main town in the region is Villefranche. Many familes in the area make the signature  Beaujolais wine from the region's grapes.  Beaujolais is different from other wines. It's a young wine, consumed soon after the harvest. Both white and red wines are made from Beaujolais Gamay grapes.

Foods that go well with Beaujolais wine

Beaujolais red wine complements a cheese course quite well. The lack of tannins in the wine allow the string cheese to dominate but there  is still enough "there there" (to steal a phrase from Getrude Stein).

I also find Beaujolais red is just right for a good roasted duck or roasted chicken meal for a main course.