tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242926316765633205.post2362846042495262894..comments2024-03-17T04:14:44.845-05:00Comments on Frugal Scholar: Frugal in France: Is French Cooking Time-Consuming? Fancy DinnerFrugal Scholarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12696815672500452503noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242926316765633205.post-20573545085836369472011-07-24T15:06:34.673-05:002011-07-24T15:06:34.673-05:00As usual, Duchesse hits the nail on the head. I w...As usual, Duchesse hits the nail on the head. I would also add that an "elegant" meal is one where the hostess is unflustered, where the dishes appear on the table as though by magic, and the guests do not feel as though their host/hostess is working like a trojan to pull everything together behind the scenes. Ingredients do not have to be costly... just of the highest quality (in season is best) and with no over-fussy preparation.Joanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09458408621855773976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242926316765633205.post-48767262629352429142011-07-24T11:59:28.643-05:002011-07-24T11:59:28.643-05:00Elegance IMO is transmitted by the quality of the ...Elegance IMO is transmitted by the quality of the food, the balance and accord between courses and the presentation- not just the plate, but also the accompanying wines and the table setting- the "art of the table".<br /><br />Simple and elegant intersect nicely. We like to make an interesting soup and roast a chicken, for example.<br /><br />Most of my French friends cook menus like you describe. A few use what they call "the American system": they buy the first course (such as a shrimp bisque) and the dessert.<br /><br />I have also noticed that North Americans eat much faster; sometimes an entire meal, including dessert, is consumed in less than an hour. <br /><br />All those courses are there for a reason: to keep people around a convivial table. Another part of an elegant dinner is that people actually *dine*.Duchessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242926316765633205.post-45302049832813380132011-07-24T02:45:49.231-05:002011-07-24T02:45:49.231-05:00I think I need some help defining what constitutes...I think I need some help defining what constitutes an 'elegant' meal. Is it the number of courses? The costliness of ingredients? The complexity of the dishes? The presentation? Perhaps all of the above is the easy answer, but without understanding your definition of elegant, I'm not sure what - if any - suggestions I might put forward.Shelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10239488936038510294noreply@blogger.com