{"id":2490,"date":"2012-07-20T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-07-20T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/?p=2490"},"modified":"2012-07-19T07:42:05","modified_gmt":"2012-07-19T14:42:05","slug":"the-french-lunch-no-cooking-required","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/2012\/07\/20\/the-french-lunch-no-cooking-required\/","title":{"rendered":"The French Lunch–No Cooking Required!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What is \u201cenough\u201d for you, and how do you make the most out of as little as possible?<\/em><\/p>\n

That\u2019s the question that gets tackled every week on one of my favorite podcasts, named (wait for it\u2026) Enough<\/em><\/a>!<\/p>\n

The show started its run focusing on how to how to get the most bang for your buck with Apple products.<\/p>\n

But over time it has transformed into a podcast about simple living in general, and how to escape the cycle of needing more and more in order to feel happy.<\/p>\n

As a borderline Apple Fanboy<\/a> and a dabbling minimalist<\/a>, these talks with Patrick Rhone and Myke Hurley are always an enjoyable listen.<\/p>\n

Especially when they talk about food.<\/em><\/p>\n

In one episode, they talked about something called the French Lunch<\/a>, which is something similar to a meal I make frequently.<\/p>\n

The French Lunch is one of my favorite \u201con the go\u201d lunches. If I\u2019m heading out of the house all day on a Saturday and don\u2019t feel like eating out somewhere, this is the kind of thing I\u2019ll be taking with me.<\/p>\n

And with the following five components, you can quickly make your own as well.<\/p>\n

1. Baguette<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The first part of the French Lunch is perhaps the most important: the baguette<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now, normally I\u2019m not a big bread fan. I think its health benefits are grossly exaggerated<\/a>, and it can cause more problems than it solves.<\/p>\n

That being said, I can never turn down a good baguette.<\/em><\/p>\n

When done right, it is crunchy and crusty on the outside, and light and smooth on the inside. It\u2019s perfect for mopping up homemade vinaigrette dressing, acting as the foundation of a sandwich, or playing an accompanying role in a larger meal.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll find them everywhere in Paris, and they\u2019ve been catching on in the States as well. Most supermarkets (and bakeries and smaller delis) now carry fresh-baked baguettes.<\/p>\n

2. Cheese<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not talking Velveeta singles and Cheez Whiz here. You gotta step it up a level!<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re at a supermarket, look for a \u201cgourmet\u201d cheese section that is away from the regular dairy section. It\u2019s usually near the deli. This is where you\u2019ll find the good cheese.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s some of they types I\u2019d recommend you try with the French Lunch:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Brie<\/strong>\u2013If you could only do one type of cheese, this is it. It\u2019s so smooth and tasty, it\u2019s almost like butter (only better). It also has a sturdy rind, so it\u2019ll hold up if you carry it around for a couple hours. Available everywhere.<\/li>\n
  2. Camembert<\/strong>\u2013Similar to brie. It is usually found in small disks. Another good, tasty, sturdy choice.<\/li>\n
  3. Manchego\/Iberico<\/strong>\u2013Spanish cheeses. They\u2019re hard, tasty, and easy to haul around.<\/li>\n
  4. Gruyere\/Emmenthaler<\/strong>\u2013Essentially fancied-up Swiss cheese. If you didn\u2019t like the cheap stuff growing up (like me) give these a shot anyway. They\u2019re excellent<\/em>.<\/li>\n
  5. Blue Cheese<\/strong>\u2013It comes in many different types, but blue cheese is always available. It has a strong flavor, which might take getting used to. It\u2019s softer than brie or camembert, so it might not be the best choice on hot summer days.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    3. Fresh Fruit<\/h2>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Unlike vegetables, most fruits are ideally eaten raw, and this makes them a great addition to the French Lunch.<\/p>\n

    Depending on the season, the following fruits should fit the bill nicely:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Apples<\/strong>\u2013One of the best fruits to take on the go with you. Apples can withstand a good amount of beating without bruising. Not to mention they are tasty (as long as you avoid the cardboard-tastic Red Delicious apples! \ud83d\ude1b )<\/li>\n
    2. Oranges<\/strong>\u2013Oranges are another fruit that can withstand the wear and tear of being carried around. Their close relatives, tangerines, are just as good.<\/li>\n
    3. Grapes<\/strong>\u2013Another excellent choice. But take care not to jostle them too much if you\u2019re taking the meal to go.<\/li>\n
    4. Bananas<\/strong>\u2013Bananas are cheap and available everywhere. Just be careful if you are carrying them around as they bruise easily.<\/li>\n
    5. Pears<\/strong>\u2013Pears are another tasty choice, but they can also bruise if they are tossed around a lot. Probably best to use these when you\u2019re eating at home.<\/li>\n
    6. Berries<\/strong>\u2013Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries\u2026 These fruits represent summer more than any other, and they are therefore a good addition to the French Lunch. Make sure you keep them in the plastic containers they often come in (or add them to one of your own) as they are easily smooshed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      4. Deli Meat<\/h2>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

      Lunch meat such as salami really shines here, but do yourself a favor and upgrade from the pre-sliced bologna you\u2019ve been eating since you were a kid.<\/p>\n

      My favorite is salami rolls, but make sure you bring a sharp knife with you if you go this route. (Or simply slice some up beforehand.)<\/p>\n

      Otherwise, you can get pre-sliced deli meats that fit the bill as well.<\/p>\n

      5. Wine or Juice<\/h2>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

      You didn\u2019t think I\u2019d forget about the beverage, did you?<\/em><\/p>\n

      Depending on where you are and what you\u2019ve got going on, you have two good choices here: wine and juice.<\/p>\n

      Obviously, wine works best if you are eating this at home and aren\u2019t interested in getting the cops (or your employer) on your back. But if it\u2019s your day off and\/or you\u2019re going out adventuring, you might want to go ninja-style with the wine anyway.<\/p>\n

      Personally, I have no problem with sneaking a little wine in public (as long as you don\u2019t overdo it and start a revolution), so I\u2019m all for the incognito lunch drink.<\/p>\n

      You can now buy wine in single-serving \u201cjuice boxes,\u201d aka the best invention ever<\/em>, and you can probably sneak a drink with your meal without being too obvious. If you can\u2019t find \u2019em, the single serving bottles can be found anywhere.<\/p>\n

      Otherwise, you can go the super-sneaky route and empty it into a different container altogether. Hey, it\u2019s just like being in college again!<\/em><\/p>\n

      That being said, there are definitely places you don\u2019t want to risk it, or perhaps wine just ain\u2019t your thing.<\/p>\n

      In that case, I\u2019d suggest you go with a good juice instead.<\/p>\n

      Orange juice, apple juice, pineapple-mango juice\u2026 Whatever floats your boat is fine here.<\/p>\n

      Variations On the French Lunch<\/h2>\n

      The basic blueprint laid out above will give you a solid meal that will taste good and hit the spot when you\u2019re on the move. But don\u2019t feel like you should be restricted to that.<\/p>\n

      Here\u2019s a few things you might want to try out as well:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Crackers<\/strong>\u2013I\u2019m not a big fan of the texture of bread and prefer things more on the crispy\/crunchy side. Baguettes usually fit the bill, but crackers are another way to go if you\u2019d like to substitute.<\/li>\n
      2. Salad<\/strong>\u2013Don\u2019t go the whole hog with an epic salad<\/a> here, stick with just a plain salad of greens, and perhaps a veggie or two. You can take your homemade salad dressing along in a small container, plus the baguette works great for mopping up afterwards!<\/li>\n
      3. Raw Veggies<\/strong>\u2013If a salad with dressing still seems like too much of a hassle, get some raw veggies such as carrots and cherry tomatoes instead.<\/li>\n
      4. Chocolate<\/strong>–I’m a big fan of fresh fruit, but sometimes you want to add a little more of a dessert to this meal. If that’s the case, I’d suggest getting a good dark chocolate.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Lunch To Go<\/h2>\n

        The French Lunch has several important features:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. It uses fresh ingredients.<\/li>\n
        2. It uses simple ingredients.<\/li>\n
        3. It is tasty.<\/li>\n
        4. It makes for a solid meal.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          The French Lunch can be eaten anywhere, anytime, but I\u2019ve found that it\u2019s best as a meal you take along on full-day adventures where you\u2019ll be away from a refrigerator.<\/p>\n

          It\u2019s particularly good for when you\u2019re going to events and anyplace that\u2019s a big tourist draw (zoos, parks, etc.) since\u00a0these types of places have really terrible food that they charge an arm and a leg for.<\/p>\n

          But it will hit the spot anytime you want a no-fuss minimalist lunch.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          What is \u201cenough\u201d for you, and how do you make the most out of as little as possible? That\u2019s the question that gets tackled every week on one of my favorite podcasts, named (wait for it\u2026) Enough! The show started its run focusing on how to how to get the most bang for your buck […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cooking"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2490"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2490\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2507,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2490\/revisions\/2507"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}