French culture

Greek Salad, the new Spanish Apartment

Emma
Photo of the main characters, Mia and Tom, from the trailer of Prime Video on https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie_gen_cserie=28812.html

Greek Salad is a new French TV show created by Cédric Klapish. You can watch it on Amazon Prime.

For the fans of the “trilogy” by Cédric Klapish, this new TV show is a stroke of luck. After the Spanish Apartment, Russian Dolls and Chinese Puzzle, it’s the turn of the children of the main characters of the trilogy to have their TV show. 

Greek Salad takes place in Athens, where Tom joins his sister, Mia, because of a building received as an inheritance from their British grandfather. 

Tom and Mia don’t have the same life and they don’t agree on the use of that building. 

Tom usually lives in New York and he is starting a green start-up with his American girlfriend. Mia is in Athens because of an Erasmus program that she dropped almost immediately. She works for a non-for-profit organization which helps refugees in difficulty. 

Mia hides her wealthy social background to live with her values and help the others in the best way she can. 

Tom does not hide his intentions. He wants to sell the building as soon as possible to fundraise money for his start-up. But a fire at the headquarters of the non-for-profit organization will change Tom’s plans. 

Greek Salad highlights the global life of generation Z. It mixes cultures, languages and it shows that we can get along even if we come from different countries. It’s a hymn to tolerance, inspired by the Spanish Apartment which was enhancing the benefits of the Erasmus program and the European values. 

The trilogy was relevant for generation Y. Greek Salad is an opportunity to be immersed in the values of their youth, and maybe, to be nostalgic.

This new TV show is entertaining, international and shows that the mix of cultures is a strength. 

Reminder about the trilogy:

French baguette added to UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage: What can the French expect now?

Emma

The famous and delicious French baguette has officially entered history on November 30, 2022 by being added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. But what does that mean for the French exactly?

First, it means that the savoir-faire to make the baguette will continue to be respected.

Second, it is very good international publicity for this delicious type of bread which represents the French culture. When you hear about baguette, who does not think of the stereotyped French holding their baguette under their arm and wearing a beret?

Third, it’s important to know that there were fewer and fewer bakeries and fewer and fewer bakers in France. The new image of the baguette may attract more people toward the bakery sector. The profession may be seen as more prestigious because you don’t only make bread but you also respect a very French tradition.

Fourth, this award may reinforce the national identity of the French.

Some interesting cultural facts about the French and the baguette:

  • More and more French tend to buy their baguette in a supermarket instead of going to a traditional bakery. It may change with the new status of the baguette.
  • You can buy a fresh baguette in the morning and in the evening. Baguettes are baked twice a day in many bakeries.
  • The French are eating fewer and fewer baguettes.
  • You can eat baguette for every meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
  • A baguette is a long piece of bread: 25.59 inches (65 cm). Some bakers say that it was to gain time: making a long shape is faster that making a loaf of bread. During the Napoleonic wars, it was necessary to bake bread fast for the soldiers. A long type of bread is baked much faster than a loaf.

Let’s find a French bakery and enjoy a delicious crispy baguette!

“Une baguette pas trop cuite, s’il vous plaît?”