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French Women Don't Get Fat | 
 enlarge | Author: Mireille Guiliano
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
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Rating:  380 reviews
Sales Rank: 13238
Media: Paperback
Pages: 304
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.7
ISBN: 0375710515
Dewey Decimal Number: 613.250944
EAN: 9780375710513
ASIN: 0375710515
Publication Date: December 26, 2007
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Amazon.com Review
The message of this book could be a blessing or a curse, depending on your perspective. There is no hard science, no clearly-defined plan, and no lists of food to have or have not; instead, you'll find simple tricks that boil down to eating carefully prepared seasonal food, exercising more and refusing to think of food as something that inspires guilt. It's both a practical message and far easier said than done in today's "no pain, no gain" culture. Author Mireille Guiliano is CEO of Veuve Clicquot, and French Women Don't Get Fat offers a concept of sensible pleasures: If you have a chocolate croissant for breakfast, have a vegetable-based lunch--or take an extra walk and pass on the bread basket at dinner. Guiliano's insistence on simple measures slowly creating substantial improvements are reassuring, and her suggestion to ignore the scale and learn to live by the "zipper test" could work wonders for those who get wrapped up in tiny details of diet. She sympathizes that deprivation can lead straight to overindulgence when it comes to favorite foods, but then, in a most French manner, treats them as a pleasure that needs to be sated, rather than a battle to be fought. A number of recipes are included, from a weight-loss enhancing leek soup to a lush chocolate mousse; they read more like what you'd find in a French cookbook rather than an American diet book. Most appealingly, these are guidelines and tricks that could be easily sustainable over a lifetime. If you agree that food is meant to be appreciated--but no more so than having a trim waist--these charmingly French recommendations could set you on the path to a future filled with both croissants and high fashion. --Jill Lightner Amazon Exclusive Video
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Stuffed Cornish Hens
Serves 4
When I grew up, the holidays always meant lots of visitors and a series of requisite celebratory meals, mostly at lunchtime. This easy dish was always on one of the menus. Mamie was usually busy (what else during late December?) and would make the stuffing in advance so lunch could be ready in less than an hour. The recipe serves a family of four for lunch in style, but double the ingredient portions and obviously you are ready for a full table with guests.
Ingredients:
2 Cornish hens (or poussins)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons chicken stock
Stuffing:
2 cups water
2/3 cup brown rice
1/2 cup mixed nuts (pine nuts, walnut pieces, whole hazelnuts)
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon parsley, freshly minced
1 teaspoon dry herbs (chervil and savory or rosemary and thyme)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. For stuffing: Bring water to a boil. Add rice and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and mix well with remaining ingredients. Season to taste and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Rinse Cornish hens, dry the inside with paper towels, and season. Add stuffing loosely and truss hens. Reserve remaining stuffing in aluminum foil.
3. Put hens in baking dish and brush them with melted butter and other seasonings. Put in oven and baste 10 minutes later with chicken stock. Continue basting every 10 minutes. After the hens have cooked for 20 minutes reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and put the remaining stuffing in a small ovenproof dish. Roast the hens for another 20 minutes. Serve (half a hen per person) immediately with a tablespoon of stuffing on each side of the hen as garnish.
N.B. For a wonderful tete-a-tete romantic dinner, serve one hen each with a vegetable then dessert. I have prepared it successfully to my husband on Valentine s Day. While the hens are in the oven, you have time to concoct a little dessert, et voila, you can pop a cork of bubbly, sit for candlelight dinner and have your husband serve dessert. Hot Chocolate Souffle
Serves 6
During the season of overindulgences Christmas, New Year and all the festivities in between there is in our home a succession of store-brought, traditional goodies: Buche de Noel (yule log), marrons glaces (glazed chestnuts), the 13 desserts of Christmas in Provence. This is not to say that the holidays don t bring out the baker in all of us, but whether it is to give as gifts or to maintain tradition, people do load up with holiday sweets from pastry shops (as I can attest from seeing from the window of our Paris apartment the annual long lines of people outside the pastry shop across the street). When I grew up, however, come New Year s Day, and there was a home-cooked chocolate ritual. Our big festive meal was on New Year s Eve, which left New Year s Day as a quiet, family "recovery" day. (I appreciate some reverse the big meal day or have one both days.) Anyway, for us, breakfast was well late (especially for those of us who went partying after dinner), and limited to a piece of toast and a cup or two of coffee. Lunch was mid afternoon and usually made up of leftovers or an omelet, but the first dinner of the year was marked with a special dessert. The simple meal at the end of a week of overindulgences consisted of a light consomme, some greens, cheese, and the chocolate treat. There were no guests, plenty of time, and Mamie was ready for the flourless souffle. She is a chocoholic and it would be unthinkable to start the year off without chocolate. So, what better way to end the first day of the New Year than with one of her favorite chocolate desserts as both a reward and I m sure good-luck charm?
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
4 eggs at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
Pinch of salt
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 1-quart souffle mold by lightly buttering it, dusting the insides with sugar and tapping out the excess. Place mold in refrigerator.
2. Pour the milk, cocoa powder and sugar into a heavy saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over moderate heat while stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and cook while stirring until the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and cool slightly.
3. Separate the eggs and stir the egg yolks into the warm chocolate mixture. Stir in the butter.
4. Beat the egg whites until they reach soft peaks. Add the salt and beat until stiff. Whisk half of the egg whites mixture into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining whites gently with a spatula. Pour the mixture in the souffle mold and smooth the top.
5. Bake in the lower-middle shelf of the oven until puff and brown for about 18 minutes which will give you a soft center. Serve at once with softly whipped cream.
Red Mullet with Spinach en Papillote
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 fillets of red mullet, about 2 ounces each
1 lb. spinach, washed and dried in a salad spinner
4 teaspoons shallots, peeled and sliced
8 slices of lime
4 tablespoons of creme fraiche
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper (or aluminum foil) into squares large enough to cover each fillet and leave a 2-inch border all around. Lightly brush the squares with olive oil. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Put the spinach in the center of each square and top it with a tablespoon of creme fraiche. Top with two fillets and add one teaspoon of shallots, two slices of lime. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Fold up the edges to form packets. Put the papillotes on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve at once by setting each papillote on a plate.
N.B. You can use sole or snapper instead of red mullet
Pappardelle with Spring Veggies
Serves 4
Ingredients:
12 ounces pappardelle
1 lb. green asparagus
2 cups fresh peas, shelled
2 tablespoons of shallots, peeled and minced
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of pine nuts, toasted
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 cup roughly chopped parsley
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Cut off end of asparagus and blanch in salted water until just tender (about 5 minutes). Blanch peas separately for about 1 minute.
2. In a heavy saucepan, gently saute the shallots in olive oil until they begin to turn gold. Add peas and asparagus and cook for a few minutes.
3. Cook the pappardelle in boiling water, drain and pour into saucepan. Add pine nuts, parmesan and parsley and season to taste. Serve immediately.
Croque aux Poires
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 slices of brioche
2 ripe pears
2 tablespoons of sliced almonds
2 tablespoons of honey
1 tablespoon butter
1. Peel the pears and cut into small cubes. Melt butter in a saucepan and saute the pear cubes for 2-3 minutes.
2. Arrange pear cubes on brioche slices. Cover with honey and almonds. Put under broiler for two minutes watching carefully. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.
A yummy dessert also wonderful for a weekend breakfast or brunch.
Product Description
Stylish, convincing, wise, funny, and just in time: the ultimate non-diet book, which could radically change the way you think and live – now with more recipes.
French women don’t get fat, even though they enjoy bread and pastry, wine, and regular three-course meals. Unlocking the simple secrets of this “French paradox” – how they enjoy food while staying slim and healthy – Mireille Guiliano gives us a charming, inspiring take on health and eating for our times.
For anyone who has slipped out of her Zone, missed the flight to South Beach, or accidentally let a carb pass her lips, here is a positive way to stay trim, a culture’s most precious secrets recast for the twenty-first century. A life of wine, bread – even chocolate – without girth or guilt? Pourquoi pas?
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| Customer Reviews: Read 375 more reviews...
 A great way to enjoy food and life and still lose weight January 5, 2005
J. Whitford (Falls Church, VA USA)
1878 out of 1936 found this review helpful
I understand that the reviewer who listed her web site has her own products and way of losing weight that has been effective for many people. I truly applaud her efforts.
However, that is not to say that this marvelous little book is incorrect in any way, shape or form. While Madame Guiliano is not a nutritionist or doctor, she is the CEO of Clicquot Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Champagne Veuve Clicquot. Believe me, she knows a thing or two about eating and drinking for pleasure and maintaining your ideal weight.
Let me tell you my own experience eating the French way. I went to France a few years ago for about three weeks. I stayed in Paris, and then in Chartres. I could only afford to eat in little cafes and bistros, but I vowed to eat only my favorite foods and go back only to restuarants that were to die for. I ate my favorites - chocolate made fresh every day, chocolate mousse, home made ice cream, omelettes, pizza with goat cheese and cream sauce, quiche of every kind - you name it I ate it. I also had a glass of wine with dinner every night. We snacked almost all day in between meals on fresh fruit. All of the food was fresh - no chemical additives and nothing packed in pastic bags. We also walked every morning before breakfast and every day after lunch.
When I got home and got on the scale I was shocked to see I had lost 25 pounds, and two dress sizes. I had to laugh because we complained the first few days about how long it took us to get served, and how long each meal took. After the second day we were so into really tasting the food we shared, we shut up and stopped hurrying through each meal.
It took less than a week for me to get back into my harried life - eating on the run, shoving food in my mouth while I talked on a conference call and simultaneously completed and emailed reports. I was back to the fast lane and fast food take out.
When I got this book it took me back to France, and back to why the French have less than an 11% obesity rate (and ours is 30% and climbing.) The French simply eat the freshest food in season, they enjoy what they eat and they walk every where!
We cannot avoid food. We need it to survive. But we can choose fresh foods in season that we love, make meals with a few favorite ingredients and savor every bite.
Once we slow down and let our taste buds enjoy great food again, we will give our stomachs the twenty or so minutes it needs to signal - hey that was delicious but I am done now. You can stop. Save the rest for another time.
Granted, we should not use food as a deterrent for issues we are not dealing with in life. We need to ask - what exactly is eating me right now? And deal with it. Get help from books like Eating in the Light of the Moon or from professional therapists.
In the meantime, we can learn the pleasure principle of food, and lose a few pounds along the way.
I also recommend: 1) the author's follow up book - French Women for All Seasons, 2) Eating in the Light of the Moon: How women can transform their relationships with food through myths, metaphors and storytelling bt Anita Johnston, Ph.D. and 3) any of Leslie Sansone's Walking DVDs (you can get a good walking work out in the privacy of your home any time day or night.)
Lose Weight the Luxurious French Way! December 28, 2004
Lee Mellott (Frederick, Maryland)
758 out of 818 found this review helpful
Mireille Guliano President and CEO of the champagne company Cliquot Inc. is the author of "French Women Don't Get Fat". Guliano travels 180 days of the year, eating out frequently and indulging in rich dishes and other goodies including bread, champagne and chocolate. Yet she manages to stay very slim and trim the French way.
"French Women Don't Get Fat" is a wonderful opportunity to look inside this chic French woman's mind and understand how she eats such delicious food, rarely visit the gym yet wears a small size.
The 263pg book speaks volumes. It clearly describes how to "think" so you will make the food choices that even if indulgent support a healthy weight. And it describes how to "move" to stay slim and you don't have to go to a gym.
You do not have to be in the Zone or give up carbs or fat in order to lose weight. There is no need to micromanage your nutrients. Instead you must temper your indulgences with restraint. It seems so simple - yet millions of overweight Americans don't know how to accomplish this. And with her commonsense explanation M. Guliano explains exactly how to do this.
Madame Guiliano is not a doctor or nutritionist. And she has not done scientific studies to test her methods. BUT all she has to do is point to France and the millions of slim Frenchwomen who use her "methode".
Madame Guiliano states she learned the process of weight loss when she gained weight after a visit to the States from her Doctor - Dr. Miracle. The good doctor taught her simple steps to achieve a healthy weight. Guiliano took his lessons to heart slimmed down and is now frequently asked how she stays so slim!
One of the first steps in the program is recasting. Here you look over the food you eat and you decide what you have to have and what you are willing to eat less of or give up entirely. You also work to get the blatant sugars that create havoc with your chemistry out of your system. There is also a simple recipe for leek soup for a weekend of cleansing for those who wish to jumpstart a weight loss program. You will journal and see what areas cause trouble in your life.
Other steps include eating regular meals, increasing fruits and vegetables, drinking water, not stocking offenders at home and enjoying yogurt on a daily basis.
The book is really designed for those who understand the calorie concept and have a basic understanding of healthy and non-healthy foods. Though Guiliano does not get into calorie counting since she asks that you track what is causing your weight problems, it's assumed that you know that "faux" foods like twinkies are an offender whereas an apple is not.
Her book includes numerous recipes including Asparagus Flan, Grilled Spring Lamb Chops, Yogurt, Baguette, Salad of Duck A L'orange and more. The book is,however, light on sample daily menus. More of what to eat on a daily basis would have been good.
The book is a superb read on how the Frenchwoman stays so slim and trim! Freshness, variety, balance, luxury and a trim waistline can be yours if you follow the principles!
Bonne Chance!
Lee Mellott
 Cultural Differences January 11, 2005
Edward (Richmond, VA)
177 out of 247 found this review helpful
Having watched the Dateline special on this book and scanning it for an hour in the bookstore.. I am surprised that it is getting such glorious reviews. Watching the author actually made my skin crawl a little. She spoke as if the way to lose weight was so simple and we all need this book because we are obviously not very bright. The culture and attitudes of the people between Europe and the USA is vastly different. I would like to review a few of those differences in line with this particular book.
Vacation - From day 1 most people receive 20 days vacation, as opposed to having to `earn' 5 days during the first 12 months in the US. You also do not have to use your vacation time for sick days in many European countries. The result is less stress and more overall available time.
Distance - With the exceptions of very rural area, most people in Europe live within good walking distances of a place to purchase some food items like bread, milk etc. In the 7 years I have lived in the US, I have never been able to walk to a store in less than an hour. An extra point to make is that walking in Europe is a pleasure, walking along roads and using sidewalks (if there are any) in the US is dangerous !! I used to walk to the local store all the time in England. I have never walked to one in the US.
Travel - It was not uncommon for me to take the train into a city and walk for hours. I do not believe I have ever done this in the US. Firstly, the train system in not very efficient and can be costly. Secondly, the cities in Europe are more concentrated within a specific center. You can take the train directly into the center and be in the middle of everything.
Fast Food - Although it is changing, drive through fast food places are still not that common across Europe.. ie, you can not think, `Hmmm I am hungry' and then be eating a big mac within 2 minutes. Getting a sandwich from a bakery is still very popular.
Eating out - The attitude towards eating out is completely different between Europe and the US. To many, going out to a sit down restaurant in Europe is still considered a special occasion. During my first year in the US, I rarely ate in! Eating out is very common in the US and may not be such a big issue if it was not for the following..
Food portions - Without doubt, one of the major differences between Europe and the US is with the portions of food served at fast food places and restaurants. Many times would I leave a restaurant in Europe and be nicely content having been supplied just the right amount of food. Once I moved to the US, I was amazed at the size of everything and especially the portions of food given. It was also cheaper than a typical meal in Europe.
I could go on.. but the point is, that food is generally SERVED in moderation in the first place in Europe. In the US, you are given much larger portions and you have to DISCIPLINE yourself to eat only when you need. I can not believe how difficult achieving that discipline can be.. Finally, walking is a way of life for most Europeans, driving to the exact point of need is the way of life within America. It is this way because of the lay of the land.
If you benefit from this book, then I am thrilled for you.. but my personal opinion is that it offers very little in way of practical help and there are many better books out there to help with personal discipline.
Also.. how can the ABRIDGED version of the book have MORE content ? :)
OK book, awfully unrealistic "diet" January 10, 2005
L. Kent (Bowling Green, OH)
109 out of 140 found this review helpful
If you are looking for a good read about the ways one woman relishes food, this is a good book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her love affair with "good food" and felt almost as if I were experiencing her pleasure through her memories.
However, this book is utterly and completely unrealistic for anyone not living in Europe or a big city like New York City.
Some of her crucial points include:
1. Do not do your shopping twice a month at a super market, rather go every other day, if not every day to the local open air market! Are you kidding me? I live in the Midwest, the heartland of American agriculture, and our "farmer's market" of fresh food is only open on Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings from May through October, which I enjoy going to and love supporting local farmers. But during the rest of the year (or week, if you prescribe to going often as she recommends) has to be super markets.
2. We do have one whole foods type market, but it is tres expensive. Of course, Madam says that you must be willing to pay the extra money for good food...but not all of us are CEOs. I, as a graduate student, must make my budget stretch. I can't afford to pay "twice the amount" for fresh wild salmon....etc. And I am a single woman, I couldn't even begin to think of grocery bills as a mother with a family to feed.
I could bore you with more examples, but they are more of the same...ways that the French culture, not just French women, treat shopping and eating differently. But, the problem I see is that as American women, we could not live up to these expectations if the society we live in does not support a change as well. (For example: she says the idea of the customers at an open air market picking out their own fruit is a faux pas in France. You would tell the person behind the cart what you are making and whether it is for today or tomorrow, and they will pick out the exact produce that you need...are you kidding me? I could just imagine telling the 14 year old Amish kid who sells the best Heirloom tomatoes at our market "I'm making a marinara this evening..." and expecting him to hand me those tomatoes which would best suit my needs.)
The best lesson I will take away from this book is to treat meal time as a ritual. Again, as a student, I am very guilty of eating on the go, or multi-tasking when eating at home. Luckily I already cook at home a lot, and already prescribe to using fresh foods most often (although she'd categorize my supermarket produce as "cardboard"), so I will take the advice to take the time to set the table, use nice napkins, maybe candles...no TV, no reading, no internet...and just enjoy my meal. I may even try her suggest of placing each part of the meal on separate plates...and suck up the extra dishes that that will produce.
Overall: Don't buy if you are looking for a true insight into a French woman's diet that will somehow revolutionalize your own eating patterns. But if you simply like reading about food and its enjoyment, it may be a good read for you. I, myself, will be placing mine up for sale on Amazon...because it is not a book that I would read twice.
A feasible plan to change your lifesytle April 5, 2005
Shaz (Naples, FL USA)
88 out of 90 found this review helpful
About 6 months ago, I read a Marie Claire article about how the French and American editors switched lives and diets for one month. The French editor lived on Snackwells (an abomination, she thought) Lean Cuisines, and ate in her car, in front of the T.V., and on the go. The American editor dined on fresh, warm breads, rich cheeses, succulent meats and divine wine, and actually sat down, undistracted, to do so. At the end of 30 days, the French editor, despite eating so-called "diet" meals, gained about 10 pounds; the American editor lost 10-15. Bizzare occurence? Alert the 'Weekly World News'? Hardly. Instead, pick up a copy of Mirelle (pronounced Meer-Ray) Guiliano's new book "French Women Don't Get Fat".
Mirelle confirms what we already know- that French people in general are more active (let's face it- it's more tempting to walk to work when you have the gorgeous Parisian landscape to indulge in) and consume less junk. So basically, she's not telling us anything we haven't heard before. The difference is, the French approach isn't a quick fix drop 10 pounds in 2 days juice diet. Mirelle accounts her own experience as a foreign exchange student in America- at 18, she was bigger than she'd ever been, thanks to a new love for chocolate chip cookies, potato chips, and everything else Americans love to nosh on. When she went back home, she turned to her family doctor, Dr. Miracle (no joke), who was eager to help. And now, she's given us Dr. Miracle's instructions to help us.
There are a few phases you must go through to change your lifestyle: Recasting, which involves keeping a 3 week food journal to identify your "offenders" (i.e. which foods are your personal temptation/downfall) and at what times you're eating the most, and Stabilization, learning to eat and move for life by adding the previous offenders in moderation. Although tedious for some, this is like having a doctor prescribe a personal diet just for you, rather than jam you into a 'one size fits all' diet. Recasting also involves what Mirelle calls "round up the usual suspects"- analyzing your journal to decide was seems excessive in your judgement- and then determining what you can live without (or at least, with less of). Dr. Miracle also 'prescribes' starting your casting off with 2 days of 'leek soup' (sort of like the French version of the cabbage soup diet, but smells less like feet). Another staple in your house should be fresh, in season fruits and vegetables. If you're just buying what's in the supermarket, you may not be getting the best of what's in season, which yields a better flavor that reduces the need for lashings of butter and salt to improve their taste.
Variety is key, she adds. If you condition yourself to eating the same type of foods, your taste buds become immune to the flavor, thus requiring more to satiate your 'craving'. By adding new foods and flavors to your diet, you're more likely to eat less, and certainly will never be bored. Mirelle also gives us a few recipes that can serve as substitutes for sweets (and there's not one that calls for sugar substitute or pretend butter). All in all, "FWDGF" encourages moderation and using your common sense. If you really want dessert after dinner, skip the bread basket and only have two forkfuls of dessert- then, lay your fork down and keep up conversation until the waiter/tress asks to take your plate away. This may seem like an expensive waste, but you've satisfied your craving while not overindulging. As Oscar Wilde once said, "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it". Likewise, a little of a well chosen dessert will keep you from gorging something worse later on. Stock good dark chocolate in the house when you get a jones for something sweet. Dark chocolate can satisfy a craving and has antioxidants that are good for those with high blood pressure (in small doses, of course).
A few reviewers have slammed this book for what they feel is the age old French snootiness about Americans. Not so. Indeed, Mirelle speaks about her love for her adopted country (her husband is American) and merely wants American women to understand that the reason French women stay slim is no secret. That Marie Claire article also mentioned that only 6% of French women are overweight/obese, as opposed to American women (over 50 percent). This is because:
1. French women eat smaller portions of more things (each meal averages 3 courses).
2. French women eat more vegetables.
3. French women love chocolate, especially dark chocolate
4. French women honor mealtime rituals and never eat standing up, on the run, or in front of the T.V.
5. French women eat what's in season for maximum flavor, and know availability does not equal quality.
6. French women don't care for hard liquor.
7. French women walk wherever they can.
8. French women drink water all day long.
9. French women don't eat anything "fat-free", "sugar-free" or anything stripped of natural flavor. They go for the real thing IN MODERATION.
10. French women choose their indulgences and compensations.
There are many other "French Women..." things in this interesting book that you owe it to yourself to at least consider. I've gotten past the leek soup weekend, and even keep a stash on hand in the fridge to eat before my meal (lots of fiber to make me feel full). Recipes and advice abound here; the key is eating for pleasure, but in moderation; recasting your life to be healthy and happy without total deprivation or counting carbs, calories, or fat grams. Eventually, you will get to the point where you can talk and think about food positively, not dread it (French women never talk about diets either). I think this is something I can live with!
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