The Taste Dispute

There is a Latin quote that I find to be quite interesting: De gustibus non est disputandum, which means "in matters of taste there is no dispute."  I find that this quote really resonates with me because the definition of taste is something that Florian and I have "disputed" many times throughout the course of our relationship.  The funny reality of it all hit me a while back while Florian and I were eating dinner at our favorite restaurant.  "You know, " he said as we were gushing over the food, "one of the things that worried me most about getting married was not being able to eat all the things I love anymore."  "Quoi?! What?!" I said confused.  While most American men probably worry that entering into marriage will put an end to their weekly football games or guys-only Poker nights, my French husband was admitting that his biggest fear was not being able to eat the French foods that he loves!

Goose Liver

"Of course you can still eat whatever you want" I shot back, but then it hit me: I was lying.  I couldn't look my husband in the eyes and tell him that we could each continue eating the way we did before we got married.  But how could I when culturally our definitions of taste are so different? My two favorite foods in the world are mashed potatoes and pizza, while Florian would eat pigeon and grilled duck heart every day if he could.  I love hotdogs, macaroni and cheese, and hamburgers.  Florian loves herbed sausage, goose liver, and cheeses that can be smelled a mile away.  When it comes to food we like very different things.

Duck Hearts

I know neither one of us is right or wrong in what we consider to be "good food," we just have different definitions and we are learning to accept that without dispute.  As a wine sommelier I can understand Florian's obsession with taste.  After all, this is the man that spends his days creating wine lists for restaurants seeking the perfect food and drink pairing.  He is French and the notion of good food runs through his veins-- something that I am learning to understand better every day. 

Blood Sausage

Now, I can't promise that I will prepare pigeon for dinner anytime soon, but I can promise to find the best pigeon-serving restaurant in Bordeaux and take Florian there whenever he wants.  And on the flip side, I know we won't eat cheeseburgers as often as I'd like, but Florian has agreed to accompany me to the "Funky Burger" whenever I'm feeling homesick.  However, as an American living in France, I have decided that maybe I do need to be a bit more open to Florian's definition of taste, therefore I tried my first blood sausage the other night.  Compromise, it's what this Franco-American couple is learning to do best.