Friday, September 21, 2012

Terroir: Of Land and Food

You know how each language has words that has absolutely no equivalent in another language? Like in Malay language, you have manja (intense cuteness + intense sweetness) and dengki (intense hatred with absolute zero sympathy).

In French, we have the word terroir.

Translated literally, terroir means soil. However, terroir encompasses much more than that. It also includes weather, climate, geography, and land. To the French, all their food reflects the terroir of the production. Because of that, the French really value where their food comes from. Just go to the restaurant, and you'll see that the veggies, meat, cheese, and wine are mostly local. In fact, there's so much pride taken in that.

At least the French outside of Paris that is...

The French definitely inspired me to support the "support local produce movement" (although I find it hard to give up my tomatoes this winter).

- Wei Jie Tan

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