A friend gave me a copy of French Woman for All Seasons for my birthday - and I've discovered that Mireille Guiliano really writes to my heart. From the author of French Women Don't Get Fat, the #1 USA bestseller, comes an essential guide to the art of joyful living—in moderation, in season, and, above all, with pleasure.
I'll be sharing some more from Guiliano's book over the next little while - but in the meantime you might like to try out this fun survey. You can fill in
your scores as you go HERE (open in new tab) to send them to me and I'll report back on the blog!
In French Women Don't Get Fat, Mireille Guiliano laid out a general program for reaching the weight at which you can feel bien dans ta peau (comfortable in your own skin). Now, in French Women for All Seasons, she teaches you peu à peu (little by little), how to make over your whole life for maximum pleasure. Here you will find, not only more specific advice on preparing for the bikini season (with dozens of new slimming tricks and delicious recipes), but also Mireille's secrets to looking and feeling great throughout each season of the year.
But before learning to become a French woman for all seasons, take this short quiz to find out how much of one you already are. Your inner French Woman--we all have one!--may already be more developed than you suspect! Find out now how close your daily habits are to bringing you optimum pleasure. We'll send you your result - and then publish the results collectively (we'll just include your first name - unless you ask us not to) in a later post for fun!
Here's the survey. Send us your answers via our contact page here (open in new tab):
The Mireille Guiliano Quiz: How French Are You?
1. Your idea of the ultimate chocolate fix is? a. A chocolate Entenmann's donut. b. A Hershey bar. c. Godiva truffles. d. One or two pieces of high-quality dark chocolate. 2. How do you take your coffee? a. I don't drink coffee. b. Can't stand it without cream and three sugars. c. I add Equal and skim milk for low-cal pleasure. d. A small cup of freshly brewed coffee needs no lightening or sweetening. 3. What should the salespeople at the mall know about you? a. I don't wear prêt à porter! b. I'm a sucker for the latest trends for the season--I love being in fashion. c. I'll buy an amazing pair of shoes before I pay my rent. d. I find a few items to accompany the best pieces in my closet--I just want to refresh my wardrobe. 4. You're throwing a party in a couple of weeks. What's your plan of action? a. I obsess about the menu, wonder how I'll ever find the time even to plan, and when the big day comes I spend the entire time in the kitchen while my guests (usually) drink too much. b. I call a caterer, of course. What do I know about such things, and why should I care? c. I set out a bag of chips and a bag of pretzels and ask everyone to bring a bottle. d. I choose a few favorite food items to serve, some store-bought delicacies, some easy to prepare but impressive treats, add some personal serving touches, sit back and relax while the guests ooh and ahh.
5. Which of the following drinks will you serve at the party? a. Whatever the guests bring. b. Margaritas (Frozen--is there another kind?). c. Wine, vodka, beer… hospitality is variety. d. A thoughtfully chosen wine and mineral water—keep it simple and always give guests water with their alcohol. 6. You've just gone to the market and found wonderful fresh basil, but you got so excited about it that you bought too much. What do you do? a. What would I be doing at the market? What's basil again? b. I chop some in my pasta, but eventually have to throw the rest away. c. I have a pesto pack-down that night! d. I try to invent a new dish for using it while it's fresh (substituting it for another herb I might otherwise use); the rest I make into pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays (one cube is perfect for a single pasta serving). 7. Au restaurant, you're most likely to order: a. A cheeseburger with fries. b. A large salad with ranch dressing. c. Vegetable lasagna. d. Grilled hangar steak with wine sauce. 8. When the waiter comes to your table to take your drink order, you: a. Order up Grey Goose. b. Let someone else advise--wine lists are intimidating. c. Remember the rule that white goes with fish and red goes with meat. d. Choose Champagne--it goes with just about anything. 9. How much wine do you typically drink with dinner? a. None--alcohol is fattening. b. Keep 'em coming--I've read wine is heart smart! c. A few glasses--I know my limits. d. Usually one, but if I want more, I’ll have another half glass.
10. You're traveling and a sumptuous breakfast buffet is included in the cost of your hotel room. What do you do? a. I load up on eggs, bacon, muffins, and pancakes, but make sure to hit hotel gym later. b. I load up on eggs, bacon, muffins, and pancakes to get me through the day--it's free, and I don't eat that way at home, so what's the harm? c. I can't be trusted around any all-you-can-eat spread; I skip breakfast. d. I choose one day to indulge at the buffet (compensating with lighter lunch and dinner), but order room service for the rest of my trip to avoid overdoing it. 11. What is your ideal workout? a. Does channel surfing count? b. An hour at the gym, wailing on the Cybex. c. I eat healthfully so I can spend less time exercising. d. I walk everywhere, and enjoy some Yoga a couple of times a week. 12. Mireille Guiliano says in French Women Don’t Get Fat that her "secret weapon" is plain yogurt. If you want to sweeten it, what do you add? a. Sweet 'n Low or Equal. b. Sugar. c. Spoonful of maple syrup or honey. d. Fresh fruit. 13. You have an after-hours party to attend for work. Pick an outfit that will take you most elegantly from day to night. a. A short suit skirt with a tank top and a jacket that you'll be able to take off later--if you've got it, flaunt it! b. Designer jeans with a top you saw in Vogue. c. Your trusty black dress, but you'll dress it up with trendy baubles for evening. d. A trimly cut dress paired with simple jewelry or a scarf. 14. In autumn, you eat: a. Strawberries. b. Asparagus. c. Peaches. d. Apples.
15. Le dessert is served! You choose to have: a. A big piece of cake--you only live once. b. A small slice (or two) of apple tart--an apple a day keeps the doctor away. c. A piece of pie or cake, but you'll share it with a friend. d. Nothing overly sweet--instead you go for a piece of seasonal fruit or cheese.
Congratulations. You'll all done! If you wrote your answers down or typed them somewhere else - you can click here (open in new tab) to send them to us through our contact page and get the results. You'll also get a bonus voucher for TangerineToes or ZollyShoppe as a thanks for participating. What are you waiting for? :)