J'ai mangé de la quiche, and other French food situations

For a host of reasons, this January, I stopped eating animal products. Still for all of my discerning life, I have been a 'foodie.'

Opposing forces, indeed. Restrict, try more; fewer options, more options.

Here in Lyon, as you'd expect, the scene's a bit different from Chicago's. Vegetarianism is rarer, and most have not heard of 'veganism.' Bien sûr, Lyon's cuisine does not quite suit the tastes of one who generally avoids animal products and trope-riches foods; Lyonaise food is known to be somewhat heavy and full of creams, butter and oils, more like the cooler northern regions of France than Lyon's Mediterranean neighbors in the south.

So there it is. Voila. And what's a vegan-foodie in France to do?

Alors, an answer in a personal philosophy: it is important to experience all the joys of a place. Lyon is France's gastronomic capital – for a foodie, it's like the chocolate ganache atop the best flourless chocolate cake. [Or for a vegan, the curry atop a grand plate of chickpeas.] To try some of the food here is to experience one of the world's extraordinary pleasures.

Plus, for me it's all instinctive anyway. Live well, eh?

Some cool things I've tried during the last six days:
Quiche au saumon (photo above) - salty, creamy texture with a crispy, buttery crust
Quenelle (photo right, my host 'sister' Chloe serves herself carrotes avec moutard) - homemade gnocchi-like dumplings, stilled in a sauce of creamy tomato
Cold lentil salad with mustard sauce - Chloe wont have her lentils hot.
French pizza - very thin crust, with goat cheese, honey and bitter greens
Lasagna avec des aubergines - hot, slightly sweet, cheesy
Strawberries and kiwi in citrus sauce
Les moutes - a mussel from a friend's plate. Very oceanic.
Salade du ble with roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes - light and just a bit salty
Panna cotta de framboise - custard-like dessert with raspberries, from a friend's plate

[That's just six days...]