and going out to a food stall with the kiddies for something to eat is frowned upon, not to mention a little dangerous.

Less time in the kitchen is more a reflection of other options besides home prepared foods, from the frozen foods case to the number of restaurants in the area to the availability of street food.

If you have a chance, see a film called The Lunch Box. It has some beautiful (and lengthy) scenes of kitchen life. Of course, not being from India, I can't attest to how accurate its is, but....

http://sonyclassics.com/thelunchbox/

My husband is French and I've lived here in France 10 years. We've been to Italy and the Italians aren't in the same league with the French. You don't pair a heavy-weight fighter with a middle weight fighter.

Not only are the French very fussy about the quality of their food, they are passionate about it! If what I witness here isn't passion, the word has no meaning.

There are numerous T.V. shows about cooking shown during prime time - MasterChef, Un Diner presque Parfait (where contestants invite each other over for a home cooked meal and then judge each other), Nightmare in the Kitchen. TV shows also document supermarket practices, cleanliness, prices, sourcing of produce and animal products, scams, hidden rip-offs.

There are shows about traditional food from each of the regions included in any tourism show.

My husband's weekly political magazine has a permanent section about Food - restaurants, food fashion, editorials about the importance of sitting down to eat a hot lunch, children's school canteen meals and the quality, etc. Agriculture and menaces to the traditional farmer.

Food is considered a part of the "Art of Living". I won't even go into the wine question. It is just as intense.

Plus, cooking is just as honorable for a man as for a woman - there is absolutely nothing "sissy" about a man cooking dinner for his family or for guests. It's admired for a man to do this.

I agree that the french are "fussy", as you say, but when it comes to enthusiasm for food, you can't beat the Italians.

Italians live to eat. Mid day meals go on for hours and are savored one course at a time.

I'm not disparaging the french and I love the food, but I would choose italy over france for the sheer joy of eating.

And agreed, we are comparing one Latin culture with another Latin culture... I must admit being partial to my adopted country. You can eat wonderful food here and it's affordable for working people.

Re Italy, I was really expecting great food when my husband and I passed through on our way to Switzerland - and we were really disappointed. We had impeccably fresh fish, but it was just home-cooked good - not restaurant good. And we walked the whole town to find the most appetizing restaurant - it was a seaside resort on the Cote d'Azur on our vacation. You would expect many good restaurants.

The one thing the Italians did better than the French, was that you could order a basket of fresh fruit for dessert. They brought out a huge overflowing basket of summer fruits - plums, peaches, grapes...you could eat your fill. My Parisian husband said that 30 years ago, they did this is France too, but it stopped somewhere in the last 20 years. Now you just get a choice of prepared pastry desserts or ice cream - everywhere.

I don't want to step on any toes, but I have to stand by my original statement, about the European French and Italians at least. I will say though that the French are fighting tooth and nail to retain their gastronomic culture against Industrialism - and I must say that a European Italian started the "Slow Food" movement. I will be back in Italy one day to update my food research!

I am also partial to my adopted country, italy.

Honestly, france and italy are not that different when it comes to their love of food. In italy you can also get amazing and affordable food.

If the only part of italy you have visited is that small corner of the italian riviera then you owe it to yourself to go back. That's touristville and not where I would go to eat in Italy.

The slow food movement is in the Alba/Asti region, so next time you can take that route up to switzerland!

I'm really just giving you a hard time for fun, because I know this debate rages between the italians and the french. Honestly, I love them both.

I love talking about food, obviously! Point taken about the tourist trap, but in France the touristy places still have good restaurants - you have to buy the "Guide Routard" to find them though, because too many tourist places serve frozen food heated up in the microwave and charge an arm and a leg! There are tons of TV shows warning the public to avoid this, especially come Summer.

Switzerland's restaurants were a HUGE disappointment! Very expensive, and very mediocre. Not a Latin culture,... Before any Belgium people jump on me - here's to Belgian beer and Moules/Frites (mussels with French fries).

one small place to eat. That is where you are going to eat whatever they cooked that day and spend several hours.

I have also been disappointed with many meals I have had in popular places. I had a pizza in Assisi last year that was the worst I have ever had, hands down.

I use tripadvisor a lot and recommend it. I also ask locals whenever I can.

I found that the food deteriorates the farther you move from the equator pretty much anywhere. I think it has a lot to do with lack of exquisite ingredients. Also, the prices seem to go up.

Food is my passion. I live between Mexico and Italy and am trying to master both cuisines. I am also extremely lucky to be spending some time in southern Spain this summer and look forward to eating there (plus hope for a side trip to Morocco).

I wish for you and your husband many future eating adventures.