Interesting to note how many times the word "vile" has come up in this innocent thread. Underhill asks a simple question about where to buy something, then gets opinions from the Galloping Gourmets.

The Galloping Gourmet? Zeus are you bringing back the memories.

As a world citizen wanna-be growing up as a Hoosier I would watch his show in the 70's and be amazed at the quantity of wine he (Graham Kerr) could swill while preparing a meal on TV. I KNEW I wanted to swill wine even though I was reared Baptist and grape juice at communion was the closest I came for many a year. :-)

By the way I think Graham has gone "on the wagon" and cooks so-called healthy meals these days. Sad. :-(

What good this life no drink to care
if we,ve no time to drink and share.

ah, cigalechanta, beautiful quote.
I'll drink to that--my (root) beer mug held high ((b))
Here in Louisiana, we have a lovely root beer from a brewery in Abita Springs.

I've seen root beer at the "Kennedy's General Store" in Aix...but haven't been there in quite awhile.

Skippy peanut butter is for sale in most of the grocery stores around here in Provence..even chunky style.

Damn...now I'm dying for a root beer float on this hot Sunday afternoon....

Patricia

I know Fauchon carries peanut butter (I was amazed) - not sure about root beer - but why not e-mail them?

MzPossum,

W. H. Davies
Leisure
WHAT is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare??
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Happy Fathers'Day to all you DADS.

M_kingdom2, you described it as a "vile liquor" - "liquor" would lead one to believe you thought it alcoholic.

Croque_Madame, IBC is very good, but my favorite is Stewart's - mmm.

I haven't had a root beer float (black cow) in a while. Do you guys know about pink cows? Red creme soda over vanilla ice cream?? I'd never heard of it until I moved to Ohio.

My dear, liquor refers to liquid - fish stock is a liquor, court bouillon is a liquor. Vodka is an alcoholic liquor.

Liqueur is an alcoholic beverage!

PBProvence,

Where, please, in Aix is Kennedy's General Store? We won't be in Paris until the end of our trip and so cannot check out prospects there.

Thanks very much to everyone for all the suggestions.

In Beatchick's defense, let me point out that the distinction may be one of usage specific to region.

My "The American Heritage Dictionary" defines liquor as "1. an alcoholic beverage made by distillation rather than fermentation. 2. a liquid substance or solution".

So, m_kingdom2, you were BOTH correct!

They have peanut butter at Monoprix in Paris (a british brand)... both crunchy and creamy. They have it also at ATAC , skippy, but its pricey at Atac.. around 4,50 euros as opposed to 3,00 euros at monoprix..

Havent seen

that was suppose to read: havent seen root beer but i would probably look at the real mccoy or thanksgiving as suggested by other posters.

Thank you, C_M, you are a sweetheart!!

Underhill:

I never knew the address...just how to get there ! Tried looking it up in the phone book but there wasn't a listing in white or yellow pages.... I hope it hasn't gone out of business. I'll try to find the address again tomorrow and let you know.
Patricia

No, no, of course M_Kingdom is right..he/she is always right, no matter what a dictionary says.

M_Kingdom, my DEAR, I will be condescending as you are and tell, MY DEAR that a liquEr is an after dinner drink, and liquOr is a vodka, scotch, etc... I guess YOU need to learn your definitions for EVERY country, but I guess I should know that YOU and ONLY you are always right....

Sure..of course!!!

I know, I'm merely saying the two words can be easily confused!

I agree entirely - scotch isn't a liqueur by the way, it's a spirit, so should be a liquor. A liqueur is something like creme de mûre, around 30 per cent ABV.

Anyway, such petty squabbles.

"Candy is dandy'Liquor is quicker"


....................Ogden Nash

I don't find root beer vile, although I admit I never drink it as an adult. I did used to like root beer floats as a child, I have fond memories of having them at the local soda fountain in the little Midwest town I used to leave in. A real "Leave it to Beaver" childhood. I wonder if they have some kind of sasparilla drink in France that would give the same flavor. I do find this attraction to peanut butter unusual, as I hardly ever eat it myself because it is so fatty and high calorie and isn't really very filling as a main course. I know a lot of people like peanut butter, but am always a little surprised about people taking it to countries where it isn't common, because a lot of these regional foods are acquired tastes.

Anyway, I do know you can get root beer drinks in some American-owned and American-style eating establishments in Paris, but I guess that won't do for this quest. You can at Tea and Tattered Pages in the 6th (near the 7th, Duroc metro) on rue Mayet, for example, which is run by Americans. There are a couple other American food product stores in Paris, other than Thanksgiving, where I think root beer could be available.

One is The General Store in the 7th (82 rue de Grenelle) and the other is The Real McCoy at 194 rue de Grenelle. I think there are more of these in that area because that's where a lot of American expats live.

M_Kingdom, I wasn't trying to squabble, I was hoping to sound neutral but that just goes to show how words are viewed differently between the UK and the US. As they say, vive la difference!!

And as Oscar Wilde said,
"We have everything in common with the Americans, except of course, language"!

I like your Ogden Nash quote, Mimi!

Christina, I wonder how close your midwestern childhood place is to where I live now? I think some would still view Ohio as some sort of Leave It to Beaver type place. As my kids' teachers continually tell them, Ohio is the *heart* of America. Groan.