May 30, 2005
Salade de Concombre au Crabe
[Crab and Cucumber Salad]
Paris went through a miniature heatwave last week -- it certainly felt nice to take the skirts, tank tops and strappy sandals out of their winter residence -- and lunchtime on Saturday found me craving for something easy and fresh.
The refrigerator was in dire need of replenishing, not exactly empty but certainly devoid of exciting things. I considered going out to buy a few things, but quickly decided against it. M...
"Salade de Concombre au Crabe" continues »
May 27, 2005
Un Monde d'Azur
My father, who occasionally makes appearances on this blog, is a devoted reader of Jack Vance -- a prolific, stupendously talented, yet little known, science-fiction writer. He has acted on this passion in a variety of ways over the years, including volunteering (and working countless nights) as a senior editor for the Vance Integral Edition, a project whose mission was to reedit Vance's entire work, in its complete and correct version.
Recen...
May 26, 2005
Salon Saveurs, Spring 2005
Last Saturday I attended the Salon Saveurs, a food show focusing on (mostly French) artisanal products, where producers come to talk about and sell their products, most of them offering samples.
Long-time readers may remember about my visit to last year's Spring edition, during which I first met a few C&Z readers who have now become good friends of mine, and with whom we organize potluck dinners every now and then. This time it was a smaller ...
"Salon Saveurs, Spring 2005" continues »
May 24, 2005
New York, New York!
Photography by cmiper
Well, it looks like Maxence and I will be spending a few days in New York City this June -- my excitement can barely be contained. I have long wanted to return to this city, which I visited just once when I was 15.
Ten years later, I have read a lot more books and articles and restaurant reviews and blogs, I have seen a lot more movies (not to mention episodes of Sex and the City), and I feel I have an infinity of things...
"New York, New York!" continues »
May 23, 2005
Strawberry Panna Cotta
Panna cotta is a traditional Piemontese recipe -- the name means "cooked cream" in Italian. There are many variations of the recipe, but it is generally made by simply simmering together some cream, milk and sugar, mixing this with gelatin, before letting it cool until set. The cream mixture can also be flavored, often with a vanilla pod, sometimes with fruit or fruit juice, but you could also experiment with tea, cocoa powder, and different sp...
"Strawberry Panna Cotta" continues »
May 21, 2005
La Végétable d'Alain Passard
Le Printemps (literally "the spring") is one of the four Parisian department stores, located in the ninth arrondissement on boulevard Haussmann. In addition to the twice-yearly sales and the promotion weeks, they occasionally organize themed events in their stores, setting up temporary stands and attractions, and showing artists' work.
One such event was Les Invasions Gourmandes in November of last year, during which I hosted a Bar à Veloutés...
"La Végétable d'Alain Passard" continues »
May 19, 2005
Souris d'Agneau Confites, Sandwiches de Polenta Grillée
[Braised Lamb Shanks, Grilled Polenta Sandwiches]
...and this is part III of the dinner I served on Saturday, when I was (at long last) given the opportunity to meet Derrick and Melissa, dear friends from the Blogosphere now happily upgraded to dear friends from the Real World.
After a lively chat going in ten different directions -- we were so excited to finally meet, where were we to start? -- over a nice appetizer of crostini and anchoïade...
"Souris d'Agneau Confites, Sandwiches de Polenta Grillée" continues »
May 17, 2005
Anchoïade
Anchoïade, a garlic and anchovy dip, is a specialty from Provence and the city of Collioure in particular, famous for its anchois. It is typically served with an assortment of raw vegetables, or spread on little toasts. When I was in Lourmarin for Easter, my aunt served a delicious anchoïade for lunch the first day, and it had the consistency of a thin mayonnaise. I have also seen anchoïades that were thicker and chunkier, a bit like tapenade, ...
May 16, 2005
Pancetta and Capers Crostini
On Saturday night, we had the pleasure of meeting Derrick and his wife Melissa. They were in Paris for a few days on their way back from a wine-intensive trip to Germany, and I had invited them over for dinner. Derrick's An Obsession with Food was the very first food blog I ever laid my eyes on back in 2002 -- and wow, does anyone know where these last three years went? -- and he was part of my inspiration to start C&Z. After years of emailing ...
"Pancetta and Capers Crostini" continues »
May 13, 2005
La Punition
[The Punishment]
Punitions is the name given to the delicious, blond, thin, crisp, unique, buttery cookies, made by the world-famous Poilâne bakery.
You can purchase them by the weight (200g for roughly 4 euros), but there is a basket of them on the counter for you to help yourself when you buy a quarter, a half, or a whole round of the legendary Pain Poilâne. Warning: it is strongly advised to practice restraint and limit yourself to one, o...
May 12, 2005
La Colombie à Paris
Update: Sadly, Tienda Nueva is now closed. If you're looking for Colombian goods, however, there's a new shop selling Latin American goods just a block from there. It's called Mercatienda Latina, and it's at 78 rue de Dunkerque in the 9th (01 45 26 11 80).
Isn't it amazing how you can still discover new things right in your neighborhood, even after living there for two and a half years and spending a large part of your free time walking around...
"La Colombie à Paris" continues »
May 10, 2005
Confiture de Poire aux Eclats de Fève de Cacao
[Pear Jam with Cacao Nibs]
Just recently, I had a sudden urge to make jam -- it may have to do with my own dwindling supply of the homemade stuff, or the sudden realization that spring strawberries would not last forever (as opposed to strawberry fields). In any case, when I went to the market a couple of weeks ago, it was with the firm intention to purchase fruit and make jam.
The strawberries were still way too pricy (at 4€ for a half...
"Confiture de Poire aux Eclats de Fève de Cacao" continues »
May 9, 2005
Pierre Hermé Tasting Notes
On Thursday afternoon I happened to have a few things to do in the St-Germain area. Being in that neighborhood never fails to send my food-hunter's antennae aflutter, in particular because of the nearby presence of Pierre Hermé's boutique on rue Bonaparte. It took me about one split second to decide that since I was having dinner at my neighbors' apartment that night to watch the Nouvelle Star semi-finals (previous episode here), well, wouldn't...
"Pierre Hermé Tasting Notes" continues »
May 6, 2005
And today, I bought salt.
...but not just any salt: Maldon sea salt, after so many sources conspired (and most recently the much-linked Slate article and its tempting dandruff analogy) to make me cave in and buy salt at 17.80€ a kilo (4.45€ for the 250g box).
Yesterday was a holiday in France ("l'Ascension", which marks the day on which Jesus returned to God: we sure have a lot of religious holidays for a laic country, not that I'm complaining or anything) an...
"And today, I bought salt." continues »
May 5, 2005
Retour de marché
[Back from the market]
Saturday mornings are always something of a dilemma for me, or actually a trilemma, which I thought wasn't an actual word until I looked it up. I can either sleep in, go to the pool for a swim, or go to the Batignolles market -- each of the three activities fulfilling an equally important need. It is the third option that won the competition last Saturday morning, and I set out in the glorious morning sun, with my faithf...
"Retour de marché" continues »
May 4, 2005
The Paris I Promised
Photograph by Marie Hennechart
Two weeks ago I mentioned that I had written an article for the May issue of Budget Travel magazine, in which I shared some of my favorite food-related addresses in Paris. Well, ze article is now available online for your perusal......
"The Paris I Promised" continues »
May 3, 2005
La Baguette et les Tartines
Consider the baguette.
Or rather, consider the tartine de baguette, a popular breakfast item in which a piece of baguette -- preferably fresh and bought moments before, still warm, from the corner boulangerie, but if nobody really feels up to going out before breakfast day-old baguette will do fine, "freshened up" on top of the toaster -- is sliced in two, each half spread with your choice of butter and/or jam and/or honey (the combination of...
"La Baguette et les Tartines" continues »
May 1, 2005
1er Mai, Fête du Muguet
The first day of May in France is La Fête du Travail (Labor Day). It is a holiday, which is nice, except when it's a Sunday and then you feel slighted. Anyway.
May 1 is also La Fête du Muguet, and the tradition is to give the ones you love a little bouquet of lily-of-the-valley, for good luck and to celebrate the arrival of spring. Originally the idea was to take the kids into the forest and lose them pick your own muguet together. Of course, ...
"1er Mai, Fête du Muguet" continues »