Archive for April, 2014

Tasting Finca Tzámpetey at La Caféothèque

Wednesday, April 30th, 2014
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Pierre at La Caféothèque

Pierre at La Caféothèque Pointing to Finca Tzámpetey
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I stopped by La Caféothèque and asked the salesman, Pierre, for a coffee bean that produces a flavor that lies on the spectrum between strong and mild. He thought for a moment and then recommended Finca Tzámpetey, an estate coffee from Guatemala.

Finca Tzámpetey from Guatemala

Finca Tzámpetey from Guatemala
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I took home a 250-gram bag of whole-bean coffee, ground some in my coffee grinder, and brewed it in a French press. Upon grinding, it released an intriguing aroma of barbecued potato chips. A hearty coffee with spicy notes, and a slightly sweet, full-bodied taste with little bitterness, it is to be savored and enjoyed!

La Caféothèque
52, rue de l’Hôtel de Ville
75004 Paris
Telephone: 01.53.01.83.84

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Inside the Easter Egg

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014
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Easter egg from Mococha Chocolats

Easter Egg from Mococha Chocolats
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

We purchased an Easter egg from Mococha Chocolats and took it home to see what treasures were hidden within.

Teddy and Angry Egg

Teddy Bear, Angry Egg, and “Friture”
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Voilà! There were three chocolates by master chocolate-maker Pierre Chapon: a Teddy bear, an angry egg, and a “friture.” The Teddy bear was composed of white chocolate enrobing a mixture of hazelnut praliné and white chocolate. The composition of the angry egg was similar that of the Teddy, except that it contained more white chocolate than praliné. And the “friture” (which means “little fish for frying” in French) was smooth milk chocolate with a pronounced vanilla flavor. All tasted dreamy!

Mococha
89, Rue Mouffetard
75005 Paris
Tel.: 01.47.07.13.66

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First Known Selfie

Friday, April 18th, 2014
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The Greek Actor by Charles Arthur Bourgeois

The First Known Selfie by Charles Arthur Bourgeois
Photograph by DiscoverParis

A bronze sculpture representing a man posing for a selfie with what appears to be a prototype iPhone stands in the Luxembourg Garden. Cast in 1868, the statue is the earliest representation of what many have, up until now, believed to be a modern phenomenon.

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Why I Didn’t Eat a Single Bite of Food at the Paris Street Food Festival

Wednesday, April 16th, 2014
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Super-Barquette

Entrance to the Super Barquette

Entrance to the Super Barquette
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I learned about the Paris Street Food Festival several days in advance of the event and was all a-twitter with excitement as I made my way along quai Austerlitz to find the stands that were selling street food there:
Fish and Chips by The Sunken Chip
Super BBQ by My Food Montreuil
Burgers by Le Camion qui Fume
…and mouth-wateringly more!

Woman with Brochure

Woman with Brochure
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Tombola Ticket 708

A lovely young woman was distributing brochures that listed the names of the food stands and the types of street food that they were serving. She invited me to purchase a raffle ticket for 1€; otherwise the entrance to the event was free.

People Feasting at the Street Food Festival

People Feasting at the Street Food Festival
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I walked onto a deck overlooking the Seine and saw that a lot of people had gotten there before me. I arrived at 12:30 p.m., which I thought was early enough to permit me to get some food and sit down for lunch. But I was wrong…

Standing in Line for BBQ

Standing in Line for BBQ
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

There were long lines everywhere. For the BBQ…

Serving up Fish and Chips

Serving up Fish and Chips
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

…for the fish and chips…

This Way to the Beer

This Way to the Beer
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

…but, surprisingly, not for the beer!

Alexandre Bournonville of Distrikt Beer

Alexandre Bournonville of Distrikt Beer
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

So I purchased a bottle of amber beer brewed locally in the town of Thiverval-Grignon, not too far from Paris. That’s all that I had at the street food festival!

BBQ Cooker - My Food Montreuil

BBQ Cooker – My Food Montreuil
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

The Monstrously Long Line for BBQ

The Monstrously Long Line for BBQ
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

The food stand for BBQ was the most popular. How did it measure up to Texas BBQ? I’ll never know, because I didn’t want to wait in the monstrously long line.

But I enjoyed the Distrikt amber beer!

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Sally Hemings in Paris

Saturday, April 12th, 2014
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Marisa Williamson as Sally Hemings

Marisa Williamson as Sally Hemings
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Artist Marisa Williamson came to Paris recently in the guise of Sally Hemings, the slave-mistress of Thomas Jefferson. Williamson was turning a film about Hemings, who could have chosen to remain a free woman in Paris rather than return with Jefferson to the United States to live as a slave.

From left to right: Avery Williamson, Charlotte Bayer, Monique Y. Wells, Marisa Williamson

From left to right: Avery Williamson, Charlotte Bayer, Monique Y. Wells, Marisa Williamson
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Dressed in period costume, Williamson played the role of Hemings, a young woman who was “struggling to decide whether to claim her freedom in a foreign land, or return home…” She interviewed a number of African Americans to learn why they came to Paris and how they perceived themselves as blacks living in France.

Marisa Williamson and Monique Y. Wells

Marisa Williamson and Monique Y. Wells
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Williamson was assisted by Charlotte Bayer, who filmed the encounter of Hemings with our own Monique Y. Wells on a park bench in Paris, and her sister Avery Williamson, who photographed the shoot. The film is scheduled for release in August 2014.

Information about Marisa Williamson’s film project can be found here: Hemings in Paris.

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Tasting Mediterranean Dishes at Bistrot Mavrommatis

Wednesday, April 9th, 2014
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Bistrot Mavrommatis

Bistrot Mavrommatis on Rue Duphot
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Monique and I were recently invited to sample a new line of Mediterranean dishes that Bistrot Mavrommatis, a restaurant, catering, and take-away service, offers for business luncheons and seminars. The tasting took place in the upstairs dining room of the restaurant, located at 18, rue Duphot in the 1st arrondissement of Paris.

We entered the handsome food shop, where I saw several customers at the sales counter ordering take-away, and made our way up the spiral staircase to the dining room. There, on a table on one side of the room, we saw all of the “coffrets” (individual servings of food assembled as a four-course meal) laid out for our inspection. Each assembled meal was arranged on a tray, and each had its own name. All were inspired by Mediterranean cuisine: Italian, Greek, Spanish, Moroccan, French, and Mid-Eastern.

Coffret Petra

Coffret Petra
Photograph courtesy of Mavrommatis

For example, Coffret Petra contained a tabbouleh salad, a cucumber stuffed with tzatziki (thick yoghurt with herbs), thin slices of lamb stewed with cumquats and baby vegetables, Kasséri cheese, a red-fruit crumble, and a bread roll. Each course was protected in its own clear plastic box, which were all carefully arranged on a serving tray. Mavrommatis offers eleven different coffrets, and all of the food (except for the cheeses, bread, and certain desserts) is prepared in its kitchens.

Assortment of Appetizers

Assortment of Appetizers
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

After we viewed each of the coffrets, we proceeded to another table where samples of the food were presented as little appetizers. These we got to taste.

I particularly enjoyed the tabbouleh, a salad made from chopped dill; the aubergine caviar, a preparation of smoked eggplant; the dolma, which are rice- and meat-stuffed grape leaves; and the pissaladière, an onion and anchovy tart. All good…all appetizing. While we dined, cocktail-style, a waiter circulated to pour white and red wines. The crisp white wine called Santorini Argyros – 2012 – Assyrtiko, went especially well with these dishes.

Desserts

Desserts
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

The big surprise came when the desserts were served…and how sweet it was! I tasted baba, a yeast cake soaked in limoncello and served with a small dollop of pistachio paste. The chocolate tart was rich and bittersweet; and the traditional Greek baklava was sublime.

Eric Julien - Sales Director

Eric Julien – Sales Director
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

We met the sales director of Mavrommatis, Eric Julien. He and his staff readily answered all of our questions about the ingredients of the food that we tasted. Orders for the coffrets can be made up until 5:30 p.m. on the day before the business event.

Bistrot Mavrommatis
18, rue Duphot
75001 Paris
Telephone: 01.42.97.53.04

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The Eternal Quest for Beautiful Fesses – Our Fesses of the Month

Tuesday, April 8th, 2014
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Tom Taking Photo of Fesses in the Former Delorme Passage

Tom Taking Photograph of Fesses in the Former Delorme Passage
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Most of the covered passages of Paris were built in the first half of the 19th century. Essentially, they were shopping malls that led from one street to another.

Built in 1808, the Delorme passage linked rue de Rivoli at number 188 with rue Saint-Honore at number 177. It was destroyed in 1896, but several bas-relief sculptures that decorated the passage have been preserved. They can be viewed at the entrance of the apartment building at 177, rue Saint-Honoré.

All of the sculptures are of women. One bares here lovely fesses, with her tunic slipping demurely below the level of the fanny.

Follow the link below for a close-up view:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/411586853417946246/

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Looking to Buy Property in Paris?

Thursday, April 3rd, 2014
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We recently attended the opening of a house for sale in the Belleville district of Paris. I found its boxy-looking appearance, with 127 m2 distributed on three floors, to be quite striking. A terrace on the top floor gives a view of Paris rooftops and quiet courtyards below.

Belleville House

Belleville House Designed by Architect Frank Salama

View of Terrace

View of Terrace

Spiral Staircase

Spiral Staircase

For information about how to contact the real estate agency that handles the sale of this dwelling, contact us at the following link with your name, e-mail address, and your telephone number: Paris Insights – Contact.

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Tasting Parparoussis Estate Wines at Mavrommatis

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014
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Thanassis Parparoussis

Thanassis Parparoussis – Winemaker
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

We recently had the pleasure of tasting Greek wines from the Parparoussis Estate, a winery near the port city of Patras on the north coast of the Peloponnese. The tasting was hosted by Mavrommatis, a wine shop located at 49, rue Censier in the 5th arrondissement of Paris.

The Parparoussis winery was founded in 1974. Second-generation winemaker Thanassis Parparoussis (pictured above) presented a remarkable sampling of reds, whites, and fortified wines to the delight of invitees and passersby.

The Gifts of Dionysus - Sideritis

The Gifts of Dionysus
A Sideritis Varital

Photograph by www.DiscoverParis

We were quite impressed by a white table wine made from Sideritis, a grape that is cultivated throughout the Peloponnese. Called “Τα Δώρα του Διονύσου” (The Gifts of Dionysus), it is appropriately named. It is a crisp wine, very pale gold in color, with a mild citrus bouquet and delicate minerality. We thought that it might accompany goat cheese well, so we purchased a bottle to taste later.

We then went to the nearby Fromagerie Veron and purchased a pyramid of Valançay goat cheese from La Ferme des Cossonnières. This cheese has a smooth, chalky texture, is slightly pungent, and tastes somewhat like rich cottage cheese. Back home we tasted both together and learned that our hunch was right—the wine and the cheese married quite well. Thank you, Dionysus, for your gift!

Mavrommatis
49, rue Censier
75005 Paris

Fromagerie Patrick Veron
105 Rue Mouffetard
75005 Paris

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