Archive for the ‘festivals’ Category

Sunday Morning at the Paris Cookbook Fair

Sunday, February 24th, 2013
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Paris Cookbook Fair

Paris Cookbook Fair

Today was the final day of the Paris Cookbook Fair, and I was determined not to miss the last day of this special event.

Guillaume Le Roux and Olivia Snaije

Guillaume Le Roux and Olivia Snaije
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I got there early to attend a conference on ethnic cuisine in Paris, held by Olivia Snaije, co-author of The Ethnic Paris Cookbook, and Guillaume Le Roux, who writes a food blog called 716. Both are passionate about ethnic cooking.

Samantha Lunam at Gula Magazine Stand

Samantha Lunam at the Gula Magazine Stand
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I sampled Mexican wine at the Gula Magazine stand, which was ably represented by Samantha Lunam. The magazine has recently published a guide to Mexican wines, which was featured at the stand.

Two Women Performing at the Astrel Book Stand

Two Women Performing at the Astrel Book Stand
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Passing by the Astral stand, a Russian publishing company, I heard two young women playing what was for me some very exotic music!

Pascal Aussignac Cooking Foie Gras

Pascal Aussignac Cooking Foie Gras
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I watched award-winning Chef Pascal Aussignac cook up a batch of foie gras.

Elin Agorelius at the Husmansbord Stand

Elin Agorelius at the Husmansbord Stand
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I sampled some delicious cheese, meats, and fruit juices at the Husmansbord stand, where I met Elin Agorelius. I raved about their Swedish fare last year!

I’ll be talking more about the cookbook fair in the days to come!

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Cupcake Camp III
By Monique Y. Wells

Tuesday, October 30th, 2012
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The third annual Cupcake Camp Paris was held at Le Comptoir Général, a cultural center in the 10th arrondissement, on Saturday, October 26th from 3 PM to 5 PM. While entry was free, all proceeds from cupcake sales went to support the non-profit organization Make-a-Wish France.

This was my first time attending – the event has gained so much attention over the past couple of years that I felt that Discover Paris! should cover it this year. I arrived at 3:10 PM and was surprised to see a line stretching down the block. I thought that the queue was for the popular bar inside the center. So I walked up to the front of the line where I realized that it was indeed the entry point into the event.

Entrance to the Cupcake Camp

Entrance to the Cupcake Camp
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Amazed that the line was so long, I went back to take my place in it.  The queue had grown considerably longer in just the few minutes that I was gone!

A Big Turnout for a Chance to Buy the Best Cupcakes in Paris!

A Big Turnout for a Chance to Buy the Best Cupcakes in Paris!
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

It was the first wintry day of the year and an occasional drizzle punctuated the wait. An hour later, I finally got to the front of the line. I purchased tickets to buy three cupcakes, a box in which to carry them home, and a raffle ticket for drawings that were being held every 15-20 minutes.

The camp was held in a large area of the cultural center that served as a classroom and dining room. It was packed with people and it didn’t take me long to figure out that the theme of the event was Halloween. I was surprised to see that the vast majority of the attendees were adults! Hostess Cat Beurnier of the American bakery Sugar Daze and her daughter made a fine pair of witches. The other children that I saw were dressed in costume as well.

A Very Young Witch

A Very Young Witch
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Where Are the Cupcakes?

Where Are the Cupcakes?
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

There They Are!

There They Are!
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Of course, the main attraction of the day was the cupcakes. Numerous bakers contributed and the array of cupcakes presented was absolutely stunning! I made my rounds and took lots of photos before making my selection.

I was fortunate to be able to purchase one of the last three cupcakes that won the Best Cupcake competition – it was a Scottish recipe made with chocolate, caramel, and whisky with a Bailey’s cream cheese frosting. A chunk of Scottish shortbread and shortbread crumbs adorned the tops of these cupcakes, which were scrumptious!

Scottish Cupcakes - Judged Best Cupcake

Scottish Cupcakes – Judged Best Cupcake
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

My other two selections were the Casse-Tête, a blond beer-flavored cupcake with rum and lychee buttercream frosting.

Casse-tête Cupcakes

Casse-tête Cupcakes
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

And Jumpin’ Jack Flash, a pumpkin and spice cupcake.

Jumpin' Jack Flash Cupcakes

Jumpin’ Jack Flash Cupcakes

Both of these were also quite delicious.

The most unusual cupcakes that I saw were made from kale, beets, and cocoa powder. I was intrigued by this combination, but stuck with my initial choices.

The Kale Project Cupcakes

The Kale Project Cupcakes
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

The first Cupcake Camp Paris was held on July 4, 2010 at the Bistrot Vivienne and proceeds (~1200€) were donated to the non-profit organization Rebuilding Haiti Now. Last year’s camp was held at Le Comptoir Général and proceeds (~6000€) were donated to Make-a-Wish France. This year’s camp raised just over 5500€ for Make-a-Wish France.

I look forward to attending the camp next year!

Monique Y. Wells is the creator of the Entrée to Black Paris blog, selected as one of the 10 BEST Paris blogs by 101 Holidays.

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Marie-Antoinette Makes an Appearance at the Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre

Saturday, October 13th, 2012
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Zélie la Chocolatière and Marie-Antoinette

Zélie la Chocolatière and Marie-Antoinette
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Zélie la Chocolatière and Marie-Antoinette made an appearance yesterday at the Fête des Venganges de Montmartre to publicize a play in which they will perform at the Salon du Chocolat, opening in Paris on October 31.

In this photo, Marie-Antoinette seems to be complaining about a pain in her neck, while in the background (upper left) one of her compatriots, apparently indifferent to the Queen’s fate, unconcernedly swills a glass of wine (click on image to enlarge).

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Celebrating Darkness in the City of Light

Friday, June 22nd, 2012
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François Parisi and Cybèle Castoriadis

François Parisi and Cybèle Castoriadis
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

The annual Fête de la Musique was held in Paris yesterday, with musicians and singers appearing on street corners and in bars, pubs, and restaurants throughout the city to celebrate the beginning of summer.

For my part, I chose to attend a unique concert at the Bibliothèque des Litteratures Policières, where I heard Cybèle Castoriadis sing not happy, joyous songs that the official arrival of summer would occasion, but brooding, sinister songs about the darker side of life in Paris. Indeed, apart from the Paris Police Museum that stands only a few blocks away, there would be no better place to perform these songs but at the Bibliothèque des Litteratures Policières, a city library dedicated to the crime-thriller literary genre.

For over an hour, Cybèle, accompanied by accordionist François Parisi, regaled the audience with such French chansons as “Le Boucher de la Rue de Flandres,” about a butcher who turned to murder and deboned his victims; “La Vipère du Trottoir,” about a woman who willingly submitted to prostitution and betrayed her pimp, who, in turn, murdered her; “Le Chat Qui Miaule,” about a burglar whose victim is awakened by the meow of a cat and, consequently, gets strangled by the intruder. There were eighteen songs in all, and the topics seemed to get more shocking as the concert progressed. It was enough to send chills down one’s spine! Which is the point, of course, and is exactly what people seek when they pick up a crime thriller…or attend a cabaret to hear these songs performed.

I had a chance to speak briefly with the accordionist. He told me that he recorded two melodies for the soundtrack of the movie Midnight in Paris. Later, I searched his name on the Internet and found their names: “Ballad du Paris” and “Le Parc de Plaisir.” To hear a sample of his music, go to the landing page of his Web site. The melody “Annie-Zette” that plays immediately is a wonderful example of Paris musette at its best!

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My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part VI

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
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I attended the Paris Cookbook Fair last Thursday. For me, the fun took place at the food and beverage stands and the cooking demonstrations.

Festival du Livre Culinaire

I stopped at the Brewberry stand to say hello to Cécile Thomas. (I wrote about her cave à bière in my Paris Insights newsletter in December 2011.)

Cécile poured me a Dubbel Bock made by Brouwerij de Molen, a brewery in Holland dedicated to producing craft beers. I was surprised by the strength of the beer and plan to return to her cave to try it again. The brewery has been producing award-winning beers for a number of years now.

Cécile Thomas pours a Dubbel Bock

Cécile Thomas pours a Dubbel Bock
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

While I was there, three men lined up for a photo opportunity: Alex Barlow, author of All Beer Guide, a book that won the World’s Best Beer Book award (Gourmand, 2010); John Brus, marketing and development for de Molen brewery; and Ales Gacnik (unidentified affiliation), holding a copy of the book and a bottle of Dubbel Bock.

Alex Barlow - John Brus - Ales Gacnik

Alex Barlow - John Brus - Ales Gacnik
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

This report brings to an end the “My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair” series. It was an exciting event and I look forward to returning next year!

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My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part V

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012
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I attended the Paris Cookbook Fair last Thursday. For me, the fun took place at the food and beverage stands and the cooking demonstrations.

Festival du Livre Culinaire

The company Gourmet Patagonia held a presentation of its award-winning cookbook Patagonia Cuisine, winner of the best culinary book of the year. The award was given by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards at a ceremony that was held at the Théâtre des Folies Bergère on March 6.

The speakers, Rodrigo Durand Cerda and Francisco Fantini Jarpa, talked lovingly of the Patagonia region of South America, where one can find crystal-clear waters and pristine mountains…and fine cuisine.

Francisco Fantini Jarpa - Editorial Director - Gourmet Patagonia

Francisco Fantini Jarpa, Editorial Director
Gourmet Patagonia
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

After their presentation they distributed samples of Kunstmann beer, a beer that is brewed by descendants of a German family that settled in Valdivia, Chile in the 19th century. I liked the dark-brown beer that they served. It had a nice malty flavor with no bitter aftertaste. They also served a white beer and a blueberry-flavored beer. Both were quite refreshing.

The people at Kunstmann throw a big Bierfest every year at which time a King and Queen of Beer are crowned. To be crowned King one must be able to drink a liter of beer more quickly that the other contestants. Congratulates go out to Andres Hettish, crowned King for the last four years in a row. He can drink a liter of beer in four seconds! I’ll drink to that!

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My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part IV
An Amazing Technique for Preparing Scrambled Eggs

Sunday, March 11th, 2012
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I attended the Paris Cookbook Fair last Thursday. For me, the fun took place at the food and beverage stands and the cooking demonstrations.

Festival du Livre Culinaire

At 2:00 p.m. I entered the International Show Kitchen to watch Chef Chakall prepare egg recipes from the new book Angry Birds — Bad Piggies’ Egg Recipes. As I watched him and his colleagues set the stage for the presentation I knew that something spectacular was about to happen. He brought out a sound board (a mixing console used for routing and changing the level, timbre, and dynamics of audio signals). “Why would he need a sound board to prepare eggs?” I wondered. Then I saw his colleague place two speakers on the stage, so I figured that Chef Chakall was going to play some music while he cooked.

Chef Chakall played a number of recordings, including “Heart of Glass” by Blondie, while he prepared the egg dishes. For those who don’t know what the Angry Birds and the Bad Piggies are, it is a video game in which birds are launched at pigs to keep them from eating their eggs. It sounds crazy, but it is a popular game.

Taking his cue from the Angry Birds concept, Chef Chakall launched a few eggs, not birds, one at a time across the room towards his colleague who caught them in a large bowl. I use “caught” advisedly, because when the eggs hit the bowl they would splatter. Kids, don’t try this at home!

Here are some photos of the cooking event:

Chef Chakall Presents Recipe Book

Chef Chakall Presents Recipe Book
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Chef Chakall Prepares to Launch an Egg

Chef Chakall Prepares to Launch an Egg
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Assistant Prepares to Catch Egg while Angry Bird Stands By

Assistant Prepares to Catch Egg while Angry Bird Stands By Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Egg Reaches Target

Egg Reaches Target
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Chef Chakall Prepares Scrambled Eggs while His Lovely Assistant Looks On

Chef Chakall Prepares Scrambled Eggs
while His Lovely Assistant Looks On
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Today is the last day of the Paris Cookbook Festival. Chef Chakall will once again prepare recipes from the Angry Birds — Bad Piggies’ Egg Recipes book at 3:00 p.m.

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My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part III

Saturday, March 10th, 2012
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I attended the Paris Cookbook Fair the day before yesterday. For me, the fun took place at the food and beverage stands and the cooking demonstrations.

Festival du Livre Culinaire

Upstairs, among the book stands, I came upon Husmansbord, a Swedish firm that distributes Swedish food products. There, I met Monika Agorelius who invited me to taste the juice of lingonberry (also called cowberry). It was quite tart and tasted much like cranberry juice. She told me that her family produces this product. Later, I found the link to her company’s Web site: Saxhytte Gubben.

I watched Chef Mattias Sjöblom cutting roast pork neck and tasted a morsel with a dab of Nibble Hovsenap med Svensk Whisky, a Swedish-grown mustard made with Mackmyra, a Swedish whisky. Nice!

Chef Mattias Sjoblom

Chef Mattias Sjöblom
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

And I met Agneta Kosowsski who gave me a card for her Swedish grocery store, Affären, in Paris. Later, I went to the Web site and saw photos of some of the 400 Swedish products that the store carries. I’ll be stopping by soon!

Monika gave me a package of multi-seeded, jumbo-sized, ultra-thin, oval-shaped crackers to take home and try. Measuring 6″ by 4″, they are wonderfully crunchy and flavorful.

Tomorrow is the day that I post my article on the amazing technique that I learned for making Bad Piggies’ Scrambled Eggs. See you there!

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Celebrating Coffee at the Fête de la Gastronomie — Part II

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011
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Comptoirs Richard

Comptoirs Richard
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

France’s first Fête de la Gastronomie was held on Friday, September 23. Among the events that were organized around this theme were presentations and tastings of cheese, chocolate, tea, beer, and coffee. I chose to attend the beer and coffee events.

In Part I of “Celebrating Coffee during the Fête de la Gastronomie” I wrote about the coffee-roasting demonstration that was held at Comptoirs Richard in the 15th arrondissement. Today, I present my observations on the presentation and coffee tasting that was held at the company’s shop in the 6th arrondissement.

Before the tasting, the manager, Jérémie, gave a presentation on the history of coffee. He mentioned the legend of the Yemenite goat herder Kaldi (some place him in Ethiopia) who is credited with discovering coffee after noticing one day that his goats were rather frisky after eating the red berry of the coffee tree.

Jérémie - Manager of Comptoirs Richard

Jérémie - Manager of Comptoirs Richard
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Jérémie went on to trace the trade route of coffee from Ethiopia to Yemen and then to Europe. From Europe, the French took it to Martinique in the Caribbean.

He talked about two different kinds of coffee, Arabica and Robusta, whose beans come from different species of plants. Arabica grows at high altitudes, while Robusta grows at low elevations. Arabica is the preferred coffee; its taste ranges from sweet and soft to sharp and tangy. It represents 70% of the world’s annual coffee production. Robusta has a limited range of taste and is considered to be an inferior coffee. The top producer of Robusta is Vietnam, which exports 12% of the world’s annual coffee production. The top producer of both types of coffee is Brazil, which exports 35% of the world’s annual coffee production.

Jérémie mentioned that the top importer of coffee is the United States (20 million sacks of coffee per year), followed by Germany (10 million), Japan (7 million), Italy (5.4 million), and France (5.4 million). Although the U.S. is the top importer of coffee, it is not the top consumer in terms of number of kilos per coffee drinker per year. That honor goes to the Norwegians, whose coffee drinkers each consume 10 to 11 kilos of coffee per year.

Jérémie then turned to the details of coffee production itself, including where it is grown (in the sun or in the shade), how it is harvested (machine picked or handpicked), how it is prepared (wet process or dry process) and how it is sorted (mechanically or manually). The production of coffee, he explained, is a complex process. Mishandling at any point, including the final phases (roasting, grinding, and brewing), can adversely affect the flavor of the product.

To help its customers choose which coffee they might like to purchase, Comptoirs Richard provides the following information about each product:

• The continent from which it comes
• The country
• The region
• The plantation
• The method of harvesting
• The method of drying
• The method of sorting

Following Jérémie’s presentation, we repaired to the coffee bar where we tasted Costa Rica (country) Tarrazu (region) “La Pantera” (plantation) coffee brewed in three different ways: drip-brewed with a filter; steeped in a French press; and pressure-forced in an espresso machine. I found that the filtered coffee had a mild fruity flavor, but at the same time tasted bitter; the flavor of the steeped coffee was stronger but less bitter; and the espresso the strongest flavor with the least bitterness.

Espresso Coffee at Comptoirs Richard

Espresso Coffee at Comptoirs Richard
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

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Celebrating Coffee at the Fête de la Gastronomie — Part I

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
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France’s first Fête de la Gastronomie was held on September 23. Among the events at the festival were presentations on and tastings of cheese, chocolate, tea, beer, and coffee.

I wrote about the beer tasting in an earlier blog. In this article, I present my experience at one of the two coffee presentations that I attended. Both were given by Comptoirs Richard, a purveyor of fresh-roasted coffee with seven shops in Paris.

Comtoirs Richard in the 15th Arrondissement

Comtoirs Richard 73, rue Lecourbe Paris
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

On the morning of the 23rd of September I went to the shop at 73, rue Lecourbe, located in the 15th arrondissement. There, I saw Yoann Linares load a 4kg batch of Guatemala Antigua coffee into his SASA SAMIAC coffee roaster. While the drum turned, Linares explained that when green coffee beans are received from the distributor, they contain about 12% to 15% humidity. It is the humidity in the beans during the roasting process that causes them to expand (they double in volume) and “crack” (make a cracking sound). The escaping hot water transforms the sugar and acids in the beans into aroma, a process called the Maillard reaction (named after the French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard, who discovered the phenomenon).

Yohann Linares Standing next to Sasa Samiac Roaster

Yohann Linares Standing next to Sasa Samiac Roaster
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Coffee roasting requires roughly twenty minutes, but that is only an estimate. During the process, Linares checks the quality of the roast by means of a scoop that catches the beans as they tumble in the drum. He withdraws the scoop and inspects the coffee. He explained to me that coffee will crack three times during the roasting process. For his coffee, he stops the roast after the second crack.

Checking the Quality of the Roast

Checking the Quality of the Roast
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

After he determined that the roast was about ready, he turned off the heat and let the drum turn awhile. Then he opened a chute, allowing the hot beans to spill onto a cooling tray. Blades in the tray churned the coffee while a fan underneath forced cool air through the beans. The coffee was almost finished! He let the beans cool down and then placed them in a special bag with a valve that allows gasses to escape. After resting 24 to 48 hours, the coffee will be ready to sell to customers.

The Roasted Beans Spill onto the Cooling Tray

The Roasted Beans Spill onto the Cooling Tray
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Linares showed me one of the roasted beans and pointed out the caramel-colored stripe that runs down the middle. This is a membrane (called, I believe, chaff or silverskin), and if the coffee is roasted correctly, the membrane has a golden color.

Roasted Coffee Beans Showing Silverskin in Crease

Roasted Coffee Beans Showing Silverskin in Crease
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Linares broke open a bean and showed me the interior. I could see the golden membrane wrapped within.

Cross Section of Roasted Coffee Bean Courtesy of Willem J Boot

Cross Section of Roasted Coffee Bean
Photo courtesy of Willem J Boot - www.bootcoffee.com

At the end of the roasting demonstration, Linares showed me a scoop of green beans next to a scoop of the roasted ones.

Before and After

Before and After
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

I left the shop impressed by the careful attention that Comptoirs Richard gives to its coffee. It is especially notable that the coffee is roasted in small batches, a process that distinguishes it as a quality artisanal product.

As I was leaving, Linares mentioned that if I would look up at the façade next door, I would see the name of the original owner: J. Ladoux. It seems that one of the heirs of the Richard coffee company married a daughter of the Ladoux family (the owners of the Ladoux coffee company), thereby fusing the two companies into one. It was a matrimonial alliance worthy of royalty!

Façade of J. Ladoux

Façade of J. Ladoux
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

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