Monique Gets Wrapped

September 20th, 2013
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At the AD Intérieurs 2013 Métamorphose exposition in Paris, Monique got wrapped in a living chair.

First, the chair spread its wings.

Living Chair

The Living Chair
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Then, it was ready.

Living Chair in Ready Position

The Living Chair in Ready Position
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Monique made herself comfortable in the chair.

Monique Sits Down in Living Chair

Monique Sits Down in the Living Chair
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

The chair proceeded to wrap its left wing over Monique.

The Living Chair Wraps its Left Wing

The Living Chair Wraps its Left Wing
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Then, its right wing.

The Living Chair Wraps its Right Wing

The Living Chair Wraps its Right Wing
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Finally, Monique was fully wrapped.

Fully Wrapped in the Living Chair

Fully Wrapped in the Living Chair
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Monique, fully refreshed, got out of the chair and went on her way!

Monique Leaves the Living Chair

Monique Leaves the Living Chair
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

The chair was designed by Hubert de Malherbe. The AD Intérieurs 2013 Métamorphose exposition ends on September 22.

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Figues en Folies with Goat Cheese

September 18th, 2013
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Figues en Folies with Goat Cheese

Figues en Folies with Goat Cheese
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Last week, while walking along rue Jacob reviewing our latest Chocolate and Pastry walk, we spotted a sign indicating that an épicerie fine (fine-foods grocery) was located in the courtyard of a building at number 12. Our curiosity piqued, we entered the courtyard and then into a tiny shop situated there. Smelling sweetly of spices, it was well stocked with fine-food products.

The young man behind the counter invited us to taste a condiment called Figues en Folies, which, he said, would go well with goat cheese or foie gras. It had the sharp flavor of balsamic vinegar, fig, and spices, and called to mind the taste of mincemeat pie. Even though it cost 10€ for a small jar of 220 grams, we threw caution to the wind and purchased it.

Back home we tried it with various products, including crottin de Chavignol, a goat cheese that we purchased at our local cheese shop, Fromagerie Veron, on rue Mouffetard.

We found that the acidic flavor of the vinegar in the fig condiment complemented the pungency of the soft, crumbly goat cheese, while the fig’s sweetness counterbalanced it. Spread on dark bread in the style of an open-faced sandwich, the goat-cheese-and-fig combination was a country-style delight.

Tomat’s Epicerie Fine
12, rue Jacob
75006 Paris
Tel.: 01.44.07.36.58
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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Monique Buys a Crêpe

September 11th, 2013
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Monique Buys a Crêpe

Monique Buys a Crêpe
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

As Monique and I were enjoying one of the last glorious days of summer, we happened by a crêpe stand across the street from the Jardin des Plantes. There, a young woman was producing these lovely confections!

Our Server

Our Server
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Crêpes can be sucrée (sweet) or salée (savory) and they are perhaps France’s most popular fast food. The crêperie that we spotted was on the corner of rue Buffon and rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, an ideal spot to stop for a snack after visiting the Jardin des Plantes .

Monique ordered a beurre/sucre (butter and sugar) crêpe.

Buttering the Griddle

Buttering the Griddle
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Ladling the Batter

Ladling the Batter
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Our server used two griddles to produce the crêpe. She buttered the first griddle and then ladled batter onto it. As the batter began to cook, she buttered the second griddle.

Moving <i>Crêpe</i> to Second Griddle

Moving Crêpe to Second Griddle
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Once the batter had set, she moved it to the second griddle. Using two griddles speeds up the cooking process if there are a large number of customers waiting.

Monique Eagerly Accepts the Crêpe

Monique Eagerly Accepts the Crêpe

The server dressed the crêpe with the butter and sugar, wrapped it, and handed it to Monique.

Bon appétit to all who love crêpes!

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One of the stops on our Ile Saint-Louis gourmet walking tour is a crêperie. Click HERE to view the Love2Eat video where Monique tells Lové Anthony all about crêpes during the walk that she took with her. Contact us if you’d like to book a gourmet walk!

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Meet Chef Nacer Melliti

September 4th, 2013
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Nacer Melliti

Nacer Melliti, Proprietor and Chef of Madame est Servie
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

We’ve discovered a fine restaurant that seems to have been overlooked by both Anglophone and Francophone restaurant reviewers. Read this month’s Le Bon Goût to learn about Madame est Servie and why we think that its chef, Nacer Melliti, is a rising star on the Paris culinary scene.

Le Bon Goût is a monthly feature of our newsletter, Paris Insights. To view a preview of the newsletter, click here.

Paris Insights is published monthly as a downloadable PDF file. It is available only to paid subscribers for an annual subscription fee of $30.

If you are not a paid subscriber and would like to download the newsletter, please click here. Enter promotional code 11473309154 to receive a $5 discount off the price of an annual subscription.

Bonne lecture!

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

September 3rd, 2013
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Tom Shooting Chasseurs d'aigles by Jules Coutan

Tom Photographing Chasseurs d’aigles by Jules Coutan
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

September 2013 – Fesses of the Month

This month’s featured fanny can be found high on the façade of the Galeries d’Anatomie Comparée et de Paléontologie, viewed from rue Buffon. It is a bronze sculpture, the work of Jules-Félix Coutan. Entitled Chasseurs d’aigles, it depicts three men who are perilously perched on a cliff and are fighting for their lives against an angry eagle. They have already shot its companion in the neck with an arrow and have stolen two of its chicks.

The position of one of the men, twisting and falling backward, gives us the opportunity to admire his handsome fesses. Follow the link below for a close-up view!

pinterest.com/pin/411586853416236448/

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The Votive Basilica of Saint Joan of Arc

September 1st, 2013
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The Basilica of Saint Joan of Arc

The Basilica of Saint Joan of Arc
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

In this month’s Paris Insights newsletter, read about the Basilica of Saint Joan of Arc, a church that was constructed in honor of the saint who intervened to save Paris from German forces that were massing outside the gates of the city.

To view a preview of the newsletter, click here.

Paris Insights is published monthly as a downloadable PDF file. It is available only to paid subscribers for an annual subscription fee of $30.

If you are not a paid subscriber and would like to download the newsletter, please click here. Enter promotional code 11473309154 to receive a $5 discount off the price of an annual subscription.

Bonne lecture!

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A Burger Cruise with the Seine-Saint-Denis Office of Tourism

August 28th, 2013
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The Burger Boat

The Burger Boat
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

On the evening of August 17 I joined a group of burgerphiles for a boat cruise on the Ourcq Canal. The event was organized by the Seine-Saint-Denis Tourism Office. They put on some great events! (See my blog of August 21, 2013).

Raphaëlle Gras and Bertrand Allombert

Raphaëlle Gras and Bertrand Allombert
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

On board were Raphaëlle Gras and Bertrand Allombert, both chefs at a collective of associations called Plaine de Saveurs. Raphaëlle’s association is called Chardi Kala. They organize events to promote the culture and traditions of Northern India. That night Raphaëlle would prepare an Indian vegetarian burger. Bertrand’s association is called Chef on Line, a catering service that specializes in “nonconformist receptions.” He would prepare an Italian burger, which he called vitello tonnato (veal with tuna sauce).

Raphaëlle Shows How to Prepare an Indian Vegetarian Burger

Raphaëlle Shows How to Prepare an Indian Vegetarian Burger
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Bertrand Gives A Cooking Demonstration

Bertrand Gives A Cooking Demonstration
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

And so they began! Each chef demonstrated the fine points of burger making, while hungry burgerphiles looked on.

Assembling an Italian Vitello Tonnato Burger

Assembling an Italian “Vitello Tonnato” Burger
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

At last, the assembly! Bertrand finished his demonstration and began assembling the burgers.

Italian "Vitello Tonnato" Burger

The Italian “Vitello Tonnato” Burger
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Alas, we were entitled to only one burger. I quickly weighed the pros and cons of an Indian Vegetarian Burger versus an Italian “Vitello Tonnato” burger and decided to try the latter.

I enjoyed the flavor, but there was one small hitch. The burger contained a large piece of veal that had not been ground. As I tried to chew it, the portion slid out from between the buns and briefly dangled from my teeth. Although I was by myself, I imagined what I would have looked like if I had been sitting across the table from a woman whom I was wooing. This is not the kind of thing that one wants to happen on a first date!

Ready to Eat!

Ready to Eat!
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

A good time was had by all!

(A French burger blogger gave an account of this cruise at the following link: www.paris-burger.com/croisiere-degustation-les-burgers-du-monde. In the first picture, I’m the guy in the rose-colored shirt. I’m talking with Bertrand and enjoying the view of the canal. See the photos that I took of the scenes along the canal on Facebook!)

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Monique’s Wine Adventure

August 21st, 2013
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Nice bouquet

A Nice Bouquet
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

On Saturday, August 10, the Seine-Saint-Denis Tourism Office organized a wine adventure on the Ourcq Canal. Monique was there!

Monique Preparing to Embark

Monique Preparing to Embark on Her Adventure
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

At 7:30 p.m., she showed up at the Bassin de la Vilette (in northern Paris) and waited for her boat to come in.

Wine Vats

Wine Vats
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

When she got on board, she saw the wine vats. The one on the left held Gamay, the one in the middle held Syrah, and the one on the right held Grenache. It was a lot of wine!

Fabrice Explains the Fine Points of Wine Production

Fabrice Explains the Fine Points of Wine Production
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Fabrice of En Vrac, a wine shop in the 18th arrondissement, explained how the participants would blend their own wine from the three vats and have a private bottle to take home. What fun!

Monique Takes a Sip

Monique Takes a Sip
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Before the blending began, everyone had a chance to taste each wine.

Drawing Gamay from the Vat

Drawing Gamay from the Vat
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Then each person went from vat to vat with a beaker, drawing the proportions that would suit that person’s taste when the wine was blended.

One Part Syrah

One Part Syrah
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Monique checked her proportions carefully. She took chemistry in college, so she knew what she was doing!

Monique Corks Her Wine

Monique Corks Her Wine
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

After pouring two wines (Syrah and Grenache) in their proper proportions into a bottle (a funnel was used), Monique corked it. Fabrice told her to wait two weeks for the wine to “settle” before she opened it to drink.

Thierry Sealing the Cork with Wax

Thierry Sealing the Cork with Wax
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Thierry (manager of En Vrac) sealed the cork with wax and applied a label.

Syrah-Grenache Blend

Monique’s Syrah-Grenache Blend
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Et voila! Monique’s personalized blend of wine was ready!

Rosaura Martinez from Los Cabos BCS

Rosaura Martinez from Los Cabos Mexico BCS
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Rosaura Martinez from Los Cabos Mexico BCS selected a blend of 15% Gamay, 75% Syrah, and 10% Grenache. She was there with her sister, who was celebrating her quinceañera.

Bagged and Ready to go

Bagged and Ready to Go
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

As the boat pulled into dock, Monique shows off her prize!

A good time was had by all!

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Meet Chef Edith Gnapié

August 14th, 2013
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Edith Gnapié

Edith Gnapié, Chef and Co-prorietor of Ohinéné Restaurant
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Last month we dined at Ohinéné, an Ivorian restaurant located in the 20th arrondissement. After a splendid meal there, we returned to interview the chef, Edith Gnapié, and her partner, Jean-Benoit Chauveau. Read our review of this establishment in this month’s Le Bon Goût, a monthly feature of our newsletter Paris Insights.

To view a preview of the newsletter, click here.

Paris Insights is published monthly as a downloadable PDF file. It is available only to paid subscribers for an annual subscription fee of $30.

If you are not a paid subscriber and would like to download the newsletter, please click here. Enter promotional code 11473309154 to receive a $5 discount off the price of an annual subscription.

Bonne lecture!

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Meet Michael D. Poole – Chocolate and Pastry Maker

August 7th, 2013
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Chef Michael D. Poole

Chef Michael D. Poole
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting Michael D. Poole, firehouse chef from Seattle. He’s in Paris honing his skills on macarons, one of the products that he sells alongside his French chocolates back on the West coast.

Michael has been coming to Paris for a few weeks every year since 2000. He first came to study basic cooking at the Cordon Bleu and continued at that school year after year until he received the Grand Diplôme in 2003. He returns every summer to work with chocolate and pastry makers, learning new techniques and reviewing old ones. He has applied his skills to chocolate making and now sells French chocolates at six different retail outlets in Seattle, as well as on his Web site.

He recently began offering macarons at a couple of the retail outlets, hence his current interest in perfecting his macaron-making skills. This summer he is working at Pâtisserie Chocolaterie Pascal Pinaud on rue Monge, where he has learned to get the consistency he was seeking in his macaron batter (which consists of egg white, almond powder, and powdered sugar). He wanted his macaron shell to be a little bit firmer than what he’s been producing until now. Michael is a perfectionist in his craft and doesn’t stop until he gets it just right. Not that any of his customers back in Seattle were complaining, mind you!

Macarons

Michael’s Macarons
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Back in Seattle, Michael offers four different flavors of macaron to his customers: lemon, pistachio, coffee, and chocolate. He will soon add a fifth, orange. Hence, I purchased these five flavors, all of which he had made at Pâtisserie Chocolaterie Pascal Pinaud using Mr. Pinaud’s recipe. I took them home to try. Here are our tasting notes:

  • Lemon – mild, sweet lemon flavor
  • Pistachio – the almond in the macaron is more pronounced than the mild flavor of the pistachio.
  • Coffee – thick, creamy filling; relatively thin lower macaron shell.
  • Chocolate – this macaron felt heavy in the hand due to the density of the flavorful chocolate cream.
  • Orange – this was our favorite. A strong orange taste that reminded me of the Dreamsicle of my youth. My partner declared that it tasted like candied orange.

    All of the macarons had light but firm shells, which allowed us to pick them up without crushing the delicate crust. When bitten into, they were chewy. They all had a creamy filling.

    We think that Michael’s customers in Seattle will be pleased with the new orange flavor that he plans to introduce!

    Check out Michael’s Web site!

    And if you are in Paris, stop by Pâtisserie Chocolaterie Pascal Pinaud to try any of their nineteen different macaron flavors:
    70, rue Monge
    Tel.: 01.43.31.40.66

    Metro: Place Monge (Line 7)

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