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My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part V

March 13th, 2012

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

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
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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Tags: Bierfest Kunstmann, Cerveza Kunstmann, Festival du Livre Culinaire, Francisco Fantini Jarpa, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, Gourmet Patagonia, Paris Cookbook Fair, Patagonia, Rodrigo Durand Cerda
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My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part IV
An Amazing Technique for Preparing Scrambled Eggs

March 11th, 2012

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

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
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

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

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

Egg Reaches Target
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

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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Tags: Angry Birds — Bad Piggies’ Egg Recipes, Chakall, Festival du Livre Culinaire, Paris Cookbook Fair
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An Amazing Technique for Preparing Scrambled Eggs

My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part III

March 10th, 2012

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.

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 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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Tags: Affären, Festival du Livre Culinaire, Husmansbord, Mattias Sjöblom, Monika Agorelius, Paris Cookbook Fair, Saxhytte Gubben
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My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part II

March 9th, 2012

I attended the Paris Cookbook Fair yesterday. For me, the fun took place at the food and beverage stands and the cooking demonstrations.

There was one area in the exposition hall that was dedicated to products from Brittany. There, I met Adrien Auroy, sales representative for Coreff, an artisanal beer-brewing company in Carhaix, France. I tasted three of the beers that were on tap: a blanche (white), an ambrée (amber), and a stout. Of the three, I was most intrigued by the blanche for its refreshing, spicy taste. Adrien told me that it was flavored with coriander.

Adrien Auroy - Sales Reperesentive of Coreff

Adrien Auroy
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Because man cannot live by beer alone and (presumably) needs intellectual stimulation, I left the food hall and went to see the presentation of a new book, Food on the Silk Road. There, three chefs recounted their adventures traveling the silk road in China in search of the foods that eventually found their way to Europe.

Chakall - James McIntosh - Jimmy Yang Jimei
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

In another part of the exposition hall, author Teresa Severini Zaganelli gave a talk about her book Grapes in the Glass, in which she endeavors to teach youngsters and adults about wine production and responsible drinking.

Teresa Severini Zaganelli
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

In the French Show Kitchen I watched Chef Cyril Rouquet make an orange-flavored Saint-Honoré. This classic French cake is a circle of choux pastries on a pâte feuilletée base. The choux are filled with crème chiboust and the cake is finished with whipped cream. Lots of calories here, but who is counting? After samples were distributed, I sneaked back for another bite!

Cyril Rouquet
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

I will continue the saga of my day at the Paris Cookbook Fair tomorrow! I still have to reveal the amazing technique that I learned for making Bad Piggies’ Scrambled Eggs.

The Paris Cookbook Fair will run through Sunday, March 11.

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Tags: Adrien Auroy, Chakall, Coreff, Cyril Rouquet, Festival du Livre Culinaire, Food on the Silk Road, Grapes in the Glass, James McIntosh, Jimmy Yang Jimei, Paris Cookbook Fair, Teresa Severini Zaganelli
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My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part I

March 8th, 2012

I attended the Paris Cookbook Fair today. For me, the fun took place at the food and beverage stands and the cooking demonstrations.

I saw Virginia Willis, a chef from Atlanta, Georgia, give a cooking demonstration on how to make a dish of shrimp and grits. Her latest cookbook is called Back to Basics, Y’All.

Chef Virginia Willis of Atlanta, Georgia
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

I met cook, writer, instructor, and food geek Vivian Pei.

Vivian Pei
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

I met award-winning authors Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, whose latest book is called Food Lover’s Guide to Wine.

Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

And I purchased a kilo of coffee beans roasted in Sardinia from Amerigo Murgia, whose company Tradizione Italiana supplies kitchen equipment, espresso machines, and Italian-roast coffee beans to restaurants in the city.

Amerigo Murgia
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Tomorrow I will write about other people whom I met and reveal the amazing technique for making Bad Piggies’ Scrambled Eggs.

The Paris Cookbook Fair will run through Sunday, March 11.

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Tags: Amerigo Murgia, Andrew Dornenburg, Festival du Livre Culinaire, Food Lover’s Guide to Wine, Karen Page, Paris Cookbook Fair, Tradizione Italiana, Virginia Willis, Vivian Pei
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A Visit to La Bigoudène Café

March 7th, 2012

Two weeks ago I attended a demonstration of crêpe and galette-making at La Bigoudène Café in the nearby town of Saint-Denis.

The café is located next to the Basilica of Saint Denis, and from the café’s terrace one has a nice view of this historic edifice. Upon entering the café, I joined the group that was listening to the proprietor, Rudy, giving a presentation on the fine art of making crêpes and galettes.

The first thing I learned was that these pancakes are a Breton tradition. Indeed, “Bigoudène” is the name of an area that lies in Brittany on the westernmost part of mainland France.

Rudy Barriou Making a Galette au Blé Noir
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Rudy talked first about the galette, a thin pancake that is made from buckwheat flower, called blé noir or sarrasin in French. Despite its name, buckwheat is not wheat and, moreover, is gluten free. He cooked up a batch of galettes on his griddle and distributed them to each of us. I liked the savory, nutty flavor of this pancake.

Rudy then talked about crêpes, a thin pancake made with ordinary wheat flour. Wheat flour produces a pancake that is soft and chewy and more malleable than buckwheat. The crêpes Rudy distributed were flavored with sugar and butter. These are the type of pancake that Americans are familiar with when they purchase them from crêpe stands in Paris. Rudy then cooked up another batch flavored with chocolate. Delectable!

During the preparation of the pancakes, I noted that Rudy used three large, round griddles: the first for cooking the pancake on one side, the second for cooking the other side, and the third for adding finishing touches (butter, sugar, chocolate, jam…). This is a nice set-up, because it permits the cook to work quickly. At most crêpe stands there is room for only one griddle, which slows down production considerably.

Rudy served cider with the pancakes, a Breton tradition. This particular cider was produced from pesticide-free and herbicide-free apples by a family-run enterprise called François Séhédic, located in the commune of Fouesnant in Brittany.

Apart from my enjoyment of the crêpes, galettes, and cider, the presentation was enlightening for me, and I was happy that I had made the effort to take the metro out to Saint-Denis to visit this café.

Bigoudène Café
11, allée des 6 Chapelles
Place Pierre de Montreuil
93200 Saint-Denis
Telephone: 33 (0) 1.56.34.00.04

The Bigoudène Café is on Facebook.

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We participate in Wanderfood Wednesdays. Head over there to explore food from around the world!

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Tags: Basilica of Saint Denis, Brittany, cider, crêpes, galettes, La Bigoudène Café, Saint Denis
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Ever Wonder How They Do It?

March 6th, 2012

Washing the Inverted Glass Pyramid
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Have you ever wondered how the inverted glass pyramid in the Carrousel du Louvre gets cleaned? The answer is, “Very carefully!”

I happened by the Carrousel du Louvre today and saw two workmen suspended inside the pyramid washing the glass, while two other workmen stood on the glass base as they cleaned it. For the two inside, it was a tedious job to stabilize themselves with mountain-climbing gear while hanging from the guy-wires. Give me a desk job over this any time!

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Tags: Carrousel du Louvre, inverted pyramid, Louvre, window washing
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Tasting Chocolates Made by Vincent Guerlais

February 29th, 2012

The other day we entered our favorite chocolate boutique—Mococha on rue Mouffetard—where the owner Marie Gantois immediately announced some wonderful news. She was featuring the products of Vincent Guerlais, a chocolate maker in the town of Nantes, and would we like to try some? We purchased a small box containing twelve pieces of assorted ganaches and pralinés and took them home to taste.

As soon as we bit into the first chocolate, we knew that Marie had a winner. Each had a firm, yet delicate shell, and the interiors were smooth (ganaches) or crunchy (pralinés). We both liked the one named Ganache infusée au thé earl-grey. Although I found the flavor of tea a bit too subtle, Monique thought it was prominent, yet not overpowering. The Praliné fleur de sel contained delightfully crunchy salt particles mixed into a soft hazelnut purée. Gianduja noisette et noix de coco contained grated coconut suspended in gianduja, a chocolate-hazelnut paste. Although gianduja and coconut are an unusual combination, we found the flavor to be heavenly. Monique’s favorite was the Grand cru pur Madagascar, a single-origin dark-chocolate ganache that she found to be buttery and slightly fruity.

For the last three years in a row, Vincent Guerlais has won the Meilleur Chocolatier Français award conferred by the Club des Croqueurs de Chocolat. Marie will feature the chocolates in her shop until the end of April.

Vincent Guerlais has two shops in Nantes:

11, rue Franklin
Tel.: 02.40.08.08.79

Marché de Talensac
Tel.: 02.40.35.49.02

Mococha is located at 89, rue Mouffetard in Paris. The telephone number is 01.47.07.13.66.

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We participate in Wanderfood Wednesdays. Head over there to explore food from around the world!

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Tags: chocolate, ganache, gianduja, Mococha, praliné, rue Mouffetard, Vincent Guerlais
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Paris Insights - The Blog

My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part V

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

My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part III

My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part II

My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part I

A Visit to La Bigoudène Café

Ever Wonder How They Do It?

Tasting Chocolates Made by Vincent Guerlais

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