Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor, CBS News, called Paris Insights – An Anthology “a true insider’s guide to one of my most favorite cities in the world, written by someone who has lived the special experiences you’ll never find in a guide book.”
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Plaque showing were Ernest Hemingway sat at the bar of the Closerie des Lilas.
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Last Saturday evening we had the occasion to dine with a group of Ohio State University alumni in the upper room of the Closerie des Lilas, a restaurant rich in history. After the dinner, Monique and I descended to the ground floor to see if it was true that there was a plaque marking the spot that American writer Ernest Hemingway occupied when he frequented the bar.
Arriving there, a couple who had just finished their drinks moved away from the seats that they occupied. Spotting the plaque and the empty seats, we decided then and there to sit down, enjoy a cocktail, and relish the moment in this chic place.
But what a price we paid to “relish” the moment—the price of cocktails start at 15€! Taking a deep breath, we each ordered a Kir royal à la fraise des bois.
I guess the adage is true that drinks taste better in Paris, and even better still at the very same spot where Hemingway once sat.
Ernest Hemingway looks down benevolently from above.
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Bartender pouring two 15€ champagne cocktails.
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Proof that we were there.
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Monique and Tom doing their best to relish the 15€/drink champagne moment.
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net
Why we may never go there again.
May Hemingway rest in peace!
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Richart Assorted Ganaches
Photo by Discover Paris!
The chocolate company Richart was founded by Joseph Richart in 1925 in the city of Lyon. Today it is owned by the son, Michel, and has expanded into several franchise boutiques throughout the world, including shops in the United States, Spain, Italy, Morocco, South Korea, and France (with two shops in Paris).
We stopped by the boutique located at 258, boulevard Saint-Germain and purchased a ballotin (small box) of assorted ganaches, or filled chocolates. The company produces seven different types of ganaches, and under the heading of each type, it produces seven varieties. For example, under the “roasted” category, one finds seven different roasted fillings, including grilled almond, grilled coffee, and grilled sesame seed.
Given that seven different varieties of seven different types of ganache equal forty-nine different chocolates, we decided to purchase a small box that contained a small sample of most of the types. For a box of sixteen tiny ganaches, weighing four grams each, we paid 11.90€—roughly $7.50 an ounce! The sixteen pieces of chocolate in our collection represented six of the seven types of ganache: floral, fruity, citrus, roasted, herbal, and spice.
Each piece of chocolate is in the shape of a die, and within the thick walls of each die lies a perfumed filling.
We began with floral, for which there were two varieties: exotic bouquet and violet. The exotic bouquet had a light, gelatinous interior whose flavor was indeed exotic, but we could not precisely identify the taste. The violet ganache had a mild violet flavor.
The two varieties of herbal, matcha tea and star aniseed, had distinctive, identifiable flavors. The matcha tea variety was visually distinctive with a green filling.
Next, we tasted the fruit ganaches of which there were four: current, blueberry, strawberry, and chestnut. The current and blueberry had the strongest, most-distinctive flavors. The strawberry filling had a creamy, pink color and mild flavor. The chestnut filling was weakly flavored, in our opinion.
Citrus was next with two varieties. The bouquet d’Hespéridés (citrus bouquet) had a light, liquid, citrus interior. The orange zest had an assertive flavor, with a light orange-yellow color.
In the roasted selection, there were four varieties. The almond had a light pasty interior; the walnut a creamy paste with an assertive flavor; the pistachio was the least strongly flavored; and the caramel was quite assertive.
Finally, we tasted two varieties of spices. We were pleased that both the cinnamon and the ginger ganaches had pronounced flavors.
At the end of the tasting, we were somewhat disappointed that a number of the chocolate varieties did not have strong, distinctive flavors. However, we realize that had the chocolates been larger, we would have had a better opportunity to taste their fillings.
We think that the chocolates are greatly overpriced! One can find fine-quality, filled chocolates for less at other chocolate shops in Paris.
Chocolate lovers living in the United States can try this tasting themselves by “investing” the rather hefty sum of $25 (plus shipping) for a box of “Selection Ballotin.” (The box sold in the U.S. does not contain the identical selection that we purchased here in Paris.)
Bonne dégustation!
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Greetings Paris Insights readers!
Sir Robyn poses in his dashing costume.
I’m a friend of Tom and a fellow blogger in the City of Light. Unlike Tom, I tend not to blog about anything particularly useful. I’m in favour of strange observations and the occasional laugh on a blog I call “A Canadian in Paris.” Tom graciously invited me to post about a recent event that took place in Paris, specifically in a city located a little way south of Paris called Versailles.
If you are a history buff, you’ll know all about the Palace of Versailles. You’ll know that it was built by Louis the XIV back in the 17th century and construction continued for almost a century. Poor old Louis the XVI was dragged out of there in 1789 and… well if you don’t remember, you can read about him on some history blog.
Since then, the Palace of Versailles has been in the hands of the people of France and currently operates as a museum. Last Saturday, the 9th of July, the Palace of Versailles was host to a masked ball. The venue was the Orangerie, a garden featuring over 200 boxed orange trees situated around a large circular pond. Surrounding the Orangerie were a series of monstrous halls that provided an indoor setting for the gala event. Nearly 2,000 participants showed up in decidedly authentic-looking French garb dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, though the 18th century was the hands-down favourite.
One thing to note is the rarity of this event. Only a few times in the last few centuries have ordinary people been able to party at Versailles. Certainly many tourists visit, but they do not party there. This event was quite unique. In the past decade, the only other parties there were hosted by Jon Galliano (for a royal wedding) and an Indian billionaire with a private guest list. For most of the revellers, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Attached are a few pictures from the event EXCLUSIVE to Paris Insights. You can see more at my own blog, A Canadian in Paris, here: http://blog.canadianinparis.com/2011/07/party-like-its-1789.html.
Enjoy the photos,
Sir Robyn
The halls of the Orangerie are abuzz with anticipation.
Various couples went outside to take and pose for photos.
A couple looks on at a photo shoot. Notice the boxed orange trees behind them.
Military costumes made their way into the party. Some of them were very authentic.
18th century costumes were the favourite of the evening. Despite being billed as a "Viennese" ball, the costumes were decidedly French.
Gariguette Strawberries
(c) Discover Paris!
What would summer in Paris be without strawberries? When this succulent, sweet, bright-to-deep-red fruit appears in the markets, Parisians celebrate the coming of longer days, sunny skies and the promise of slipping away for three to four weeks to the beach or to the French countryside.
Our article on summer strawberries appears in the newly-released abridged edition of our book Paris Insights – An Anthology. And now, for the ridiculously low price of a Tweet, you can download the e-book and read other fascinating things about the Paris that you never knew! Read what is the number one difference between French and American wines in the article entitled “Wining and Dining with Juan Sanchez;” learn about the diversity of worship in the article “Christian Churches in Paris;” and learn why the avenue des Champs-Elysées is an important place in the hearts and minds of Parisians.
Want to learn more about Paris? Click here!
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Independence Day was celebrated yesterday at the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Paris. The theme of the party was “California Cachet,” highlighting California as a tourist destination.
Center: Ambassador Rivkin
Left: His wife Susan
Right: His son William
Ambassador Charles H. Rivkin gave a stirring speech (in admirable French) about his hopes for the spread of democracy throughout the world.
Renée Fleming
American opera star Renée Fleming sang “America the Beautiful,” accompanied by the choir of the American embassy, The Dip Notes (not pictured).
Jenna Ushkowitz
Kevin McHale
Jenna Ushkowitz and Kevin McHale, members of the cast of the American television series Glee, each sang, accompanied by the U.S. Air Force band Check Six.
American filmmaker Zachary Taylor and co-founder of Discover Paris! Monique Y. Wells
Hundreds of invited guests, many of them VIP French, including senators and admirals, attended the party held in the garden of the ambassador’s residence.
Corporate Sponsors
French and American corporate sponsors provided accommodation, food, and beverage. Staff members of the American embassy provided various services, including welcoming the guests.
A good time was had by all!
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Last night saw a big turnout for the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the founding of Richard Nahem’s Eye Prefer Paris insider’s guide to the city.
The event was held at Ô Château! wine bar, where Richard provided a generous number of charcuterie and cheese platters.
Richard Nahem and partner Vincent
Among the attendees were several bloggers, including:
Adrian Leeds of Parler Paris
Yetunde Oshodi of Like Home in Paris
Kim Petyt of Parisian Party
Colleen Shaughnessy-Larsson of Colleen’s Paris
Robyn Blaber of A Canadian in Paris
Monique Y. Wells of Entrée to Black Paris
Photographer Meredith Mullins, salon hostess Patricia Laplante-Collins, and chefs Eric Fraudeau and Diane Anthonissen graced the event.
Olivier Magny
Thirza Vallois
Mary R. Duncan
A number of writers were in attendance, including Ô Château owner Olivier Magny, (Stuff Parisians Like), Thirza Vallois (Around and About Paris), and Mary R. Duncan (Henry Miller is under my bed).
And, of course, yours truly, Tom Reeves was there, mingling with the crowd. The abridged version of my book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, is available on-line for the ridiculously low price of a Tweet. To learn more, follow this link: http://bit.ly/moWTFB.
A good time was had by all!
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From left to right: Benjamin Loiseau, Chef
Cyril Le Gauffey, Manager, Barman, and Co-owner
Sylvin Herrera, Co-owner
Located near the southwest corner of the Luxembourg Garden, the handsome restaurant Les Bistronautes opened its doors just eight months ago. Read our review of this establishment in this month’s Le Bon Goût.
Click here to read brief summary of the July issue, and here to enter a subscription.
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Le Centquatre
Courtesy of Paris Tourist Office
Photo by Amélie Dupont
The City of Paris regularly sponsors remarkable cultural events, and the third edition of “Paris en Toutes Lettres,” a literary festival held from May 5 – 8 this year was no exception. In this month’s Paris Insights, read about the banquet that was held at Le Centquatre and its guests of honor, American writers Jim Harrison and Jay McInerney.
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Bonne Lecture!
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Brûlerie des Gobelins
(c) Discover Paris!
We paid a visit to Maxime, manager of Brûlerie des Gobelins, and watched him roast a batch of coffee beans from Kenya. Click on the image of the video below to see him at work!
I initially wrote about the brûlerie for our Paris Insights newsletter back in 2007. Featuring monthly articles on the culture, history, and contemporary life in Paris, the newsletter recounts our endless fascination for this beautiful city. Click here to read abstracts of our recent articles and here to enter a subscription.
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 | Tom Reeves - author of Paris Insights - An Anthology and Dining Out in Paris - What You Need to Know before You Get to the City of Light. |