Archive for February, 2014

Chocolat Elot from Martinique

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014
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Chocolat ELOT 450w

At the recent Salon International d’Agriculture, I acquired a 100g bar of chocolate, called Chocolat Elot, that is manufactured in Martinique. Containing a minimum of 42% cocoa, the bar is made from cocoa from Martinique and Trinidad, vanilla, and cane sugar.

Dark-brown in color, the bar has a dull-luster finish and a pleasant sweet-chocolate aroma. It does not melt quickly in the mouth, but rather provides firm resistance to the bite. Its texture is grainy, like fine sand. As for its flavor, it is sweet, intense, and earthy. This is an enjoyable chocolate bar to eat, especially if one has a preference for sweet, rather than bitter-sweet, chocolate.

Special thanks to Janick Ancete, chef of La Kaz’ à Crêpes, for providing this chocolate bar.

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Tasting Belvedere Wine from the Mercouri Estate

Wednesday, February 19th, 2014
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Belvedere

Belvedere by Mercouri Estate
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

At the wine tasting of Mercouri Estate wines that we attended at Mavrommatis two weeks ago, we purchased a bottle of Belvedere, a sweet white wine, and took it home to try.

Belvedere is produced from Malvasia Aromatica grapes. After the harvest, the grapes are allowed to dry in the sun for roughly five to eight days. After pressing and fermentation, the wine is aged for twelve months in new French oak casks. The 500cl bottle that we purchased is from the 2010 production, only 700 of which were produced in that year.

We chilled the wine and then tasted it. A clear, golden wine with brilliant reflections, it has a fruity-sweet aroma of ripe pear and butterscotch. On the palate it is quite sweet, yet at the same time slightly tart.

This is a great wine to serve for dessert.

Mavrommatis
49, rue Censier
75005 Paris

Mercouri Estate
Korakochori Ilias
27100 Greece

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American History Day Trips near Paris – Part II
By Anna Eklund-Cheong

Saturday, February 15th, 2014
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Escadrille Lafayette Memorial

Escadrille Lafayette Memorial
Photograph Courtesy of Eric Hian-Cheong

In Part I of this blog, we read about the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial on Mont Valérien, which lies only a few minutes by train outside of Paris. Today, we explore the Mémorial de L’Escadrille LaFayette that was built to honor the volunteer American pilots who flew and died for France in WWI, before the U.S. officially entered the war in 1917. It is found at the Parc de Villeneuve-L’Etang in the town of Marnes-la-Coquette, a little farther west than the Suresnes Cemetery.

Before leaving Paris to visit the Escadrille memorial, pack a lunch! You may well want to picnic in the Parc de Villeneuve-L’Etang—there are many species of birds and water fowl living around a small lake there. It’s only a 20- to 25-minute trip on the train from Gare Saint Lazare to the Garches-Marnes-la-Coquette station. From there, it’s a 10-minute walk to the park entrance and the memorial.

At the site, you’ll discover a large and richly decorated, white stone triumphal arch with carved, relief likenesses of George Washington and Lafayette.  A colorful mosaic of the squadron’s insignia is under the arch.  The pilots’ tombs are beneath the monument.  On a sunny day, if you go down the stairs and peek through the doors of the crypt, you’ll be able to glimpse the remarkable stained-glass windows that line the crypt walls, illustrating some of the famous air battles.

The exploits of the pilots of the Lafayette Squadron were featured in a 2006 film Flyboys, starring James Franco (rated PG-13).  The New England Air Museum has published some of the content of its exhibit on the squadron here.

Read more about the memorial (in French) here.

Anna Eklund-Cheong, a resident of France since 2000, gives tours on Franco-American history in Paris; a pair were offered through WICE last fall; two more will be offered through the American Women’s Group this spring. She’s recently started a Web site/blog that gives voice to her creative heart, as well as a Facebook page.

Photographs by Eric Hian-Cheong can be viewed at Eric Hian-Cheong Photography.

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Tasting Mercouri Estate Wine at Mavrommatis

Wednesday, February 12th, 2014
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Last Thursday we attended a wine tasting hosted by Mavrommatis, a wine cave on rue Censier in the 5th arrondissement. There, we met Vassilis Kanellakopoulos and his son Dimitris, who were exhibiting a number of wines from their vineyard in Greece.

Dimitris Kanellakopoulos (left) - Monique Y. Wells (center) - Vassilis Kanellakopoulos (right)

From left to right:
Dimitris Kanellakopoulos – Monique Y. Wells – Vassilis Kanellakopoulos

Photography by www.DiscoverParis.net

Vassilis Kanellakopoulos is managing director of the Mercouri Estate, a vineyard in the Western Peloponnese on the plateau of the Ichthis peninsula. About 150 years ago, founder Theodoros Mercouri purchased the land and planted Refosco grape-cuttings that he brought back from Northern Italy. Today, the fourth generation Kanellakopoulos brothers, Vassilis and Christos, continue the family tradition.

Vassilis Kanellakopoulos

Vassilis Kanellakopoulos
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

As a young man, Mr. Kanellakopoulos did not enter directly into the family’s wine-making business. Instead, he studied civil engineering at Athens Technical University and then earned a Master’s degree at Surrey University in Guildford near London. He returned to Greece where he worked for a few years as an engineer. At some point, he returned to the family property where he and his brother replanted, renovated, expanded, and transformed the vineyard into a modern winery. Today, they produce 120,000 bottles of wine per year from a total area of 16 hectares.

Mercouri

Domaine Mercouri
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Mr. Kanellakopoulos poured several wines at the event. The first red that he served was the basic wine of the estate, the Domaine Mercouri. Produced from Refosco and Mavrodaphne grapes, it is aged twelve months in French oak casks, and then bottled and allowed to mature for several more months.

I was impressed by its assertive red-fruit and leathery aroma. Dark red-purple in color, it is medium-bodied and dry, but not too tannic. Monique declared that she detected a slight “fizz” on the tongue. We purchased a bottle and paired it with sautéed breast of duck the following evening. It was a perfect match!

I will describe another wine that we purchased that day in another blog. Stay tuned…

Mavrommatis
49, rue Censier
75005 Paris

Mercouri Estate
Korakochori Ilias
27100 Greece

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American History Day Trips near Paris – Part I
By Anna Eklund-Cheong

Friday, February 7th, 2014
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American Cemetery in Suresnes

American Cemetery in Suresnes
Photograph Courtesy of Eric Hian-Cheong

It’s 2014, and the history buffs among us know this year marks the 100th anniversary of the onset of WWI.  It’s also the 70th anniversary year of the D-Day landings on Normandy’s beaches during WWII.  There are several interesting historical sites in Ile-de-France (and the surrounding area) that lend themselves well to day trips or weekend getaways related to these two “shared” wars. We’ll consider one of these memorials in Part I of the blog and two others in an upcoming Part II.

Almost every town in France has a small memorial to its “native sons” (and daughters) who died for their country in The Great War:  a plaque engraved with their names in the town church; a monument, statue, or sculpture erected to their memory in a central town square.  They were literally The Lost Generation, in the saddest sense. But the French generously memorialized the foreigners who died for France, too—the soldiers who served in the French Foreign Legion, other non-French volunteers, and the Allies who fought under their own flags.  Let’s look at one memorial built to honor Americans near Paris…and consider visiting, or revisiting, it in this centennial year.

American Cemetery and Memorial on Mont Valérien in Suresnes

Many American travelers have visited the sites near Verdun related to the horrific battles of WWI that transpired in the area.  The huge Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, for example, with over 14,000 graves, is the largest American cemetery in Europe.  But I’ll wager that fewer readers have been just five miles west of Paris to visit the lovely and peaceful site of the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial on Mont Valérien.

Beautiful and moving, the cemetery’s chapel (open to the public) is the focal point for paying homage to over 1500 American servicemen and women who died in the Paris area during WWI, including a pair of brothers, a pair of sisters, and seven nurses.  Row upon row of bright white marble grave markers illuminate the sacrifices made to save France.  Stop by the office during open hours and the American superintendant will be happy to answer your questions and tell you about the most interesting features and stories.  [Personal note:  I attended the Veteran’s Day (November 11) wreath-laying ceremony in 2013 with my sons’ old Boy Scouts of America troop (BSA Troop 112, Paris, France).  I was touched by the solemnity of the annual event and the brief addresses of honor given by the French and American civil and military officials who were there.]

To reach the site via public transport, take a train from Gare Saint Lazare to the Suresnes-Mont Valérien station (a 15- to 20-minute trip) and then walk ten minutes to the front gate.  The site is also served by bus from some Paris neighborhoods, such as Auteuil.  There is a panoramic view of Paris from the plateau across the street. Memorials to France’s fallen WWII heroes dot the hillside.

For more details, see the American Battle Monuments Commission Web site.  The 5-minute video on the homepage gives an inspiring overview of all of the ABMC sites around the world.

Anna Eklund-Cheong, a resident of France since 2000, gives tours on Franco-American history in Paris; a pair were offered through WICE last fall; two more will be offered through the American Women’s Group this spring.  She’s recently started a Web site/blog that gives voice to her creative heart, as well as a Facebook page.

Photographs by Eric Hian-Cheong can be viewed at Eric Hian-Cheong Photography.

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Looking to Buy Property in Paris?

Thursday, February 6th, 2014
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We were recently invited to an open house to view a six-level, 2,800 sq ft residence in the 14th arrondissement. Located in a quiet neighborhood, the habitation was built in the striking architectural style of villas designed by Le Corbusier in the 1930s.

With four bedrooms, three baths, four terraces, and a garden, the spaciousness of this house imparted a sense of quietude the moment that we stepped through the front door.

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.

View of Terrace

View of Terrace

View of Living Room

View of Living Room

View of Kitchen

View of Kitchen

View of Bedroom

View of Bedroom

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A Lesson in Marshmallow Making

Wednesday, February 5th, 2014
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Marie-Hélène Gantois (left) and Tiphaine Corvez (right)

Marie-Hélène Gantois (left)
Tiphaine Corvez (right)
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Tiphaine Corvez of Tiphaine Chocolat recently gave a marshmallow-making demonstration at Mococha, the chocolate shop of Marie-Hélène Gantois.

Placing Ingredients into a Pot

Placing Ingredients into a Pot
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Tiphaine made two batches: red current and vanilla.

Vanilla-flavored Marshmallow

Vanilla-flavored Marshmallow
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

After the flavoring, glycerin, and sugar were cooked, they were combined with whipped egg white in a mixing bowl.

Pouring Vanilla Marshmallow into Mold

Pouring the Marshmallow into a Mold
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

The finished marshmallow was poured from the bowl into a mold.

Spreading Vanilla Marshmallow in Mold

Spreading the Marshmallow with a Spatula
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Tiphaine carefully leveled the marshmallow with a spatula.

Cutting Marshmallow into Cubes

Cutting Marshmallow into Cubes
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Then, she removed it from the mold and cut it into cubes.

Portrait of a Marshmallow

Portrait of a Marshmallow
Just Seconds Before it Was Popped into the Mouth

Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Eager Fingers Reached for Samples

Eager Fingers Reach for Samples
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Celebrating the Joy of Making Marshmallows

Celebrating the Joy of Making Marshmallows
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

A good time was had by all!

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

Tuesday, February 4th, 2014
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Tom Photographing Le Chasseur d'Ours

Tom Photographing Le Chasseur d’Ours
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

This month’s sculpted fanny was realized in 1893 by Emannuel Frémiet. It is affixed to the façade of the Musée de Paléontologie, rue Buffon.

Follow the link below for a close-up view!

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/411586853417338114/

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