Archive for March, 2014

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Wednesday, March 26th, 2014
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Mosaïque US Hot Dog

Just across the street from the Censier-Daubenton metro station in the 5th arrondissement stands a tiny hot-dog stand that sells the best American-style hot dogs we have ever found in Paris.

The soft, ultra-fresh bun cradles a tender wiener that practically melts in the mouth when bitten into. This is the best part that I remember about eating hot dogs in the U.S.A.—they are so soft that they only require a few quick chews to devour them. It’s almost as easy as inhaling!

We added genuine American mustard, slices of dill pickle, relish, and fried onion flakes to embellish our dogs. What a trip down memory lane!

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Photoshoot at the Luxembourg Garden

Saturday, March 22nd, 2014
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Photoshoot of Monique in the Luxembourg Garden

Photoshoot of Monique in the Luxembourg Garden
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

When a freelance journalist working for the Ohio State Alumni Magazine wanted to photograph our own Monique Y. Wells for the article that he is preparing about her, we took him to the Luxembourg Garden for the beautiful backdrop that it provides.

Click here to learn about our tour entitled Black History in and Around the Luxembourg Garden: http://discoverparis.net/entree-to-black-paris-most-popular-walking-tours

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Memory of Color – A Group Exhibition

Friday, March 21st, 2014
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Monique and I attended an art exhibit yesterday evening.

Floor Work by Unknown Artist

Floor Work by Unknown Artist
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

On the first floor, we came upon a horizontal work by an unknown artist.

Dyed Fabrics by Unknown Artist

Dyed Fabrics by Unknown Artist
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

In a small room nearby hung some dyed fabrics.

Ceramics by Unknown Artist

Ceramics by Unknown Artist
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

On the top floor, ceramic works were displayed.

Margherita Muriti from Venise Italy

Margherita Muriti from a town near Venise, Italy
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

And on the top-floor terrace, Margherita Muriti from a town near Venice, Italy served clementines, red Côtes du Rhône wine, and Reissdorf beer.

The exhibition ends this Sunday.

Memory of Color – A Group Exposition
68, rue des Cascades
75020 Paris

Friday: 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Saturday: 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

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Marc’s Blueberry Scones

Wednesday, March 19th, 2014
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Marc's Blueberry Scone

Marc’s Blueberry Scones
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Passing by Les Petits Plats de Marc a few days ago, I spotted a tray of blueberry scones in the window. I purchased two and brought them home to taste.

The scone has a crunchy crust, a light, fluffy interior, and a layer of fresh, unsweetened blueberries in the middle. Monique and I heated them in a small oven and tasted them. So rich, they were delicious without butter!

What’s the difference between scones and biscuits? According to information that I gleaned from the Internet, scones are made with cream, while biscuits are not. The former are served with jam or jelly while the latter are served with gravy.

Marc’s restaurant is one of the stops that we make during our gourmet walking tour entitled The Street Market on Rue Mouffetard.

Les Petits Plats de Marc
6 Rue de l’Arbalète
75005 Paris
Telephone: 01.43.36.60.79

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A Visit to the French Overseas Departments at the Paris International Agriculture Show — Part III

Saturday, March 15th, 2014
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The city of Paris hosted its 51st International Agriculture Show this year from February 22 to March 2. I showed up on the mornings of the third and fourth days with camera in hand to see what would be interesting to photograph. And I found a lot!

Joël from Guadeloupe

Joël from Guadeloupe
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.

I met Joël from Guadeloupe who was selling spirits at the stand that was promoting alcoholic beverages from that French overseas department.

Raymond Displaying a Bottle of Darboussier Rum from Guadeloupe

Raymond Displaying a Bottle of Darboussier Rum from Guadeloupe
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Nearby, I purchased a bottle of Darboussier – Rhum VieuxHors d’Ages from Raymond. My wife loves rum and her birthday was coming up, so I thought that this would be the ideal time to buy something special. Hors d’ages is a blend of very old rums that have been aged in oak casks.

Thierry Elie and His Staff

Thierry Elie and His Staff
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I was lucky to arrive at the cooking stand just as Thierry Elie, president of Les Toques Blanches de Martinique and his staff were posing for a photograph. I didn’t get a chance to taste the food that they were preparing, though, because I wanted to keep moving from stand to stand.

Guillaume - Dany - Yannis

Guillaume – Dany – Yannis
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Giovanni Lauret from La Réunion

Giovanni Lauret
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I walked over to the Reunion Island stand where I met four young men from that far-away land, located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. The three men in the top picture were there to give information about the plant extracts (essential oils) that were on display. Giovanni, in the bottom picture, was there to promote tourism. He told me that there are lots of attractive women on the beaches of Reunion Island, one of the top reasons for going there in my mind.

Janick Ancete - La Bonne Crêpe

Janick Ancete – La Bonne Crêpe
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

My most memorable experience was at La Bonne Crêpe stand where Chef Janick Ancete whipped up a rum and banana crêpe for me. The crêpe is a traditional pancake from Brittany, but here at La Bonne Crêpe Chef Janick gives a Martinican twist by making them with banana flour. He uses Clement rum from Martinique on his rum-flavored crêpes. Delicious! In fact, so delicious that I decided to order a second crêpe, this time made with Elot chocolate (a locally-produced chocolate). Delicious again!

Grégory Langeron - Janick Ancete - La Bonne Crêpe

Grégory Langeron and Janick Ancete
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Chef Janick’s partner is his cousin Grégory Langeron. Their crêpe stand was recommended to me by two different sources that day, so when I showed up, I knew that I was in for a treat.

I left the agricultural fair with good memories of the people I met and the products that I tasted there. I look forward to returning next year!

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Disco Is Back!

Thursday, March 13th, 2014
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Tom in Disco Pose

Tom in Disco Pose
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Our intrepid blogger tries out his disco steps on one of the dance floors at the Great Black Music exposition that is taking place through August 24 at the Cité de la Musique.

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Darboussier Rum

Wednesday, March 12th, 2014
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Darboussier Rum <i>hors d'ages</i>

DarboussierRhum Vieux
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

At the recent Salon International de l’Agriculture, I purchased a bottle of Darboussier Rhum Vieux from the spirits stand of the French overseas department of Guadeloupe. The rum was labeled “hors d’ages,” and the vendor told me that it was ten years old.

Darboussier is a blend of old rums that have been aged in oak. The color of amber, it emitted a sugary aroma of caramel, banana, and vanilla when I opened the bottle. Initially harsh on the palette, it softened as we swirled it in its glass.

We hope to gather more information about this rum at the Rhum Fest Paris that will be held at the Parc Floral de Paris on April 6 and 7.

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A Visit to the French Overseas Departments at the Paris International Agriculture Show — Part II

Tuesday, March 11th, 2014
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The city of Paris hosted its 51st International Agriculture Show this year from February 22 to March 2. I showed up on the mornings of the third and fourth days with camera in hand to see what would be interesting to photograph. And I found a lot!

Aurelia - Paoline -Gwen

Aurelia – Paoline – Gwen
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Florence and Christ-Laur

Florence and Christ-Laur
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

I met five lovely ladies at two different stands that represented French Guiana, a French overseas department located on the north Atlantic coast of South America. All five women hail from Guiana and live in Paris.

Marie-Hélène

Marie-Hélène
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Marie-Hélène, from New Caledonia, represented that French territory, which is located in the southwest Pacific Ocean east of Australia. She is currently a student in the town of Limoges in central France.

Naoilou Yahaya

Naoilou Yahaya
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Naoilou Yahaya is manager of fruit promotion at the Chamber of Agriculture in Mayotte, a French overseas department located in the Indian Ocean between the African continent and Madagascar.

Thierry Elie and Babette de Rozières

Thierry Elie and Babette de Rozières
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

And over at the cooking stand, Thierry Elie, president of Les Toques Blanches de Martinique, and Babette de Rozières, popular television chef and author of several cookbooks, were engaged in animated conversation about the dishes that Chef Elie and his staff were preparing. Chef Elie hails from Martinique and Babette, who moved to Paris at the age of 17, from Guadeloupe.

To be continued…

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A Visit to the French Overseas Departments at the Paris International Agriculture Show — Part I

Thursday, March 6th, 2014
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The city of Paris hosted its 51st International Agriculture Show this year from February 22 to March 2. I showed up on the mornings of the third and fourth days with camera in hand to see what would be interesting to photograph. And I found a lot!

French Overseas Departments

I initially thought that I would go from pavilion to pavilion and take pictures of this and that, but when I arrived, I realized from the immensity of the show that it would take days to explore. There were farm animals of all kinds, including cows, horses, pigs, goats, sheep, and chickens, as well as domestic cats and dogs. Then there was also an immense vegetable exhibit. What to do?

I made my way up to the second floor of Pavilion 7, where the agricultural products of France, region by region, were on display. I reckoned that there would be tasty things to try and that people from the regions would be on hand to explain their products to me. Even then, remembering that France has twenty-six regions, I realized that it would be impossible to explore all that was there. I decided to devote my time exploring one of the regions that I had a little familiarity with, the French Overseas Departments.

France has five overseas departments, and I found all of them there: Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Reunion Island, and Mayotte. I also found New Caledonia, a French overseas territory.

Janine Salomon of Panier des Iles

Janine Salomon of Panier des Iles
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Bouquet of Tropical Flowers

Bouquet of Tropical Flowers
Photography by www.DiscoverParis.net

One of the first persons I met was Janine Salomon who had flown in from Martinique to display her beautiful flowers. I purchased a bouquet and took them home to present to my wife, Monique, in advance of her birthday. Madame Salomon has a flower shop in the town of Ducos in Martinique called Panier des Iles.

Daniel Ambroise - Tropicales Fleurs

Daniel Ambroise of Tropicales Fleurs
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

Nearby was a stand called Tropicales Fleurs, attended by Daniel Ambroise from Guadeloupe. He looked quite dapper the way he was dressed, so I asked if I could take his photo. I later searched through the Web site of the salon to try to find the name of his shop. I wanted to post information about it, but couldn’t find any listing. The big frustration at this agricultural show is the map that is distributed to attendees and posted on the walls of the pavilions—it is practically useless for finding anything. The search function on the agriculture show’s Web site is almost as useless, but with diligence I was able to find information about other exhibitors.

Anne-Sophie and Joan from Guadeloupe

Anne-Sophie and Joan from Guadeloupe
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

At a stand touting the benefits of bananas from Guadeloupe and Martinique, I met Anne-Sophie and Joan.  They are both from Guadeloupe and live in Paris. Note the image of a banana to the right of Joan—it’s sporting a beret! Yes, Guadeloupe and Martinique are part of France, just as Hawaii is part of the U.S.

To be continued…

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Vanibel Coffee from Guadeloupe

Wednesday, March 5th, 2014
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Vanibel Coffee from Guadeloupe

Vanibel Coffee from Guadeloupe
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net

At the recent International Agriculture Show in Paris, I had the occasion to purchase a 250g bag of 100% Arabica, whole-bean Vanibel coffee, labeled “Guadeloupe Bonifieur.”

Back at my place, brewed in a French press, it exuded rich, smooth, satisfying flavor. In short, it was an extraordinary cup of coffee!

From what I can determine from browsing the Internet, the word bonifieur is not an official classification, apparently because the quality of production differs from producer to producer. One source that I found declares that the name bonifieur (improver) comes from the name given to the polishing machine that is used to remove the silver skins from the coffee beans and to give them extra polish. In any case, production of this coffee is limited and I was fortunate to come across it at the agriculture salon in Paris. I doubt that I will ever find it for sale in Paris again at the price that I paid, which was only 10€ for a 250g bag.

Vanibel is a small plantation in Guadeloupe located on the southwest coast of the island of Basse-Terre near a small village called Vieux Habitants. As well as growing coffee, the Vanibel estate rents bungalows to travelers seeking respite from the bustle of big tourist areas.

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