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A Visit to the Marché de Saint-Denis – Part V

April 8th, 2012

Mathilde Christnacht and Rudy Barious
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

After Philippe finished his shopping, he returned to the restaurant with his groceries to begin preparation of the lunchtime service. Mathilde and I stayed at the market a while longer, as there was one more thing that she wanted me to see.

Mathilde took me over to the crêperie stand that was operated by Rudy Barious. I blogged about his shop La Bigoudène Café back in March and was both surprised and happy to find him here cooking up crêpes for early-morning shoppers!

Rudy Making Sarrasin Crêpe with Chestnut Honey
Photo by DiscoverParis.net

I ordered a sarrasin (buckwheat) crêpe with chestnut honey. Rudy advised me that the honey would taste slightly bitter, but I didn’t change my mind.

Indeed, the crêpe did taste bittersweet. However, I enjoyed the rustic, earthy flavor of the buttered buckwheat crêpe with chestnut honey. A delicious combination!

That ended my morning with Philippe and Mathilde at the Saint-Denis market. There is so much more to see! I’ll return soon.

Marché de Saint-Denis
Place Victor Hugo
93200 Saint-Denis
Open Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Métro: Basilique de Saint-Denis (Line 13)

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Tags: La Bigoudène, Marché de Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis food market
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A Visit to the Marché de Saint-Denis – Part IV

April 7th, 2012

Philippe and Nadine at the Delicatessen Stand

Philippe and Nadine at the Boiton Rabain Delicatessen Stand
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Our final stop was at the butcher-delicatessen stand called Boiton Rabain. Philippe purchased 5 kilograms of tripe from this vendor, whose family origins trace back to the Auvergne region in central France.

The sign behind Nadine declares that the products are artisanal (that is, not industrially produced). Nadine gave me a few slices of saucisse sèche maison (house-made dried sausage) to sample. It was delicious!

Laurent and Nadine at the Boiton Rabain Charcuterie Stand

Laurent and Nadine at the Boiton Rabain Delicatessen Stand
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

It was at this point that Nadine saw my camera. She started cutting up to make us laugh, turning an ordinary shopping excursion into a theatrical experience!

Nadine
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Doesn’t she look like a Hollywood movie star?

Nadine and Philippe
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

The height of her playfulness came when she gave Philippe a sweet caress. Oh, lucky man!

Tomorrow: I buy a buckwheat crêpe from La Bigodène crêpe stand.

Marché de Saint-Denis
Place Victor Hugo
93200 Saint-Denis
Open Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Métro: Basilique de Saint-Denis (Line 13)

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Tags: Boiton Rabain, Marché de Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis food market
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A Visit to the Marché de Saint-Denis – Part III

April 6th, 2012

During the Middle Ages, an enormous market called La Foire du Lendit was held every year just outside of Saint-Denis. From June 11 to June 24, it attracted buyers and sellers from all over Europe. In 1556, King Henri II moved it within the city walls, where the modern Marché de Saint-Denis continues the market tradition today.

Philippe Rochette Buys Parsley at the Aromatic Herb Stand
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Zohire Sells Aromatic Herbs
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

We stopped at the aromatic herb stand where Philippe purchased a bunch of parsley. Aziz, the proprietor (not pictured), offered me a bunch of fresh mint. I took it home and brewed it in hot water. With a little sugar added, it produced a refreshing hot mint tea.

Harry at Tripe Stand
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Although Philippe didn’t buy any provisions at the tripe stand, he introduced me to Harry, who works there.

Michel at Maison Haësig Meat Stand
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

He also introduced me to Michel, who works at the Maison Haësig meat stand. Michel is a butcher in the town of Stans, and comes to the Saint-Denis market on Tuesdays.

Madame Vandezande with Daughter Aurélie at the Vegetable Stand
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Philippe purchased some watercress from Madame Vandezande. She and her husband cultivate vegetables in L’Oise, a département in the Picardie region of France. What a great privilege to be able to buy products fresh from the farm at the Saint-Denis market!

Join me tomorrow, when we finish our grocery shopping with a crêpe and a caress!

Marché de Saint-Denis
Place Victor Hugo
93200 Saint-Denis
Open Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Métro: Basilique de Saint-Denis (Line 13)

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Tags: Maison Haësig, Marché de Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis food market
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A Visit to the Marché de Saint-Denis – Part II

April 5th, 2012

During my market visit with Philippe Rochette, I learned that he does not plan in advance the dishes that he serves at his restaurant on any particular day. Instead, he goes around the market to see what the vendors are selling and determines on the spot what he will prepare.

Philippe Rochette at the Stand of Pascal Vavasseur

Philippe Rochette at the Fruit Stand of Pascal Vavasseur
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Madame Vavasseur
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Our first stop was at the fruit stand of Pascal Vavasseur, who sells products straight from his orchard in Val-d’Oise. Philippe purchased a sack of Starkinson apples for only 1€ a kilogram! Jonagold apples were selling for the same price.

Les Volailles des Prés
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

At the next stand, Philippe stopped to buy eggs and free-range guinea fowl. The birds came from Chalans in Vendée, an administrative département in west-central France. The producer there won a Bronze Medal in 2011 at the Salon International de l’Agriculture held in Paris.

Buying Beets at Chez Colette
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Philippe selected some nice beets selling for 2.50€/kg at a vegetable stand called Chez Colette. He picked up each one with a two-pronged fork and examined it carefully before putting it in his bag…or rejecting it.

Anne-Laure of La Ferme Sainte-Anne
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Next, we stopped by La Ferme Sainte-Anne where Philippe purchased some Comté, a semi-hard, unpasteurized, cow’s milk cheese from the Franche-Comté region of eastern France.

Join me tomorrow for some more grocery shopping at the Marché de Saint-Denis!

Marché de Saint-Denis
Place Victor Hugo
93200 Saint-Denis
Open Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Métro: Basilique de Saint-Denis (Line 13)

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Tags: Chez Colette, La Ferme Sainte-Anne, Les Volailles des Prés, Marché de Saint-Denis, Pascal Vavasseur, Saint-Denis food market
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A Visit to the Marché de Saint-Denis – Part I

April 4th, 2012

Yesterday found me getting out of bed at 5:45 a.m. to catch a bus and then a metro out to the neighboring town of Saint-Denis for a 7:30 a.m. rendezvous with Mathilde Christnacht of the Seine-Saint-Denis Department of Tourism. I met her and Philippe Rochette for an early-morning tour of the food market there. The purpose of the tour was to watch Philippe, owner and chef of a local restaurant called Chez Rochette, make purchases for his lunchtime service.

Marché de Saint-Denis in the Early-morning Light
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

The Saint-Denis market is located in a handsome 19th century halle that was renovated and brought up to modern standards in 2005. It shelters 80 food stands selling such diverse products as fish, meat, tripe, sausages, fruit, vegetables, and more. Farm-fresh produce comes from the region and beyond. The market is one of the biggest in Ile-de-France!

The first thing that I noticed during the tour was the price of the products. They were certainly much lower than the prices that one finds at the markets in Paris. Only 1€ for a kilogram of Starkinson apples!

And the second thing that I noticed was the camaraderie among the vendors and buyers. There was so much good-natured joking at every stand that within five minutes of arriving I was smiling from ear to ear. This joyous joshing certainly makes grocery shopping in any supermarket akin to attending a funeral!

Philippe Rochette - Tom Reeves - Nicolas Gagnère

Philippe Rochette, Owner of Chez Rochette
Tom Reeves of Paris Insights
Nicolas Gagnère, Maître d'hôtel at Chez Rochette
Photo taken by Mathilde Christnacht

Join me tomorrow when we walk from stand to stand to buy fresh produce!

Marché de Saint-Denis
Place Victor Hugo
93200 Saint-Denis
Open Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Métro: Basilique de Saint-Denis (Line 13)

* * * * * * *

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

Tags: Chez Rochette, Marché de Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis food market
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Not Your Ordinary Chiclets

March 28th, 2012

Elma Classic Chewing Gum
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

We stopped by Mavrommatis, a Greek delicatessen near rue Mouffetard, and purchased a pack of chewing gum called Elma. It is made from mastic, a resin known to the people of the Eastern Mediterranean since Antiquity. It was the first natural chewing gum of the ancient world!

Flavored with mastic oil, the gum has a menthol-like, resinous flavor. It requires more effort to chew than your ordinary Chiclets.

Mavrommatis
47, rue Censier
75005 Paris
Tel.: 01.45.35.96.50

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

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Tags: chewing gum, Elma, Mavrommatis
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Are We the First Anglophones to Review La Cerise sur la Pizza?

March 26th, 2012

La Cerise sur la Pizza
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

Are we the first Anglophones to review La Cerise sur la Pizza? We like to think so!

We think that anyone seeking authentic Italian pizza in Paris will enjoy coming to La Cerise sur la Pizza to dine.

To gain access to this and ninety-nine other restaurant reviews, all you need to do is to sign up at the following link: http://www.parisinsights.com/restaurants.php.

Buon appetito!

To read my review of our fabulous lunch there, as well as to gain access to ninety-nine other restaurant reviews, all you need to do is to sign up at the following link: http://www.parisinsights.com/restaurants.php.

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My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part VI

March 14th, 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.

I stopped at the Brewberry stand to say hello to Cécile Thomas. (I wrote about her cave à bière in my Paris Insights newsletter in December 2011.)

Cécile poured me a Dubbel Bock made by Brouwerij de Molen, a brewery in Holland dedicated to producing craft beers. I was surprised by the strength of the beer and plan to return to her cave to try it again. The brewery has been producing award-winning beers for a number of years now.

Cécile Thomas pours a Dubbel Bock
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

While I was there, three men lined up for a photo opportunity: Alex Barlow, author of All Beer Guide, a book that won the World’s Best Beer Book award (Gourmand, 2010); John Brus, marketing and development for de Molen brewery; and Ales Gacnik (unidentified affiliation), holding a copy of the book and a bottle of Dubbel Bock.

Alex Barlow - John Brus - Ales Gacnik
Photo by www.DiscoverParis.net

This report brings to an end the “My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair” series. It was an exciting event and I look forward to returning next year!

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

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Tags: Ales Gacnik, Alex Barlow, All Beer Guide, Brewberry, Brouwerij de Molen, Cécile Thomas, Festival du Livre Culinaire, John Brus, Paris Cookbook Fair
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Paris Insights - The Blog

A Visit to the Marché de Saint-Denis – Part V

A Visit to the Marché de Saint-Denis – Part IV

A Visit to the Marché de Saint-Denis – Part III

A Visit to the Marché de Saint-Denis – Part II

A Visit to the Marché de Saint-Denis – Part I

Not Your Ordinary Chiclets

Are We the First Anglophones to Review La Cerise sur la Pizza?

My Day at the Paris Cookbook Fair – Part VI

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