Jours des Patrimoine, Jacques Genin, Street Food Temple, Jam

It was rainy and overcast Sunday in Paris.

But that didn't stop Parisians turning out early for the weekend of Jours des Patrimoines.

I went to nearby Hotel de Ville thanks to Jeannie's suggestion. She went last year and said it was terrific.

The entry line moved fast. Plus a jazzy Dixie land band serenaded us in the drizzle.

Hotel de Ville was a good choice to explore.

Very grand and you could visit all three floors.

You could also lounge and relax in the very fine tapestry chairs.

Or chat with the artisans who repair those chairs.

And check out all the innards.

Or chat with the ateliers caring for the parquet floors.

And the carers of the multitude of chandeliers.

Post visit to Hotel de Ville I headed up rue de turenne to the big Street Food fair...

The fair just happened to be a turnoff near patisserie Jacques Genin so. Impossible not to go in for a quick browse right? And finally after browsing for a good 4 years i decided it was time to taste his famed tarte au citron. No desserts were on display but what the heck. Two French guys were in front of me, trying to decide what they wanted, which was taking HOURS so I nodded to the vendeuse and asked if they had the tarte citron? She nodded yes they did and ran off to get me one (from I don't know where they are are hidden). When you get a dessert at Genin you also get to pick out a FREE chocolate of your choice! Yahoo.

Outside I stopped for one bite. 

I had to put my spoon down (never leave the house in Paris without a spoon by the way). Sheer astonishment. Not only was Genin's citron tarte the best I've tasted in Paris, it's up there in the Pantheon of best tastes in Paris. I kid you not. 

I even ate the crust - a record. It seemed criminal not to eat the tarte intact as it was meant to be eaten. This is an absolute Must-Do in Paris PBers!

On to the Street Food Temple with a somewhat dampened appetite.

My appetite was dampened further when I saw the LONG lines to purchase jetons to buy the food. Huh?

Even longer lines of jeton-holders waiting to buy food which was cooked to order I guess.

I was not the least bit enticed to get on the lines I gotta admit.

The interior of the Carreau du Temple IS spectacular and reminded me of the Victorian pavillion for  salon du chats.

Outside the halle you did not have to get on any lines to buy Real food straight from producteurs of the Ile de France.

At the annual Fall Manger Local held in the same space.

I bought champignon de Paris from the same mushroom lady as last year.

I made a big study of the jam people at Manger Local, since October's Paris Sketch Letter is going to be jam-oriented. Uh oh...

Have you ever tasted confiture abricot-Brugnon? You have not lived PBers. On the label it says the jam will keep until 23/07/2017. What a joke. Are they kidding?

Rennes day trip with Chef Charlotte Puckette

I've been longing to go to Brittany since I landed in France.

When Charlotte Puckette  asked if I'd like to join on a day-trip to the marché des Lices in Rennes I jumped. She's researching butter for her French ingredients cookbook.

We were both researching sunshine and Rennes a 2-hour train ride from Paris, has plenty of it.

Marché des Lices is huge - 2 big buildings surrounded by outdoor venders.

You'll find the butter inside. I didn't know most Parisian patissieres prefer beurre de Charante though Brittany is famous for its butter. 

The Charante's Ile de Ré has salt too like Brittany's Fleur de sel de Guerande. Honestly when you're food shopping in France don't leave home without an Atlas de la France Gourmande or else forgetaboutit.

I was ready to dive into this vat of créme fraiche since I've just discovered the stuff. But Charlotte said no. *The label on the vat indicated 'industrial' not 'artisanal' (made in a place with less than 50 workers) so a big NO.

Instead Charlotte bought crème fraiche from a no-name vat. We both bought his hand-made salted butter. I just noticed a tag on it says '19 12'. Does this mean I have only 10 days to polish this off?

Mont d'Or is the cheese French people eat especially at Christmas. You just dip a spoon into it.

Note crystalized salt on the outside of this perfectly aged Gouda. Keep an eye out for that. Every minute was a lesson with Chef C.

Did this vender tell his assistant,

'Wear your best Pieter Bruegel outfit for the marché!"

They could have stepped out of this painting 🖼️ 

Fromager Beillevaire was at the marché

I bought this 'p'tit plateau' of 4 cheeses plus their barratte butter. I am loaded with butter 🧈 

Outdoors fresh and kicking seafood looked amazing.

Yet no one was selling it ready-to-eat on the spot. I could have downed these Coquilles St.-Jacques (scallops).

An oyster seller from Cancale displayed a few plates of oysters.

They were probably just decoration.

The vender was happy to open a half dozen for me for a mere 6 € or was it 3€?

He used this handy tool to grip them.

Eaten icy and deliciously fresh in the cold air - no oysters ever tasted better.

☺️ 

Their fresh moules samples were tasty too.

The Bouchot mussels come from nearby Mont St. Michel - they're small and sweet.

We were lucky to find the only seafood place near the marché - a moulerie, L'Abri du Marché.

When I spotted the waiter carrying the 'formule' of the day (8.80€) my decision was made. Charlotte had them with creme. I tasted my first Breton cider from Loic Raison. I'm hooked.

Perfection.

I ordered a crepe since that's what you  eat in Brittany.

It was lacy as any Breton's lacy cap. I was full of moules and happy as a clam. Where are you going next Charlotte? I'm in. Now I'll go butter 🧈 my toast with 3 kinds of butter.