What I Ate In France

You won't need lunch today. Just enhale the aromas and forget the calories.
 

I seem to lean towards round foods with red accents like this yuzu tarte from patisserie Arnaud Larher. miam miam
 

Round again but savory - a salmon quiche from Cupcakes Berko plus two little, mini cupcakes - very miam
 

I grated the fromage in these beauties at La Cuisine Paris testing recipes class.
 

At the chateau, Sebastien's sister Amelie demonstrated how to make a Kouign Aman.
 

Beurre plus sucre plus farine = carmelized heaven.
 

Next on the menu I made Shirazi Salade (just cucumbers, tomatos, sweet onion all chopped + lime juice and dried mint) at Tout Sweet owner of the darling Biff.
 

Amelie told me where I could taste real Persian shirazi salad in Paris at restaurant Cheminee. 
 

I always like to stop in at the canteen at Merci 111 bd de Beaumarchais for a healthy salad.
 

I returned for a second helping with Jennyphoria to talk about French visas and other expat chatter. I could eat here everyday I think.
 

D. took me to Italian Ante Prima for a buffet of all veg dishes.
 

Australian expat, Rachel Bajada of French for Foodies had a 7-course dinner. I only made it to the 3rd course before the zzzzzs hit me. The last course was at 3 AM, ahem.This is ravioli of beets with fromage frais et cajou.
 

I can always depend on L. for some sweetness - a flight of 5 ice creams from Pascale le Glacier to taste. Life is tough.
 

These sweets from Les Paris Gourmands on 15, rue des Archives 75004 Don't bite into them. Just wear them.

Truly memorable my victory tea at La Galerie des Gobelins.
 

And of course an Ispahan waiting to be painted.
 

What did Bear eat? Those artisanal potato chips you were all curious about - very YUM
 

Yesterday I was reading Lindsey's Lost in Cheeseland on the choice of becoming a French national or figuring out who she is after living in France 3 years.  I picked up again Sarah Turnbull's Almost French yesterday and she grapples with the same questions of identity. It must be every expat's dilemma. But after looking through what I ate during 3 weeks in France I don't think I'd have a problem deciding.
Remember the dragee from Le Bonbon au Palais?
In ALMOST FRENCH you step into Sarah's shoes and live her life with her French boyfriend in Paris. A vibrant, young Australian journalist, Turnbull makes every faux pas of any foreigner adjusting to France. On one occasion her Frenchman sends her out to get dragée/candied almonds for a celebration. She brings home the wrong color and a huge fuss is made.
White dragee for weddings
Pink for a newborn girl
Blue for a boy etc.
I just popped a dragee in my mouth from Le Bonbon au Palais to celebrate what I ate in France.  
Bon Week-end!
 



 

Fetes Des Meres

Fetes Des Meres, original watercolor

If you live in Paris this Sunday is Fetes Des Meres day or Mother's Day.So you are probably busy rushing around and getting on lines to buy some dragees (candy-coated almonds) for Mum. Pretty cornets of dragee. Dragees are given on every celebratory occasion - weddings, babtisms, you name it. And usually in pastel colors... But Bon Marche had jar after big jar of brilliantly colored dragee as well as the pretty pastels. I spoted these BLUE dragee in a gift shop in the Marais.. Blue food used to be a no-no.And they come ready wrapped as favors for a kid's party... Then there is always the ever present macaron - the perfect gift for anyone at all.Pierre Herme send out an email titled, "Have you called your mother?" And Aquarelle.com sent one today with the message, "Fete des Meres: c'est maintenant ou jamais !" (Mother's Day: It's now or never! Buy a bouquet!) Of course if you're not in Paris you don't have to lift a finger. Been there, done that already.BONNE JOURNEE

My Macaron Boxes

Macaron boxes...what IS it about them..?
Is the attraction what's inside..?
Yummy macarons?
Surely those little French cookies are out of this world...
But there's something about the boxes that's so enthralling...
I wish I could put my finger on it. They have a decidedly Rococo feel to them. Certainly the soft pale colors are very feminine. M. was saying the ribbony cartouche design was used on old wine labels. It was used on everything in 18th century French design. Does it make us feel a bit like the extravagant Marie-Antoinette - gobbling cookies and not thinking about the consequences...
"Let them eat cake!"
Even if she didn't really say this, the thought lingers...
New notebooks and fans to help us feel more like Marie-Antoinette...
Why, oh why didn't I get this pretty pale green umbrella?
Because I saw it my first day in Paris and you never get anything the first day. You tell yourself you'll think about it and come back.HA!
I did break down and buy a green notebook...
My box collection back in my room in the Marais...

The little round coffret with the almond dragees is a new acquisition...

All the boxes came home with me. These are getting to be well-traveled boxes. Are you nuts about these boxes?

Almost French

 Mother's Day/fete des Meres was about to be celebrated last May and every window was full of candied almonds or dragée.

A traditional gift for any French celebration: weddings, babtisms, anniversaries and of course Mother's Day. Dragée originated in Verdun in the Lorraine and goes back to the time of Louis XIV. Made first as a sort of drug by apothecaries, their purpose was to purify the breath and facilitate digestion.

While in Bayonne I spotted this huge poster outside one of the best chocolate shops, Daranatz,  demonstrating the process. Always in France great attention to detail.

 Pretty cornets full of dragée in a Paris vitrine/window.

Les Bonbons in the 6th arrondissement had jars and jars of them as does Au Bonbon du Palais.

In Sarah Turnbull's, Almost French, you step into her shoes and live her life with a French boyfriend in Paris. A vibrant, young Australian journalist, Turnbull makes all the faux pas of any foreigner adjusting to France. On one occasion her Frenchman sends her out to get dragée for a celebration. She brings home the wrong color and a great fuss is made. Attention to detail is key in France.

Paris ♥ Bleu

Blue is as omnipresent in Paris as les "jean bleu". Well everyone knows Denim's original home is de Nimes, France. In Paris you can be chic in jeans but not in New York, unless they're trés cher $$$. But back to Paris' bleus.The street signs are bleu with a touch of dark green and the signs in the Metro are big, blue and white. This is no Tiffany baby blue either, but a good strong marine blue. Granted it's one third of the French tri-color flag -- but I don't see Americans grabbing onto "Old Glorie's" blue and running away with it?Blue food is not supposed to work. But look at these candied almonds (dragées).I fell in love with their blue cocoa tin.I love these all-blue windows at Marie Papier on rue Vavin. When is STAPLES going to do something like this...?This is my second cousin, Kristine, who lives in Pigalle.
Obviously she loves blue too.
BTW her little Teacup Yorkie yapping under the table was wearing a blue collar. The café barman thought it was a hoot.
Hey they're French!