Getting Used to Things

Living in France is an education.  Like any experience, I came into it with preconceived notions and ideas about the challenges, differences, and just about everything else for that matter.  Now that I've been here for 23 days, I have plenty of thoughts on what I was right about, wrong about, or never even thought of in the first place.  But for now, I'll just focus on what I never saw coming.


Never did I think that viennoiserie crumbs getting caught in my scarf would be such a regular occurrence.  More than once, I have found myself walking down a cobblestone street with a pain au chocolat leaving half of its layers in the folds of my black pashmina.

Who would have thought that the lines at La Poste could be so long, so often?  As a prolific letter writer, the lines don't quite dissuade me from sending my envelopes, but they come close.  

The people who work at our local Saturday market are the friendliest ever.  They give away free morsels with enthusiasm and make lovely conversation while preparing your crêpes.  It's amazing to me that in the sea of people who descend on the market every week, vendors specifically remember particular customers.  

I'm sure I'll discover many more unexpected perks and problems with Paris during my stay.  And for those of you who are here for the recipes, I hope to get back to that soon, too.

La Première Semaine

My first week in Paris is coming to a close and I must say the days vanished.

One view from the tower of Notre Dame de Paris

The activities of week 1 were varied and relaxed.  At this point, exploration is my main focus during down-time.  I want to familiarize myself with Houilles, Paris and anywhere else I might find myself on a regular basis.  Paris is relatively easy to explore without feeling lost as a landmark can always orient you.  So, as of yet there has been no real anxiety on my part about being lost or feeling unsafe.

One of the nicest Parisian pastimes is window shopping.  Not only fancy department stores put real effort into their displays; chocolatiers, shoe shops, and stationary stores all have impressive or pleasing arrangements.  

Murciano shop window in Le Marais 

Patrick Roger chocolate showpiece in the window

One would, however, be remiss in just looking. Sometimes, it's necessary to head on in and try. Especially where food is concerned.  

So far, I have eaten some pretty delicious food. It's a treat to be in a new place and try all there is to offer.  I think it might take me the full seven months to even scratch the surface of Paris' food scene.

Strudel au Pavot

One of the most memorable delicacies I have tasted this week was "strudel au pavot" from Murciano.  A soft, sweet, pastry dough sandwiches a moist filling of poppy seeds and dates.  It was also certainly filling, so worth the 3€. 

There is a Crêperie everywhere you go.  I have had two this week.  One sweet - chocolat noir avec amandes -  and one savory - complet.  The savory variety is made with buckwheat flour, so it's vaguely healthier and slightly darker in appearance.  In my case, "complet" was filled with egg, ham and cheese and finished with butter.  It can be mesmerizing to watch the sellers whip up your meal to order.

admittedly an unattractive photograph of my crepe chocolat noir avec amandes

The most posh morsel I've eaten thus far was a pistache et abricot macaron from Pierre Hermé.  I went to the small storefront on Avenue de l'Opéra with elegant automatic doors, dark luxurious interiors and absurdly helpful employees who spoke to me in English even when I tried French.  For the record, I continued speaking my meager French.

maracons arabesque

Before the Villages de Noël closed for the season, I did have the chance to browse and try a warm dish from the French Alps called tartiflette.  It's a heavy meal consisting of potatoes, cheese, meat, and seasoning.  PSA: if you get this, share it with a friend.  

Today, I went to the local market in Houilles with my host mom.  The market is open on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.  There are vendors of all sorts, yarn, shoes, jewelry, and lots and lots of food.  My host mom likes one grocer in particular, so we bought lots vegetables and fruits from his stall inside the covered portion of the market.  He was exceptionally friendly and spoke no English, but told me that he has family in New York.  Truly, he was so kind and gave us extra haricots verts and a container of lychees just for me.  The point was to prove that French markets are better than American ones, though he conceded that in the US we have better organic markets.  In terms of friendliness and generosity, he certainly proved his point.  My host parents joked that now if they want to go to the market they have to take me so that they can get a little extra for free.  I can't wait to go back next week.

gratuit lychees

Of course there is much more to share: experiences, anecdotes, foods and happenings, but for now...

à bientôt

Day 1: Charlotte Food Tour 2k15

Two days are insufficient to explore the blossoming food scene in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Alas, a working girl may not have unlimited vacation days and I wouldn't want to trespass too long on the unmatched hospitality of my friends here.

I've spent time among the flowers and birds of a well-planned garden, being graciously chauffeured through the baffling streets of Charlotte and enjoyed every moment of my time.  Perhaps most wonderful of all I have been able to see a bit of Charlotte through its food.

Monday was a full day of food exploration and enjoyment.  We started the day with homemade pancakes similar to these and then hit the roads - which as I mentioned are utterly confusing - for a full day of food.

First stop was Amelie's French Bakery at Carmel Commons.  Amelie's is a well-regarded local chain celebrating French pastry and unique design with their community oriented space.  Each location has its own kitchen for maximum freshness.  The baked goods were varied, beautiful and the atmosphere was modern, whimsical and welcoming.

Next up, Davidson Chocolate Co. in the Dilworth neighborhood.  They are a teeny chocolatier with elegant creations.  Most of their chocolates were available in both dark and milk chocolate which was a nice option.  Among their offerings are truffles, hand-dipped cut ganache pieces as well as molded bonbons.  The store was very quiet and I couldn't find out what brand of chocolate they used or other details regarding ingredients.  Cute shop, but certainly not top on my list. Worth a try if you need a gift.  The Hot Chili and Hazelnut Truffles were both light on flavor and a bit firm for my taste.

 

Oops! Ate all of these before I got to my camera.

                            

A stroll around Pasta & Provisions was necessary and the aroma of garlic made me incredibly hungry.  The grocery portion of the store reminded me of Arlington, VA's own Italian Store.  Obviously, that is meant as a great compliment.

On the way home we stopped for lunch at Cajun Yard Dog where my constant craving for deep fried catfish and potato salad was temporarily sated.  Thumbs up for taste, service and value.

In the afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting with local chef, Bill Bigham.  Chef Bigham works as a personal chef and teacher in the Charlotte area having completed a culinary course at Johnson and Wales.  His enthusiasm and insight regarding the Charlotte food culture was both refreshing and encouraging.    

We met Chef Bigham at Dean & Deluca, always a lovely experience.  I was glad to see their locally sourced pastries front and center.

                             
Finally, day one ended with dinner which I had the privilege of making for my hosts and some of their family members.  Roasted asparagus, salmon, risotto, salad and chocolate coated peanut butter cookies were on the menu.

Come back tomorrow for Day 2 which will include my favorite chocolatier in Charlotte and a few more highlights.

Farmer's Market

Just a few iPhone snaps from the best farmer's market in Virginia.

Local Apricots

It's almost impossible for me to see beautiful food without photographing it.  Apricots were $2.50/lb at The Local Market in Virginia.  They told me I could try one to see if I liked them which was entirely unnecessary because I knew I would.  

August

Blackberry Loaf

Farmer's Market Blackberries

Brownies with Rum Caramel Swirl

Blackberry Mini Muffins

Going to the Market

This morning I went to the Farmer's Market.  One of the few things I will get up early for on Saturdays.  Also, there was a loud truck outside that woke me up.

But you didn't need to know that.

Moving on.  So, I took pictures there and here's what came out.

Fact of the Matter: I think most of this stuff was over-priced.