I’m dreaming of having le petit dejeuner (breakfast) in Paris. The quintessential Parisian breakfast is coffee (or hot chocolate, if you’re indulging), croissants, perhaps a pastry (again for the indulgence), and freshly squeezed OJ. Simple, full of carbs and caffeine to get you going, and delicious. There’s nothing quite like a freshly baked buttery, flaky French croissant! Continue Reading →
One of the foods I love eating in Paris is frites (what we call French fries, but which are actually Belgian in origin). I’ve never had bad frites in France — always golden brown and crispy. Yum! Continue Reading →
If you’re like me, you like to sample classic French dishes while visiting the City of Light: coq au vin, pot au feu, blanquette de veau, steak tartare … the list goes on and on. But one of my favorites—and a French classic that also I enjoy making at home—is boeuf bourguignon (beef Burgundy). But how did this dish become a French standard? Like many traditional French recipes, its roots lie in “peasant foods”–dishes that were staples over the centuries for the poor and the working class. Continue Reading →
The weather’s getting colder, and that means it’s time for heartier French cuisine. I’m a big fan of French winter classics, like boeuf bourguignon, cassoulet, soupe a l’oignon and other tummy-warming dishes. And you can find these tasty concoctions at many restaurants throughout Paris. Oddly, though, one cold-weather dish is rather difficult to find in the City of Light—fondue. OK, fondue is not French per se, but given that France is world-famous for its cheese, it’s not really a stretch for visitors to Paris to hope to find hot, gooey, melted cheese on at least a few restaurant menus. Fortunately, there’s a fantastic cheese-centric restaurant in the heart of the Marais that offers up some of Europe’s very best fondue throughout the year—Pain, Vin, Fromages (which translates as Bread, Wine, Cheese). Continue Reading →
A quintessentially French dessert is the tarte Tatin, what many Americans believe to be an upside-down apple pie. But it’s actually a bit more than that. And its origin, although never definitively proven, is akin to how a classic American dish—chocolate chip cookies—came about: by accident. Continue Reading →
Parisians and tourists alike have a love affair with the Ile Saint-Louis, the tiny sister island and next-door neighbor to the larger Ile de la Cite that marks the geographic center of Paris. To add to your quintessentially Parisian experience while strolling the island, be sure to stop in for lunch or dinner at the charming bistro L’Auberge de la Reine Blanche. This quaint eatery looks every bit as a Parisian bistro should—timeworn tables packed tightly together, oil paintings and copper cookware hanging on the walls, romantic lighting overhead and a gorgeous antique oak bar overlooking the entire scene. Best of all, the food is superb. Continue Reading →
Website Buzzfeed recently published a list of 44 classic French meals everyone needs to try before you die, and I’m pleased to say I’ve already had 26 of them (many multiple times as French food is my absolute favorite). Which dishes are your favorites? Which are you dying to try? Continue Reading →
An extremely popular 2nd Arrondissement destination for both tourists and locals is the Rue Montorgueil market street, a five-block long lane between Rue Etienne Marcel and Rue Reaumur. Home to more than two dozen specialty food shops, cafes and bistros, including a patisserie founded nearly 280 years ago by the head pastry chef to king Louis XV, Rue Montorgueil is a real treat even if you’re just window shopping (called faire du leche-vitrines in French, which oddly translates to “window licking). Continue Reading →
Last year, a sandwich most of the world’s citizens associate with America was the most-consumed sandwich in France. Yes, hamburgers–or, as they call them in France, les burgers–topped the list of most-eaten sandwiches in the nation. For the first time ever, burgers edged what many consider to be the classic French on-the-run food–the iconic jambon beurre sandwich (ham and butter on a baguette). Continue Reading →
Paris is arguably the culinary capital of the world. There are countless world-renowned restaurants in the City of Light that beckon to both locals and tourists. But many of these destination eateries are outrageously expensive (easily more than $100 per person, often significantly higher, even for lunch) and are typically visited only for very special occasions. Besides, many travelers to Paris prefer to dine at authentic French bistros and cafes, where the food is affordable and prepared in time-honored fashion, often from recipes hundreds of years old. For these seekers of authentic bistro fare, there’s a true—and historic—gem on the city’s Left Bank: Le Polidor. And you might just recognize it from Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris.” Continue Reading →