I love the pre-formed balls of ice cream in Andreea's photo from her weekend in Nice. And check out those awesome flavors: tomato basil, rosemary, and black olive, anyone? Read more about Andreea's trip in her blog, Glorious Food and Wine.
If you're in Paris, today is the day to visit Pierre Hermé and grab some free macarons, along with help raise money to treat rare diseases. (And if you don't live in Paris, don't even try to find anything as good as Pierre's macarons; you will fail.)
To celebrate the third-annual Macaron Day, Pierre Hermé shops are offering three free macarons plus a special raspberry chocolate macaron to raise money for Fédération des Maladies Orphelines (an organization dedicated to treating rare diseases). To donate money to the organization, buy one or more red macarons. I recommend shooting for "more"—besides that it's for a charitable cause, any excuse to eat lots of macarons sounds good to me.
Previously
Introduction to French Macarons
Where to Find Macarons
How to Make Macarons
Interview with Macaron Specialist Dorie Greenspan
McDonald's France takes a hyper-American approach in marketing its Big Tasty Burger to the French public by conjuring up classic images of the American west reminiscent of the Marlboro Man. "Rediscover the taste of liberty with the Big Tasty," the announcer declares in a husky voice. But don't ignore the note at the bottom of the screen to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day!
Little kids everywhere should hide the candy wrappers and wind-up Happy Meal toys. Grown-ups are after us! Especially the ones with fat cheeks and roly-poly fingers! According to the newswires, a wave of anti-chubby kid sentiment is buzzing in Lyon, France where Chef Philippe Gauvreau is using his two-Michelin-star restaurant “La Rotonde” as a venue for haute cuisine classes for kids. Does he realize that “rotonde” sounds like “rotund” which means pudgy? Les enfants might get confused.
While living the high life on her extended vacation in Paris, Carol Gillot of Paris Breakfasts went on a tour of famed pâtisserie Gérard Mulot's kitchen. As the pâtisserie is known for its wide array of French macarons, it's no surprise that Gillot documented the macaron-making process. Now, where can I get a sextuple-nozzled macaron batter dispenser?
The French hate McDonald's. The notion of "fast food" clashes with their belief that meals should be long and leisurely; that they should be cooked carefully, with prized ingredients. It couldn't be further from the notion of terroir. But mostly they hate it because it is as shamefully hip-packed and loud-talking as those god-awful Americans, and Americans don't know how to eat.
Have you heard this before? Did you believe it? Well, then you might want to sit down for this one: In the first half of this year, combined sales at the chain's 6,400 European restaurants rose 15 percent, to $4.1 billion, compared with a 6 percent increase in the United States, where McDonald's has 13,800 restaurants and where sales totaled $3.9 billion. Every 12 months, one out of two French people visit McDonald's at least once. Annually, they consume 22 million McDonald's salads, 60,000 tons of french fries, 32,000 tons of beef patties, 12,000 tons of chicken, and 600 million buns. Oh, and these numbers are a little outdated.
Don't blame us, say U.S. ethanol makers, in response to the high price of food. [Washington Post]
Meanwhile, European food prices surge, too. [Reuters]
A new foot-and-mouth scare in England. [The Telegraph]
French couple raises the country's only certified-organic snails. Vive le free-range escargot! [The Telegraph]
In Japan, fast-food chains jump on the trans-fat–banning bandwagon. [Asahi Shimbun]
And China and the U.S. reach a food-safety agreement while Chinese officials plan to use GPS to track and safeguard Olympic food shipments. [Voice of America; AP]
Back to the U.S., and there are more recalls on canned food. This time it's green beans. [Detroit Free Press]
File under "obvious": For pre-schoolers, flashy packaging more important than flavor. [Fox News]
Your RDA of Levity: A mountaintop hot dog cart celebrates its 25th year in business at the junction of California highways 9 and 35: "[John] Hagen [pictured] works seven days a week and said his constancy has earned him the endearing nickname of 'mustard' from family, friends and customers."
The French wine industry as a whole is suffering from massive over-production and foreign competition, leading to violent threats from CRAV (Comité Régional d'Action Viticole or regional winegrowers' action committee) a month ago delivered via a video tape sent anonymously to French TV, threatening violent action if new President Nicolas Sarkozy did not take measures to help economically desperate wine growers in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Authorities are taking the threat seriously. The group has "killed people in the past" and several supermarkets selling foreign wines have been attacked with small explosive devices. More coverage at the BBC including the original video threat.
Recently in Time Magazine, Grant Rosenberg discusses Alain Cojean, the namesake and founder of a chain of fast-food restaurants that serve only healthy fresh food—nothing fried:
The restaurant chain's popularity is proof that in a city famous for its smoky brasseries and aloof, bow-tied waiters serving up artery-clogging dishes, there are citizens hungry for alternatives. Until Cojean, Parisian lunchers who didn't have time for hour-long steak-frites meals were mostly limited to baguette sandwiches on the run or the international fast food chains hardly noted for their selection of nutritional offerings. But now Cojean, with his vegetable-packed toasted sandwiches, chicken curry wraps and salmon and quinoa salads, is the de facto godfather of a near-movement.
Cojean spent 15 years working for McDonald's Europe and was a director of Research & Development when he quit; he now rides his motorcycle to visit branches every day. His five-year-old business finally started turning a profit in 2006, not bad for a restauranteur who says he's never read a marketing book.
From Strange Maps comes La France des pains, a simple map that illustrates the origins of 80 of France's different types of breads. [via swissmiss]
In the latest issue of the Observer Food Monthly, Mr. Bean discusses the peculiarities of French food, like for example how you really don't need to speak French to order off a menu:
Quite frankly, given the Frenchies haven't got enough of their own words and so have stolen and misspelled loads of ours, all sorts of recognisable delicacies can be teased out of the most unhelpful of Parisian menus. 'Moules Mariniere', for instance; any twit with a vague knowledge of the alphabet can get from 'Moules' to mules and 'Mariniere' to mariner and safely come out with seafaring donkeys. Another squeeze of the old loaf and bingo: seahorses! They don't get my taste buds a jumpin' but there you go.
His latest movie, Mr. Bean's Holiday, opened in the UK just last weekend, and he's also got a new book titled, perhaps unsurprisingly, Mr. Bean's Definitive and Extremely Marvellous Guide to France.
Food critic and cookbook author Patricia Wells put together a downloadable version of her FrenchEnglish Food Glossary, to make eating in France less of a guessing game for those who don't speak French.
"In preparing this glossary," she says, "I have tried to limit the list to contemporary terms, making this a practical guide for today's traveler in France. Translations are generally offered for those dishes, foods, and menus, in markets, expressions or terms phrases one is most likely to encounter on menus and in shops. I have also added regional terms one might not find explained elsewhere."
The glossary is available as a Microsoft Word .doc and an Adobe .pdf, so pick the format you like most, and print it out or put it on your PDA for the next time you fly to Paris.
Fodor's introduces its Ten Commandments of Paris Dining by saying "the rituals of dining in Paris are far less complex than, say, in Japan, but observing these few principles will increase your chances of obtaining good service," but I think all except numbers two and ten apply to restaurants all over the planet, and for ten, you really only need to find the appropriate word to use.
My favorite is Commandment No. 7, "Thou shalt avoid awkward requests: Salad dressing on the side, omelettes without egg yolks, well-done steaks—when a chef takes pride in his work, these things make him bristle. Try to save this type of request for cafés."
From talking to people in the industry, I know that waiters will think less of you and so will the kitchen, and even in the best of restaurants in the world, you and your dining companions may receive lesser service and lesser food because of your fussiness, so just stop already. If you think about it, one of the most beautiful things about eating at a restaurant is that what arrives at your table is the result of someone's life's work, so if you can't do them the honor of letting them do what they do best, maybe you should be eating elsewhere instead. (Food allergies are of course the exception to the rule; any restaurant worth your time and money should and will bend over backwards to make sure you enjoy your meal!)
Anne-Sophie Pic is the first female three-star Michelin chef in France in more than 50 years. This interview in the Observer Food Monthly also includes some great background on and comments from the other female three-star Michelin chefs. One of Pic's observations of the differences between men and women chefs: "Yes, I see the way male chefs shout, the macho thing. Fine. But it's just not the way I want to run it. I think it's an odd way of getting through to people. Not a good way. If you shout it gives out the impression that there's something wrong. But I don't mean there's some kind of peace. We are very tense. People are very, very concentrated in the kitchen. More women chefs—quieter kitchens! And better food."
Serious Eats intern Robyn, a.k.a. The Girl Who Ate Everything, is finally back from Paris and brought delicious macarons into the office today—that I cannot eat because I'm working from home today. Alas. The opportunity for me to go in and get one has passed, but it's not too late for you to read about her recent adventures in France:
1) First Bites in Paris: "When one of my friends told me to eat a green macaron for her in Paris, she was probably referring to those of the pistachio flavored kind. Instead, the first green macaron I ate during my vacation was flavored with the fatty squeezings of olives and a hint of vanilla, borne from the incomparably distinctive kitchen of Pierre Hermé who I believe makes the best macarons in Paris."
2) Salads and Baguettes of Greatness: "They're known for making crazy salads in bowls the size of babies' bathtubs that defy convention by consisting of a mountain of thick, garlic-laden fried potato rounds on a bed of lettuce and other salad items that wouldn't taste nearly as awesome without potato suffocation. For those unrestricted by a vegetarian diet, the salad may also include fat-laden things of animal origins such as tuna, lardons, smoked duck or foie gras."
3) Sorbet and Gelato: Part of a Balanced Diet, Kind Of: "Although my soul usually writhes in horror at the idea of not getting a creamy, dairy-based flavor, my body screamed for something with fruit or at least a slight presence of beneficial nutritional value."
4) Falafel + Marshmallows = Lunch: "It may not be Lenny Kravitz approved (although how that become the gold standard for a great falafel I have no idea), but it's at least Robyn and Meg approved, which must count for something."
By Robyn Lee | I don't know how L'as du Falafel can be considered the best falafel in Paris when Mi-Va-Mi sits right across the street. It may not be Lenny Kravitz approved (although how that become the gold standard for a great falafel I have no idea), but it's at least Robyn and Meg approved, which must count for something.
Mi-Va-Mi's falafel pita sandwich stuffs light, crispy deep fried balls of seasoned ground chickpea in a soft, fluffy, chewy pita along with melty eggplant chunks that are reminiscent of butter and what seems to be an entire head of chopped pickled red cabbage. It would be better with more falafel and eggplant magic and less crunchy cabbage action, but it's still really damn good and easily one of the tastiest falafels I've ever eaten.
After chowing down on falafels my friend and I went to the nearby Boulangerie Malineau. While my original plan was just to get a pain au chocolat, my stomach gurgled at the sight of the fluffy multicolored marshmallow sticks and my friend and I ended up sharing a pain au chocolat and a coconut marshmallow in the small square on rue du Bourg-Tibourg off rue de Rivoli. The pain au chocolat was alright, but the marshmallow left us craving more. The mildly coconut flavored marshmallow reminded us of some kind of coconut flavored Asian dessert, but you know...better because it's in the form of a marshmallow. And not one of those cube or cylindrical pillow-shaped things, but like five baby marshmallows congealed together in one long beautiful plank for a grand total of 70 centimes.
I went back to the bakery today and bought one of each flavor.
Mi-Va-Mi
27 rue des Ecouffes, 4ème
Boulangerie Malineau
18 rue Vieille du Temple, 4ème
Robyn Lee is interning at Serious Eats for the semester. Like what you've read here? See more at The Girl Who Ate Everything.
By Robyn Lee | After a failed early afternoon trip to Gelati d’Alberto which didn't open until 3 PM, my friend Jessie and I went to Damman's Glacier for dessert after scarfing down some sadly sub-par gyros at Saint Michel. Although my soul usually writhes in horror at the idea of not getting a creamy, dairy-based flavor, my body screamed for something with fruit or at least a slight presence of beneficial nutritional value. Of course, strawberry basil sorbet isn't exactly recommended by doctors; it just seemed less doom-full than Jessie's orange chocolate ice cream. A hint of basil mixed with strawberry made for a refreshing dessert, but it would've been better if the "small" wasn't the size of a baby's fist.
Then again, if the portion hadn't been so small then sampling the goods at Delizefollie would've been more difficult for my bloated stomach. We tried a generously filled small cup of pistachio, which I use as the standard "IS THIS PLACE AWESOME?" flavor to judge a place on, and caramel, which the gelateria named "MOO". I could smell the roasted nutty flavor of the muted yellow-green pistachio before it even hit my mouth—it definitely passed the "awesome" test. The caramel flavor was subtle, but enhanced by small chunks of creamy caramel. I also sampled the mint which, as the odd sea-green color forewarned me, wasn't made with real mint. (I think a good rule to follow is "skip colors that are not naturally occurring".) I'd still pick Pozzetto over Deliziefoliie, but Deliziefollie is better if you want more flavor choices, larger portions, a view of the magically fluffy mountains of gelato, and a place to sit right outside the shop.
Damman's Glacier
1 rue des Grands Degrés, 5ème
Deliziefollie
7 rue Montorgueil, 1ème
Robyn Lee is interning at Serious Eats for the semester. Like what you've read here? See more at The Girl Who Ate Everything.
By Robyn Lee | I returned to one of my favorite restaurants, Le Relais Gascon, upon the request for a place that served French food, was vegetarian friendly, didn't cost a bucketload, and could fit a group of six. They're known for making crazy salads in bowls the size of babies' bathtubs that defy convention by consisting of a mountain of thick, garlic-laden fried potato rounds on a bed of lettuce and other salad items that wouldn't taste nearly as awesome without potato suffocation. For those unrestricted by a vegetarian diet, the salad may also include fat-laden things of animal origins such as tuna, lardons, smoked duck or foie gras. Say hello to the most delicious and thus least healthy salad ever.
On Sunday morning I took a few friends to Gosselin, picked by Travel + Leisure as having the best baguettes in Paris. Being open on a Sunday when many other places were closed was also a draw that may have contributed to the long line outside its door aside from the award-winning baguettes. My friends and I dug into our carb-laden treasures while sitting on a bench in the inner courtyard of the nearby Louvre. While the baguette was delicious with its thick, crispy crust and soft, chewy innards, the members of the non-baguette family didn't fare as well. The croissant was disappointingly so-so for being too dense and missing the crucial light, explodingly flaky outer layer, and the pain aux raisins just tasted too dry. Definitely try a baguette, but it may be best to get your viennoiseries elsewhere.
Le Relais Gascon
6 Rue des Abbesses, 18ème
Gosselin
125 Rue St.-Honoré, 1ème
Robyn Lee is interning at Serious Eats for the semester. Like what you've read here? See more at The Girl Who Ate Everything.
Georges Rouzeau of Via Michelin magazine, on French food blogs: "95% of these new forums of expression are run, with passion and creativity, by women. A former rally driver, a bookseller, student, housewife, a former computer engineer, a student in Germany, they live in French Guyana, Canada, Portugal, Germany, Grenoble, Paris or Bordeaux. Many of them have travelled extensively. Some of them dream of making a living from cooking. All of them experience great joy in sharing and making exciting new contacts in the four corners of the world. Some have become friends in real life. The blogs with the greatest number of hits receive up to 100 e-mails a day, from requests for clarification about recipes to letters of congratulation. Véronique Chapacou, who ran Saveurs sucrées salées (which has closed down), or Mercotte, for example, are going to write their own cookery books for traditional publication."
Rouzeau links the following eight French blogs at the end of the article, but you'll have to parlez français to really read them: Café créole, C'est moi qui l'ai fait, Clea cuisine, Frais!, La cuisine de Mercotte, Papilles et pupilles, Papilles et pupilles for allergy sufferers, and Tasca da Elvira.
Pim's just posted a great entry on Marthe Delon, the legendary truffle hunter and pig trainer, and her Kiki: "From what I gathered, Mme.Delon got her first pig the year she was married, and over sixty years later she is still hunting truffles and training generation after generation of pigs –one each year, and each one given the same name, Kiki. She said she couldn't be bothered remembering the names of them all, so she just called them Kiki. Easy enough, yes?"
As a city dweller most of the food I see is pre-packaged now and in stores, so it's easy to forget farmer's markets aren't just novelties in other parts of the world—they're the way people buy and sell food every day. Pim visited the famous Lalbenque truffle market in France recently and posted photos of the lovely baskets the truffles are brought to market in. I talk to the chefs in my neighborhood who prepare my meals, but seeing these baskets, "some handsome, some old, some new, some quite wretched workmanship, and others a marvel of homemade glory", is a reminder of how rarely I have a human connection with the people who work with the ingredients that make up those meals.
Bea of La Tartine Gourmand has a beautiful recipe for buckwheat herb galettes and mixed salad and a story about a festival that sounds right up my alley: "Earlier this month, I was reminded, once more too late, that on February 2nd, we celebrated la chandeleur. I wonder how comes that I simply can forget since it happens every year. In France, this originally Catholic festivity calls for cooks to prepare crêpes and beignets (doughnuts). Indeed, on the day of la chandeleur, the customs is to eat crêpes !"
photo credit: iStockphoto.com
Other than New York, I probably get asked more for Paris restaurant recommendations than for any other city. I usually just send people to patriciawells.com and davidlebovitz.com, because I trust their judgment. They both live in Paris, and they both have steered me and many of my friends and family right many times. But when I go to Paris, I like to be armed with a few specific recommendations that I can act on. That's where a trusted pal comes in handy. My friend and sometime collaborator Kathryn Kellinger and her husband, Balthazar co-chef Lee Hansen, just returned from Paris and filed this report:
David Lebovitz likes the 2007 edition of Time Out Paris: Eating and Drinking, and he lives there, so he should know! It's great to be able to find restaurants by cuisine or arrondisement, but my favorite parts of guidebooks are always the sidebars "directing you to gastronomic specialties around town; where to find cheese, ice cream, or where to take a wine tasting."
Maki of I Was Just Really Very Hungry visits the Marché aux Truffles in Richerenches, France:
I choose a modestly small one, a tad bigger than a golf ball, too shy to touch one of the big, multi-lobed ones. I take it to my nose, and inhale. I wish that at this point I had more poetic words to describe the sensation, but the only thing I can say i s "Wow". That pungent aroma is so unique that it's impossible to articulate. Earthy? Slightly gamey? It's just what it is -- truffle.
From choosing the truffle to cleaning, preparing, and eating it.
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