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Paris EATS Part Two

Author: admin   |   0 Comments   |   Categories: Comfort Food • Cooking • France • Italian food • Paris • Pasta

Two of the best meals I ate in Paris were at the same restaurant!  It’s called Oenosteria – they don’t have a website – the address is 40 Rue Gregoire de Tours in the 6th arrondissement.  It just happened to be a couple doors down from Hotel de Fleurie where I was staying.  I went in there the night we ate at Astrance for lunch – and since the lunch was a multi-course feast I wanted something light and was very happy to have a simple plate of Italian meats and cheeses. It was just what I wanted!IMG_4617

There I met Marco and Silveria who were behind the counter –  they were fabulous and I loved getting to speak Italian in Paris!   The next night, because I had loved Oenosteria so much I decided to go back and eat something else.  This time the counter was full so I sat at a small table and had the special pasta of the day – Ravioli with a Gorgonzola sauce.  It was so delicious and rich and decadent!  I met a group of guys – Mierko, Danilo, Federico and Michael who work for Etro, an Italian apparel company.  They were really fun and we had a great time talking about food and fashion in Milan and Paris.

I enjoyed Oenesteria so much, the next night I decided to take a chance on another Italian restaurant in the area and found one that was packed called Del Papa.  I looked online and saw that it’s a chain which raised a red flag but it was so crowded I thought maybe it was so great they kept creating more places…wrong.  The fish appetizer was awful, I tried to leave but the waiter said he had already put in the entree order.  I replied that I hoped it was better than the appetizer… When a massive plate of mediocre pasta arrived at the table it was evident that Italians are not running the kitchen.  I’m sure there is great Italian food to be found in Paris but this chain is not in that group –  steer clear!

My last full day in Paris I went to the Paris flea market called the Marche aux Puces which is located in the outskirts of Paris.  It’s a great place to spend a day wandering amongst all the shops. Open Saturday and Sunday – some shops are also open on Monday.  There’s many groups of shops but my favorite is Le Marche Vernaison which starts at 99 Rue des Rosiers. There’s over 200 shops to browse through and you can get some great deals!  Highly recommend!  I went to another antique shop with vintage French ceramics called Au Bain Marie in the heart of the 6th arrondissement but it was Much more expensive than the Marche aux Puces. At mid-day I wandered down the street and found a place I’d read about called Le Bistrot Paul Bert. They don’t have an official website but the address is 18 Rue Paul Bert.  I had escargot and the pate de maison. I highly recommend this restaurant!  It was so good that after shopping I went back for dinner!

Next up – I just returned from Jazz Fest in New Orleans and I’m going to share with you some great places to eat in the Big Easy…

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Paris EATS – Spring 2015

Author: admin   |   0 Comments   |   Categories: Art • Baking • Comfort Food • Cooking • France

Parisians were still bundled up in their coats and scarves when I was there for 5 days of cooking classes a couple weeks ago but Spring was definitely in the air!  Forget jet lag – as soon as I got there I unpacked – or tried to in my tiny (but well priced!) room, and went exploring.  I stayed at the Hotel de Fleurie in the 6th arrondissement (St. Germain des Pres) and though my room was indeed small I came to love the location right in the heart of one of the best parts of Paris for great shops and restaurants.  I got this room for a great price on one of their promotions.  Tip – when making reservations online at a hotel check to see if they have any promotions going while you’re going to be there. I had to pay in advance and couldn’t cancel but it worked out well for me.

They told me the hotel served a delicious breakfast – for an additional cost of course –  and if I wanted to see the croissants (of course I did!) I could check out the place they got their pastries from which was right around the corner.  What an incredible pastry shop!  It’s Gerard-Mulot and it was the perfect gastronomic start to my trip!  I got a couple small quiche tarts and the very sweet guy at the counter warmed them up for me – Delicious!  Then I was looking at getting an eclair  – they looked fabulous – but a group of Italian high school students on a field trip to Paris (lucky them!) stood by me and I started talking to them (my Italian thankfully was not too rusty) and that was so fun and interesting I forgot all about the eclair – till a few days later!

I walked around and went to the Bonnard exhibit at the Musee D’Orsay (highly recommend!) and finally ended up on the Isle Saint-Louis looking for a restaurant called Nos Ancestres les Gaulois I’d been to years ago that I’d loved the ambiance of.  Believe it or not I found it –  but it wasn’t yet open so I decided to check out a brasserie I saw in my guide book called La Brasserie de L’Isle Saint-Louis.  Well I think it was jet lag or maybe I just ordered the wrong thing – at least I hope so – I ordered an onion tart appetizer and took one bite and it was awful!  Second bite was even worse.  Thankfully I hadn’t ordered anything else.    Uh oh – time to go –  I wasn’t going to eat a bad meal for my first dinner in Paris!  I asked for the check and the waiter couldn’t believe I was leaving but c’est la vie!  I decided to give the guide book one more try and ended up at a fabulous restaurant called Mon Vieil Ami.  As soon as I ordered a glass of wine and settled in I was SO happy I left the other place even though it was a bit uncomfortable to get up and walk out after only 15 minutes.  Tip – if you don’t like the food you get served – pay the bill, get out and cut your losses by not eating anything else there!

Next day was the first of the five days of classes with Patricia Wells at her kitchen/studio.  Had a great first day but I was so tired after class, I went back to the hotel and promptly fell asleep for a couple hours.  After deciding I couldn’t spend my few evenings in Paris sleeping I got out and walked to the famous Brasserie Balzar where I had dined as a student at the Sorbonne many years ago.  That place never changes which I guess is a good thing as you always know what you’re getting there – pretty good food and a bit of an attitude by the waiters  – but that’s fine.  I was craving escargot and some pate de maison so that wish got satisfied!

After class the next day I again went back to the hotel not sure whether to go out or not as it was raining.  At about 9 I couldn’t stand being in the room any longer and got in a cab and went to Willi’s Wine Bar which has been open forever (1980 I read) and is famous for their art posters. I’d loved it when I was last there and this time it did not disappoint!  The lamb daube I had was outstanding as was the hazelnut mousse dessert – Superbe!

The next day the cooking class went to Astrance for lunch.  Wow what a treat!  Dishes so inspiring you can barely describe them.  Suffice to say the food is so fabulous they don’t even need to be open on the weekends!  And if you’re there Monday don’t bother – closed then too.  So just Tues through Friday – that’s it.  Cost is sky high but for a meal that quite possibly will never be forgotten I think it’s worth it if you can afford one splurge…I’d say skip buying clothes and jewelry in Paris and go to Astrance instead!

We visited the famous bread and pastry shop Poilane as a group and saw their underground wood burning ovens where they cook all the bread and pastries for the store.  Amazing how much they put out with those ovens!  Highly recommend a visit there.

Next up – more great restaurants (and my worst meal in Paris!) and some Paris shopping tips!

 

 

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Valentines Day – Sweet treats to share with your honey

Author: admin   |   0 Comments   |   Categories: Baking • Comfort Food • Uncategorized   |   Tags: • • •

There are some food items that I consider “Food of the Gods”(FOTG). I’m not even sure how it started but I have a list going in my head of foods that I consider in that category. Foods that rise to the level of deliciousness on their own that they need no accompaniment but can be even better in combination with something else.
So in honor of Valentines Day I want to share some of those foods. Honey and dates and almonds are foods that I think of as FOTG. And here’s a delicious and easy recipe that combines all three. Best of all it can be served either as an appetizer or dessert! Just take some dates and split them in half and take out the pit. Separate them so you have two pieces per date. Fill each cavity with cream cheese or goat cheese and make a little mound then press a raw unsalted almond into the cheese and drizzle honey over the top. You won’t believe till you taste it how rich and wonderful a combo this is! Now you just need something comfortable to lay back on while you feed your honey some honey with these fabulous little bites of heaven…
Other foods that I think of as FOTG are avocado and bread. The next recipe I learned from a friend after a late arrival in London many years ago and it was served as a midnight supper. I loved it so much I’ve been making it ever since. It’s basically an open face sandwich and they’re so easy to make. In this case I use dark rye bread and cut each piece of bread so I have 3 triangles. If I want to get fancy I cut off the crust, otherwise I don’t.
Then I spread a little sour cream or cream cheese over the bread and lay over that a piece of smoked salmon. On top of that goes sliced avocado and just before eating it I squeeze lemon over the top and add a bit of salt. Again – you won’t believe how good it is till you try it! Sometimes I serve this with caviar and all the trimmings or a luscious piece of Cambazola cheese and crackers. Olives, nuts and Champagne or wine (more FOTG), an aperitif or fun cocktail complete this light repast that leaves you feeling deliciously ready for all the OTHER things you want to do on Valentines Day!
The photo above is of the shortbread cookies that I made in honor of V-Day. The recipe for the cookies is on my holiday cookie blog. They also make a great V-Day dessert – especially chocolate dipped!
Cheers!

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Strata – yummy comfort food and great use of day old bread!

Author: admin   |   0 Comments   |   Categories: Comfort Food • Cooking • Italian food   |   Tags: • • •

The other day I wanted to make something delicious and different for my son.  As I started leafing through the  binders of all the recipes from the classes I took the last four years, I found one from Tante Marie’s Cooking School (now unfortunately closed).  It just so happened that I had all the ingredients for it, and it’s called a Strata.  It’s easy, delicious and can be made from leftovers.  What could be better!  See the picture on my Instagram page.  Here’s the recipe for a medium soufflé dish:

About 6 thick slices good 1-2 day old bread like an italian country style bread with the crusts cut off. I cut mine in slices on the third day and put it in a plastic bag in the fridge so I always have leftover bread.

About 2 -3 cups leftover meat or veggie mixture – I happened to have about 2 cups Joe Special leftovers in the fridge. I used them cold out of the fridge. You can make it fresh using 3/4 lb. ground beef or bulk country, breakfast or italian sausage, 1 cup sliced mushrooms and 1/4 c. finely chopped onions. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage for about 5 min. then add the onions and mushrooms and continue to cook for 5 min. stirring frequently then set aside. For the vegetable mixture just use leftover veggies or sauté a few cups of any combo you think would be tasty.

3/4 cup grated Gruyere or Cheddar cheese. I used Gruyere and it worked well with the Joe Special mix.

2 large eggs, lightly beaten in a bowl and then add 1 cup milk and mix until combined.

Butter the soufflé dish.  Place in the bottom a layer of the bread.  My soufflé dish used two slices.  Top with half of the meat mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat with another layer of bread, the other half of the meat mixture, and another 1/3 of the cheese.  Cover with a third layer of bread.  Slowly pour the milk and egg mixture over the top and sprinkle with the last of the grated cheese.  Let the Strata stand for at least an hour or cover and chill for up to 24 hours.  Set the casserole on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven and bake the strata until the top is nicely browned and bubbly, about 1 hour.  Serving size is 2-4.

Recipe adapted from Tante Marie who adapted it from the Joy of Cooking.