French Food - September 2013

It is no secret that the French love their food. Most of our gourmet cooking comes from a French background, and modern Paris has a tremendous amount of very good food on nearly every corner. Where else do you see a fruit stand in a subway station? Our residential street in Paris had at least 5 bakeries, 3 cheese shops, several produce vendors, many butchers, and lots of cafes. Walking around Paris, there are always many options for eating.

I love cheese. The French love cheese. It is a match made in heaven. The above cheese tray was found in the local supermarket and has a sampling of many cheeses. The orange cheese in the center is Mimolette which is banned in the USA since the exterior uses dust mites to add flavor to the rind. The center portion is wonderfully unique like a cross between Edam and Parmesan and gets nuttier with age - like most of us! The chevre (goat cheese) feet are also a specialty and an acquired taste for those in the cheese world. Yes, many French cheeses stink and some have rather strong tastes. However, most are very good and excellent ways to get some dairy in your life.

We ate many sandwiches in Paris. They are a little different than those found in the USA. Most are served on baguettes with meat, cheese, and produce. You can actually find traditional sandwich bread in the stores labeled as American Bread! Another unique item is the hot dog with cheese. It is a hot dog on a baguette coated in melted Swiss style cheese.

This was probably the best meal I had in France. Pictured is the main course of grilled veal with roasted potatoes. Everything about this was great, even soaking up the juice with the fresh bread. The first course was a sliced apple layered with marinated tomatoes and feta cheese, and the dessert was a chocolate torte that was pure fat and pure deliciousness. Interestingly, the dinner was only about $40 each since there is no extra tax and no tipping. This was just a little restaurant around the corner from the apartment.

Yes, they have wine too in France. We took a day trip to the Champagne region where I got a little bottle for the train ride back. The packed train was a little spooked to hear a rather loud popping cork, but not surprised to see two Americans drinking Champagne out of the bottle. The apple tart was a perfect afternoon treat to accompany the wine. Most French wine is done in a regional style rather than a single grape and tends to be less fruity and more subdued than California wines. If you want a Chardonnay, order a Chablis; interested in a Cabernet, try a Bordeaux; prefer a soft Merlot, drink some Burgundy wine.

French fries are actually a major thing in France. Many restaurants serve them as side dishes on a regular basis. They vary from thin McDonald's style to fat steak fries. Rotisserie chicken is also very popular with birds rotating in the street waiting for the next hungry customer. If you enjoy a crepe, they have many places serving both sweet and savory versions. My favorite had cheese, ham, mustard, and creme inside a buckwheat crepe. Very tasty!

I finally ate horse meat on this trip. I could not find it on the menu at most places, but the supermarket sold steaks. I fried one up at the apartment and enjoyed it with a nice glass of red wine. The taste is like sweet, gamey beef, maybe a cross between lamb and beef. Unfortunately the French trim their steaks rather lean and do not age the meat so the taste is a little different than a traditional American steak.

If dessert is your favorite meal, then you will love Paris. The pastries are simply amazing. What they do with flour, sugar, and butter will make you crazy. The above picture was from a famous chain of gourmet bakeries - Eric Kayser - with a croissant and macaroon pastry stuffed with cream and raspberries. I tried nearly all types of pastry including lots of tarts, croissants, macaroons, and chocolates. It makes a nice treat in the afternoon while burning calories walking across Paris.

One final thought, even though France is rightfully famous for their food, living in Northern California has also spoiled me. Our bread, cheese, and wine are just as good if not better than their French counterparts. Even in Sacramento, I can easily get food of French quality, but I cannot easily reproduce the landscape and sights and sounds associated with eating in Paris. Enjoy the rest of my food pictures below.

Paris Landmarks - September 2013

Of course I am going to start with the Eiffel Tower, or correctly, Tour Eiffel. First, you cannot see the tower from ALL of Paris, but you will be impressed when it does come into view. The tower was initially controversial, but has now been accepted and adored by many people worldwide - many of which buy plastic replicas on the nearby streets to decorate office desks and dashboards for years to come. It is great during the day, but much more impressive and less crowded at night. The tower is open until midnight every day and makes a perfect ending to a long day of sightseeing.

This chick is also well known in Paris. Yes, that is the Mona Lisa in all her glory on display at the Musee de Louvre. The museum is massive and located in the former royal palace prior to the move to Versailles. For only 12e you can spend all day looking at paintings, sculptures, and even the Napoleon Apartments in original condition. The museum is usually packed, but is open late some nights with fewer crowds.

The Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris is much nicer now that the hunchback retired to the Mediterranean. This landmark cathedral is located on an island in the middle of Paris in the Seine River. The architecture is breathtaking and located within equally impressive gardens. It usually takes a long time to go inside, and pictures are prohibited while inside the still active Catholic church. Nearby, there is a famous bridge - Pont de l'Archeveche - where many people put love locks on the railings.

Deep underground, the Catacombs of Paris still hold the bones of many dead Parisians. They were moved in the 18th century and arranged in a very unique fashion. I guess if your job is to stack bones all day, you get a little bored and start making designs and art with the rather macabre medium. There is usually a long line for this quick attraction, but it's a very unique experience indeed.

Back upstairs, the Musee d'Orsay houses one of the most impressive Impressionist collections in the world. This museum would be the star of Paris if not for its more famous sister across the river. It is housed in an old Paris train station and retains a lot of the original features. It is fitting that several Monet painiting depicting trains are housed here. At 9e, it is also an incredible bargain for anyone even slightly interested in Impressionist paintings.

Near our apartment was La Basilique du Sacre Coeur de Montmartre. This unique basilica is at the top of a hill in the Montmarte region of Paris. Once you make your way past the crazy vendors, you can climb all the stairs to the top or use the funicular railway next door. On our visit, it was raining with thunderstorms so we took shelter inside. A Catholic mass was in process, but they let visitors walk around the interior perimeter. It was unique to see an active service in such a historic place.

The Arc d'Triomphe is in the center of the most complicated traffic intersection in Paris. The monument commerates those who died in the French Revolution and those who continue to die when 12 major streets empty into a roundabout with no traffic lines. For safety, you need to use an underground tunnel to access the monument, unless you are very crazy.

If you blink, you might miss Sainte-Chapelle near Notre Dame. This incredibly beautiful chapel was built for the private use of the early kings of France and their court. The stained glass and art is just breathtaking and photos cannot do it justice. It is very small, but you can also visit the nearby dungeons and current French Hall of Justice in the same complex.

Please enjoy the rest of the Paris Landmarks photos below.

Paris Overview - September 2013

I was fortunate to travel to Paris, France recently with a good friend from college. He was visiting Paris to attend a friend's wedding, and we split an apartment to do some sightseeing. The experience was impressive as always and will be split into multiple postings to focus on the various aspects of my trip. This first section is a general overview of Paris. Make sure to see all the pages:

- Paris Overview
- Paris Landmarks
- French Food
- Versailles
- Normandy / Omaha Beach
- Champagne

This was our apartment in Paris. I rented the place from Vacations in Paris an American company that rents apartments while traveling. If you are staying more than a few nights, it is an excellent option. The  one bedroom apartment had a tiny kitchen and a huge bathroom, plus Wi-Fi and cable TV. I should note that telecommunications are dirt cheap in France. You can get full cable TV, super fast Internet, home phone, and unlimited mobile for about $50/month.

The apartment is located at 49 rue Levis in the 17th district of Paris. It is an upscale residential neighborhood with no tourists, but only a short distance from all the sights using the city's Metro and RER system. Below is my first YouTube video of the street:

As you can see, the street is full of locals shopping and enjoying the day. It was awesome to experience this each morning and evening as we came and went at the apartment. There were several cafes, bakeries, and a supermarket which provided too much good food. Paris is very clean and safe walking around even at night. The area has few landmarks and was very quiet after dark which made for a nice escape.

Parc Monceau is a city park near the apartment in Paris. The park was very beautiful and full of locals enjoying any excuse to walk around outside. There were joggers, old people on benches, kids playing on the merry-go-round, and a small cafe selling all sorts of junk food. All the parks in Paris even have free Wi-Fi service so you can check your email while walking the dog!

We spent a lot of time underground on the Paris Metro. It is the very best way to travel the city and connects nearly all the famous landmarks with every part of the region. The system is somewhat complicated since it consists of several independent lines with completely different platforms and trains. You do need to walk a bit for some connections. However, the system was almost always fast with connecting trains arriving quickly and impressive turnarounds during rush periods.

Shopping is always fun for me. The local Monoprix supermarket had a wide range of French foods and was the source of many meals and snacks. I always recommend visiting them to see what real locals are eating and how they shop. The store is typical of a urban setting, but included a lot of dairy and snack foods. It is fun to see American brands in the store too.

Paris is the city of light and is one of the most romantic places I've visited. The residents truly love their city and everything about their lives. It was refreshing to be in such a relaxed setting where people take the time to appreciate everything. With so many opportunities to relax and enjoy, one must work hard to still see all the equally impressive sights in and around Paris. I will discuss those in other posts. Please, grab a coffee and croissant and enjoy the pictures below.