Category of: France

How to eat vegetarian when travelling and Grilled summer vegetables with couscous recipe

July 28, 2016

There is an art to travelling as a vegetarian. You would think that with the abundance of gorgeous produce in the markets, especially around the Mediterranean, it would be easy to find vegetarian dishes in restaurants but somehow it is not. Now, I am interested in food and culture and will try other things even if they are not vegetarian, especially the local and traditional. I am certainly not going to travel without experiencing local foods.... View Article

Paris – What Parisians Line Up For

February 27, 2014

Generally speaking I don’t line up for anything, even if it’s good. I have no patience I guess. I’ll get it another time or not at all. And even if I find myself in the inevitable short line now and then I want it to move fast. Let’s move it people. But in Paris it’s different. I noticed that Parisians do line up for things they consider worthwhile, and do so patiently and agreeably. Food... View Article

Paris Wine Bars – Vin Naturel

January 23, 2014

Wine bars are the latest development in the food scene in Paris. Instead of going to dinner to taste wines you can go to a wine bar and socialize over a glass of wine (or a bottle) with small plates of food. It’s an opportunity to sample different wines by the glass in a comfortable, low key yet hip atmosphere. Wine bars have sprung up all over the city (many in the 11th arrondissement on... View Article

Paris – Leeks in Vinaigrette

January 22, 2014

What can be more French than leeks in vinaigrette? We went on a wine bar tour with Paris by Mouth and tasted wines along with a few hors d’oeuvres in a couple of wine bars. The first stop was at Septime La Cave in the 11th arrendissement. It’s a small wine shop/bar opened by chef Bertrand Grebaut across the street from his restaurant Septime. You can stop by the wine bar and have a glass... View Article

Christmas in Paris – Champagne at Le Bar du Bristol

January 4, 2014

Since it’s Christmas and we are in Paris, I wanted to make sure we had a memorable experience to take away. For me memorable has to include good food. Many of the restaurants are closed for the holiday and I didn’t want to spend much time on the phone or online trying to find a place that was open. The next best solution was of course the hotels. I love hotels, especially the 5 star... View Article

Paris – New Year’s Eve (No) Light Show at the Eiffel Tower

January 1, 2014

Paris is known as one of the top tourist destination for New Year’s celebrations and out of all the beautiful places to be around town the Tour Eiffel tops the list (whose list, that’s another question). For years they had an impressive light show at the tower, that included music, fireworks and a count down to midnight. You can go to the tower together with thousands of people and watch the light show from a... View Article

Paris – French Pastry Class with Les Secrets Gourmands de Noémie

January 1, 2014

I happened upon Noemi’s cooking school by chance. After mentioning to a Parisian acquaintance that I am interested in food she recommended Noemie’s cooking school in the 17th arrendissement. When I checked Noemi’s website, Les Secrets Gourmands de Noemie , I got quite excited.  Noemie is the real thing. I registered for a French Pastry class to be held in the morning, after the Christmas holiday. Noémie is a trained pastry chef, having completed her training... View Article

Paris – A Class at Le Cordon Bleu

December 26, 2013

As soon as I knew we were going to Paris I knew I had to take a class at Le Cordon Bleu. This iconic institution has a long and prestigious culinary history and even going to a one evening class was a must, almost regardless of what was being taught. Founded over 100 years ago, the school attracts aspiring culinarians from all over the world and produces some of the best chefs in the world.... View Article

Val d’Europe – Largest Outlet Mall in Europe

December 24, 2013

If you are a shopper you may have heard of this gigantic indoor and outdoor mall about 35 km east of Paris in Marne la Vallee. Promoted as the largest mall in Europe, Val d’Europe attracts travellers from all over the continent and is a shopping destination for Parisians who can reach it by a quick train ride from central Paris. Val d’Europe is close to EuroDisney and represents the Disney concept of creating “idealized”... View Article

Paris for Insiders: Foodie Tour of Saint Germain (Part 2)

December 22, 2013

Continued from Part One here. On we go on our walking food tour of Saint Germain with Sara Garcia from Paris by Mouth. After our last stop at Pierre Hermés shop on 72 Rue Bonaparte we crossed the square in front of the beautiful church of Saint Germain, the oldest church in Paris dating back to the 12th century. It is so interesting to be a Parisian and live among these old monuments. I think... View Article

Paris – La Grande Epicerie, Parisian Gastronomy by LVMH

December 16, 2013

How come I wasn’t invited? Last week on December 9th after a year and a half of renovations and relocation Le Bon Marché opened the doors to the new La Grande Epicerie. This food palace was relocated from the basement of Le Bon Marché and moved across the street to the chic corner of rue de Sèvres and rue Bac in the elite 7th arrondissement. At the opening soiree 1500 of Paris’s culinary and consumer elite along... View Article

Paris for Insiders: Foodie Tour of Saint Germain (part 1)

December 13, 2013

No other arrondissement in Paris has been painted, written about,  featured in novels and movies, had music composed about it and philosophy debated in it’s cafes as much as Saint Germain Des Prés. Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir philosophized with the intelligentsia at Cafes Flore and Les Deux Magot, Oscar Wilde lived on 13, rue des Beaux-Arts, Picasso painted in his atelier on rue Saints Augustines, Hemingway stayed there and wrote about it, Charles Aznavour... View Article