Figs, Chanterelles and Cèpes
Purple Cauliflower, Tomatoes and Radishes
Some of today's offerings at the Avenue du Président Wilson market.
Bobby Jay
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Paris - Autumn at the Market
Figs, Chanterelles and CèpesSome of today's offerings at the Avenue du Président Wilson market.
Bobby Jay
Paris - Artisanal Sardines at La Petite Chaloupe
Recently I was watching an episode of Laura Calder's "French Food at Home" on the new Cooking Channel in which Laura served an assortment of artisanal tinned sardines, with wonderful French bread and butter, as an appetizer. This really appealed to me (but not to my wife, who was forced to eat sardines as a child and still harbors a grudge), and I vowed to myself to follow up.
The show included a visit by Laura to the little shop in Paris where she had found the exotic assortment, but without giving the name. I wrote to Laura, who kindly informed me that the shop is La Petite Chaloupe, 7 rue du Pont Royal, Paris 13ème.
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This unique shop was my first stop on arriving in Paris earlier this week. They have dozens of kinds of sardines, all French and almost all millésimé (like vintage wines), with various spice profiles and packed in different oils. Also many other tinned fish products - tuna, mackerel, anchovies, etc. - of the highest quality. Needless to say, I bought a selection (pictured below) to bring back to New York, to eat myself or to share with friends.
Next time you're in Paris, I recommend a visit.
Bobby Jay
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Quick - While You Can Still Get Fresh Figs . . .
. . . make this wonderful Fig and Almond Tart from the excellent blog "Lunch in Paris." It is easy and, as noted in the blog, the frangipane is light and therefore doesn't overwhelm the delicate figs.
Bobby Jay
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Del Posto - The Best Restaurant in New York?
My wife and I had the good fortune to celebrate her birthday at Del Posto a few days ago. I had made the reservation before The New York Times awarded the restaurant its fourth star, although our dinner followed the article in the Times.
We loved it last year and it has only gotten better: the four stars are richly deserved. Not only is the very innovative Italian food excellent, but the room is beautifully designed and not densely packed and the staff are capable and welcoming. Given severe recent disappointments at Jean-Georges and Le Bernardin - our former favorites - Del Posto is now our number one New York dining destination.
I don't really review New York restaurants because there is more than enough information available to US readers, but this is a noteworthy restaurant that is worth the trip to 10th Avenue and 15th Street.
Bobby Jay
We loved it last year and it has only gotten better: the four stars are richly deserved. Not only is the very innovative Italian food excellent, but the room is beautifully designed and not densely packed and the staff are capable and welcoming. Given severe recent disappointments at Jean-Georges and Le Bernardin - our former favorites - Del Posto is now our number one New York dining destination.
I don't really review New York restaurants because there is more than enough information available to US readers, but this is a noteworthy restaurant that is worth the trip to 10th Avenue and 15th Street.
Bobby Jay
Thursday, September 23, 2010
My Big Night III - The Event
As I ended my previous post, the guests were arriving for the big party at Bobby Jay's, the restaurant making a brief appearance at the Institute for Culinary Education (ICE). To refresh your recollection, the menu for the event consisted of the following:
As people arrived, they were plied with drinks, especially champagne, and a parade of hors d'oeuvres. I was quite happy with the way all of them came out, but I think the shrimp in kadaifa nests was the surprise star of the group.
Corn Soup, Crabcakes and Shrimp in Kadaifa Nests
Duck Breast with Plum Sauce; Sesame Crusted Bass
Blueberry Almond Tart with Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream; Gourmandises
As people arrived, they were plied with drinks, especially champagne, and a parade of hors d'oeuvres. I was quite happy with the way all of them came out, but I think the shrimp in kadaifa nests was the surprise star of the group.
Corn Soup, Crabcakes and Shrimp in Kadaifa NestsWe had taken over the entire sixth floor of ICE, so guests could wander around and observe Chef Brendan's wonderful team in the two kitchens getting ready for the final plating of the tomato salad and the firing of the main courses.
Lettuce Waiting for Tomatoes; Chef Brendan and Bobby Jay
Finally, dinner was served in Bobby Jay's. The duck breast with port and plum sauce was fine, just what I expected, but the fish (which I didn't choose as my own main) was extraordinary. Brendan chose to use fillets of striped bass rather than the smaller Mediterranean sea bass that I had called for, and it was a great decision. The sesame crusted skin was crispy, and the pungent argan oil made its presence know while not overwhelming the other flavors -- a chick-pea purée and a Moroccan melange of fava beans and other vegetables.
Lettuce Waiting for Tomatoes; Chef Brendan and Bobby Jay
Finally, dinner was served in Bobby Jay's. The duck breast with port and plum sauce was fine, just what I expected, but the fish (which I didn't choose as my own main) was extraordinary. Brendan chose to use fillets of striped bass rather than the smaller Mediterranean sea bass that I had called for, and it was a great decision. The sesame crusted skin was crispy, and the pungent argan oil made its presence know while not overwhelming the other flavors -- a chick-pea purée and a Moroccan melange of fava beans and other vegetables.
Duck Breast with Plum Sauce; Sesame Crusted Bass
After the main courses, J made a lovely speech, describing the history of the event, acknowledging many of our friends, particularly those of longest standing, and, touchingly, calling me "the most successfully retired person" she has met. Indeed, I felt that way all night.
Then the cheese platter from Ann Saxelby's wonderful shop in the Essex Market, followed by a series of wonderful toasts that made me blush. Next, the blueberry almond tart, a speech by Bobby Jay and, finally, the trio of chocolates, macarons and mini-madeleines.
Then the cheese platter from Ann Saxelby's wonderful shop in the Essex Market, followed by a series of wonderful toasts that made me blush. Next, the blueberry almond tart, a speech by Bobby Jay and, finally, the trio of chocolates, macarons and mini-madeleines.
Blueberry Almond Tart with Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream; Gourmandises
In hindsight I realize that this was not merely my "Big Night," which after all refers to the second best food movie. Given the happiness and love in evidence at Bobby Jay's that night -- evoked by a celebratory meal -- from my perspective, at least, the event was more reminiscent of the greatest food movie of all time: perhaps I should have called this series of posts "Bobette's Feast."
Farewell, Bobby Jay's
Either way, it was a dream come true for me, and I was a bit sorry to see the end of my restaurant's fleeting existence.
Bobby Jay
Bobby Jay
Saturday, September 18, 2010
My Big Night II- Prepping for the Meal
As I noted at the outset of my 60th birthday dinner project, there is no way I can cook for 60 plus people, so I needed to recruit help from among those who would be at the dinner. This proved to be easy: nearly all the first people I mentioned the party to volunteered to help. So a band of eight people worked for six hours the day before the party and six worked for three hours on the day of the event itself.
While it was definitely work, it was also really fun. Essentially we got nine hours of hands-on cooking lessons from our designated chef, Brendan McDermott, his principal assistants Sue, James and Bianca and a host of other helpers from ICE. Brendan is a masterful chef and he and his team could not have been more accommodating and helpful; a huge plus is that they actually enjoy teaching.
Cooking for 60 is not like cooking for four, six or eight in many ways. First, there is just more of everything. But things also respond differently when made in larger quantities, so my recipes had to be altered. Finally, you have to make a lot of the food a day in advance, and it is important to know which things can and which cannot be stored for 24 hours. To read and see what happened, click on "More" below.
More...
We accomplished an enormous amount on the first day. We made the cold corn soup, made and formed 240 crab cakes and made the relish and vinaigrette that would be used for final assembly, made an astonishing amount of risotto to be chilled overnight before, sauteeing at the last minute, we smoked and grilled the pork tenderloin, we made the purée for the fish dish, we made the ice cream, we made the mini-madeleines and attempted the macarons (more on this later) and we made the shells for the blueberry almond tarts. Left for the day of the event were the appetizer tomato salad, the main courses (fish or duck) and accompanying vegetables and one of the purées, the filling and baking of the blueberry almond tart and the chocolates. Piglet and I had worked with chef Brendan earlier in the week to make the foie gras, which needs five days or so to come to its full glory.
Although the orange lavender buttercream for the macarons was perfect, the shells were not, and had to be redone by me at home that night. Fortunately, I have done this often so, apart from the fact that I was pretty tired from the day's prepping, I had little problem knocking off ten trays of macaron shells, and the assembly was quickly accomplished the next day.
On Sunday we gathered to finish up. Making chocolate seems pretty easy, but making five pounds of it at one go is not. It takes nearly an hour to melt it over a bain marie, and tempering it by cooling and reheating to precise temperatures also takes a huge amount of time. And then you have to work with it pretty quickly or it starts to set. So this occupied a lot of time for the chocolate team. The results were great, however.
One of the highlights was making mozzarella for the tomato salad. Melting the curds (firm, roughly 2-inch cubes), then stretching them, tearing off bits and forming balls, always as gently as possible.
I had made the blueberry almond tart numerous times, so was confident that it would come out well. But it is not prepossessing while being made and at least one of the members of the tart team had grave doubts. But they came out beautifully.
The team also made the Moroccan vegetables for the fish dish and the root vegetable plum sauce to accompany the duck.
As the start of the event neared, crab cakes were sauteed and sauced, foie gras was cut into rounds and put onto brioche bread, smoked pork tenderloin was put on croutons (over a quickly improvised creamy lime sauce), corn soup went into little glasses, risotto cakes were sauteed and shrimp were embedded into kadaifa nests and deep fried. This was all done by ICE chefs and sous-chefs, as I and my team were off dressing for the party.
As the guests arrived and were devouring the hors d'oeuvres and champagne, the ICE team worked tirelessly to make and plate the main dishes.
Our guests started arriving at Bobby Jay's at 7:00, but more of that in the next and final post on this event.
Bobby Jay
While it was definitely work, it was also really fun. Essentially we got nine hours of hands-on cooking lessons from our designated chef, Brendan McDermott, his principal assistants Sue, James and Bianca and a host of other helpers from ICE. Brendan is a masterful chef and he and his team could not have been more accommodating and helpful; a huge plus is that they actually enjoy teaching.
Looks Like Fun, Doesn't It?
Cooking for 60 is not like cooking for four, six or eight in many ways. First, there is just more of everything. But things also respond differently when made in larger quantities, so my recipes had to be altered. Finally, you have to make a lot of the food a day in advance, and it is important to know which things can and which cannot be stored for 24 hours. To read and see what happened, click on "More" below.
More...
We accomplished an enormous amount on the first day. We made the cold corn soup, made and formed 240 crab cakes and made the relish and vinaigrette that would be used for final assembly, made an astonishing amount of risotto to be chilled overnight before, sauteeing at the last minute, we smoked and grilled the pork tenderloin, we made the purée for the fish dish, we made the ice cream, we made the mini-madeleines and attempted the macarons (more on this later) and we made the shells for the blueberry almond tarts. Left for the day of the event were the appetizer tomato salad, the main courses (fish or duck) and accompanying vegetables and one of the purées, the filling and baking of the blueberry almond tart and the chocolates. Piglet and I had worked with chef Brendan earlier in the week to make the foie gras, which needs five days or so to come to its full glory.
Chef Brendan and the Corn Soup Team
Although the orange lavender buttercream for the macarons was perfect, the shells were not, and had to be redone by me at home that night. Fortunately, I have done this often so, apart from the fact that I was pretty tired from the day's prepping, I had little problem knocking off ten trays of macaron shells, and the assembly was quickly accomplished the next day.
Assembling Macarons
On Sunday we gathered to finish up. Making chocolate seems pretty easy, but making five pounds of it at one go is not. It takes nearly an hour to melt it over a bain marie, and tempering it by cooling and reheating to precise temperatures also takes a huge amount of time. And then you have to work with it pretty quickly or it starts to set. So this occupied a lot of time for the chocolate team. The results were great, however.
Making Chocolates
One of the highlights was making mozzarella for the tomato salad. Melting the curds (firm, roughly 2-inch cubes), then stretching them, tearing off bits and forming balls, always as gently as possible.
The Chocolate Team Switches to Mozzarella
I had made the blueberry almond tart numerous times, so was confident that it would come out well. But it is not prepossessing while being made and at least one of the members of the tart team had grave doubts. But they came out beautifully.
Making Blueberry Almond Tarts
The team also made the Moroccan vegetables for the fish dish and the root vegetable plum sauce to accompany the duck.
As the start of the event neared, crab cakes were sauteed and sauced, foie gras was cut into rounds and put onto brioche bread, smoked pork tenderloin was put on croutons (over a quickly improvised creamy lime sauce), corn soup went into little glasses, risotto cakes were sauteed and shrimp were embedded into kadaifa nests and deep fried. This was all done by ICE chefs and sous-chefs, as I and my team were off dressing for the party.
As the guests arrived and were devouring the hors d'oeuvres and champagne, the ICE team worked tirelessly to make and plate the main dishes.
Our guests started arriving at Bobby Jay's at 7:00, but more of that in the next and final post on this event.
Bobby Jay
Friday, September 17, 2010
My Big Night I - Planning
I turned 60 this summer, and several months before that my wife J asked whether I wanted to have a party. I was in Japan when I turned 50 and was able to escape any major recognition, so this time I felt it would be appropriate to celebrate. But I struggled in response to her question as to what we should do. Finally I said that what I'd really like to do do was to cook a meal for our close friends, but that unfortunately I don't possess the skills or the place to entertain 50 or 60 guests. She said that if I really wanted to do that, there would certainly be a way.
I next mentioned the idea to my friend Piglet, who has from time to time appeared in this blog. An event planner who knows her way around the catering and food world, she agreed with my wife that what I wanted to do was definitely possible.
After considering teaming up with a catering facility and staff for the event, we met with the special events people at the Institute for Culinary Education (ICE), on West 23rd Street, a cooking school that offers professional training and also has a robust "recreational" program of classes for non-professionals. ICE's cooking facilities, of course, are perfect, and it turned out they had an appropriate space for the event. Also, they could provide chefs and assistants to help plan and execute the event. Most important, although this event was somewhat different from others they have done, it was perfectly consistent with their mission of teaching people how to cook.
So now it was up to me to design the event.
More...
I quickly decided on the format: a sit-down dinner, preceded by a cocktail hour. The menu would consist of things I had cooked before and wanted to share with my friends. We would do six passed hors d'oeuvres, an appetizer, a main course (choice of fish or duck), cheese, dessert and after-dinner treats. I would try to use local ingredients and to reflect, to the extent possible, the late-summer early-autumn time of year.
Thus I decided to do Jamie Oliver's mixed heirloom tomato salad -- one of my all-time favorites and likely one of the last of the waning tomato season. Similarly, seared duck breast with a fresh plum sauce (from Gordon Hamersley), to take advantage of the red plums that are among the last of the season's stone fruits. Dessert would be an almond blueberry tart from Clotilde. This left the fish dish open, and I decided to go with a recipe I recently learned at cooking school in Paris: sesame crusted sea bass over a bed of Moroccan vegetables and a chickpea puree.
With the core of the menu set, I went to work on the hors d'oeuvres. Everyone (well almost) loves foie gras, and I have a nice recipe where it is infused with cinq épices and white port. I recently made a smoked peppered pork tenderloin that turned out to be even better cold. Also cold, my own corn soup, served in shot glasses. Then two hot favorites: sauteed veal and sage risotto cakes and Bobby Flay's incredible crab cakes with black olive and pepper relish and basil vinaigrette. Finally, shrimp with a leaf of cilantro fried in a nest of kadaifa, very fine threads of phyllo dough.
I next mentioned the idea to my friend Piglet, who has from time to time appeared in this blog. An event planner who knows her way around the catering and food world, she agreed with my wife that what I wanted to do was definitely possible.
After considering teaming up with a catering facility and staff for the event, we met with the special events people at the Institute for Culinary Education (ICE), on West 23rd Street, a cooking school that offers professional training and also has a robust "recreational" program of classes for non-professionals. ICE's cooking facilities, of course, are perfect, and it turned out they had an appropriate space for the event. Also, they could provide chefs and assistants to help plan and execute the event. Most important, although this event was somewhat different from others they have done, it was perfectly consistent with their mission of teaching people how to cook.
So now it was up to me to design the event.
More...
I quickly decided on the format: a sit-down dinner, preceded by a cocktail hour. The menu would consist of things I had cooked before and wanted to share with my friends. We would do six passed hors d'oeuvres, an appetizer, a main course (choice of fish or duck), cheese, dessert and after-dinner treats. I would try to use local ingredients and to reflect, to the extent possible, the late-summer early-autumn time of year.
Thus I decided to do Jamie Oliver's mixed heirloom tomato salad -- one of my all-time favorites and likely one of the last of the waning tomato season. Similarly, seared duck breast with a fresh plum sauce (from Gordon Hamersley), to take advantage of the red plums that are among the last of the season's stone fruits. Dessert would be an almond blueberry tart from Clotilde. This left the fish dish open, and I decided to go with a recipe I recently learned at cooking school in Paris: sesame crusted sea bass over a bed of Moroccan vegetables and a chickpea puree.
With the core of the menu set, I went to work on the hors d'oeuvres. Everyone (well almost) loves foie gras, and I have a nice recipe where it is infused with cinq épices and white port. I recently made a smoked peppered pork tenderloin that turned out to be even better cold. Also cold, my own corn soup, served in shot glasses. Then two hot favorites: sauteed veal and sage risotto cakes and Bobby Flay's incredible crab cakes with black olive and pepper relish and basil vinaigrette. Finally, shrimp with a leaf of cilantro fried in a nest of kadaifa, very fine threads of phyllo dough.
The Final Menu for My Big Night
Dessert would be a blueberry almond tart, from the recipe of my beloved Clotilde Dussoulier. For the finale, chocolates with fleur de sel or a pulverized 4-pepper brittle that adds a complex spice profile, lavender orange macarons (maybe the best thing I have ever made) and honey madeleines from Joel Robuchon.
As for the cheese plate, I went to visit Anne Saxelby, who promotes and sells a fantastic array of American artisanal cheeses, and selected three cheeses from Vermont: a creamy sheep, a complex clothbound cheddar and a creamy blue.
All that remained was to select wines that would complement the meal and to pick linens, stemware, flowers and other things to perk up the pretty banal room in which the dinner would be served. J took charge of the esthetic makeover, working with our even coordinator, and did a magnificent job. Although it's out of sequence, I can't resist showing you how great the tables looked.
Table Setting
Finally, invitations. To pique people's interest, the event was described as the one and only meal ever to be served at a newly created restaurant, Bobby Jay's, to be cooked by Bobby Jay and a carefully selected team of cooks (namely, the first 8 or 10 people who heard about the event and volunteered to help)..jpg)
Invitation
The final thing to do was to be nervous about how things would turn out.
But more on that in later posts.
Bobby Jay
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Crostini
One evening, with people coming to dinner and nothing to give them with drinks, I threw together some simple crostini that proved to be a big hit. Now I regularly pass them around as we gather for a prosecco or martini in the kitchen while I cook dinner. I make these often, but there is no real recipe since what I put in depends on what's I happen to have in the fridge and on the shelf.
But here's an indicative recipe:
Bobby Jay
But here's an indicative recipe:
- Mix together 1 cup of freshly packed ricotta, 2 tablespoons of Greek style yogurt, and 1 tablespoon of best quality olive oil.
- Add 5 or 6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced as finely as possible, and about 1/3 cup of mixed chopped olives (I use pitted oil-cured and Gaeta olives but any kind, including ones with herbs or garlic, will do).
- Add about 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest, a bit of salt and a good grinding of fresh pepper.
- Spread on small pieces of toasted bread - slices of baguette or a country bread of some kind - and top with a little fleur de sel and a small drizzle of olive oil.
Bobby Jay
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Eataly - Definitely Worth a Visit
My friend Piglet and I visited the newly opened Eataly today, and we agree that it is definitely worth a visit. Located at 23rd Street and Broadway, this mega Italian food market has beautiful produce, meats and fish as well as a truly amazing array of Italian products. More Italian pasta shapes and brands than I would have imagined, oils, sauces, crackers, chocolates, jams, honeys, charcuterie, cheese . . . well, just about everything. And several restaurants and cafes where you can sit and enjoy the food, which we did not try.
If you like Italian food (and who doesn't?), you must go. We went mid-morning and the shopping experience was great. It is reported to be very crowded at lunchtime and on weekends, however. Prices are quite fair, especially for the meat and produce.
Eataly is a joint effort of Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Oscar Farinetti, founder of the original Eataly in Turin.
Bobby Jay
If you like Italian food (and who doesn't?), you must go. We went mid-morning and the shopping experience was great. It is reported to be very crowded at lunchtime and on weekends, however. Prices are quite fair, especially for the meat and produce.
Eataly is a joint effort of Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Oscar Farinetti, founder of the original Eataly in Turin.
Bobby Jay
Friday, September 10, 2010
Best Roast Chicken Recipe
I have made many roast chickens from many different recipes, but I found the best one a few years ago: Gordon Hamersley's "Walk-Away" Roast Chicken. I have given the recipe to many friends, and it always becomes their go-to roast chicken because it is exactly what you want in roast chicken -- crispy skin, flavorful succulent meat -- and unbelievably simple; no trussing, no stuffing under the skin, no basting. It is virtually infallible. My wife absolutely loves roast chicken and this is her favorite version.
I have mentioned it before on this blog, and given it to friends, but never felt comfortable putting the recipe on my blog, but now it is on the Internet, notably at Fine Cooking's recipe site, so I have no hesitation in sharing it.
So here it is. Simply click on "More" below for the recipe with my commentaries, based on about 50 tries, interspersed in brackets.
More...
Gordon Hamersley’s Walk-Away Roast Chicken
Ingredients
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 whole roasting chicken (about 3-1/2 lb.) [I like to use a 2 3/4 lb. bird if I can find one, preferably d'Artagnan, but always organic], rinsed under cold water and dried
• 1 onion, cut into thick slices [I like to use 2 good-sized but not giant red onions, cut in half lengthwise.]
• 4 medium red potatoes, washed (but not peeled) and sliced in half. [I prefer to use medium Yukon Golds, cut in half lengthwise.]
• [1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock or broth (optional)]
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 375°F. [I use my convection setting.] In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the mustard, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Squeeze the juice from one lemon half into the herb mixture; squeeze the juice from the other half into a small bowl and reserve. Reserve the squeezed lemon halves. Spoon the herb mixture over the chicken and inside its cavity, rubbing to coat the bird thoroughly. Put the reserved lemon halves inside the chicken's cavity.
2. Put the onion and potatoes in a roasting pan. Season them with salt and pepper and toss them with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Scatter the ingredients around the pan to make room in the center for the chicken. [I put the onions and potatoes, cut side down, in the middle to make a rack for the chicken.]
3. Put the chicken in the pan, breast side up. Cook until the meat is tender and the juices run clear at the thigh, about 1–1/4 hours. [I find this time correct for a less-than 3 lb. chicken on convection setting; otherwise, allow 1 1/2 hours for an organic chicken.] By this time, the potatoes and onions should be tender.
4. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter. Pour the juices from inside the chicken's cavity into the roasting pan and transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest.
5. Spoon off and discard as much fat as possible from the juices in the roasting pan. Set the pan with the juices over medium-low heat and pour in the reserved lemon juice along with 1/2 cup water [chicken stock is better if you have it]. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Cut the chicken into pieces (or serve it whole, if you like). Pour the pan juices over the chicken and serve.
7. Enjoy!
Bobby Jay
I have mentioned it before on this blog, and given it to friends, but never felt comfortable putting the recipe on my blog, but now it is on the Internet, notably at Fine Cooking's recipe site, so I have no hesitation in sharing it.
So here it is. Simply click on "More" below for the recipe with my commentaries, based on about 50 tries, interspersed in brackets.
More...
Gordon Hamersley’s Walk-Away Roast Chicken
Ingredients
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 whole roasting chicken (about 3-1/2 lb.) [I like to use a 2 3/4 lb. bird if I can find one, preferably d'Artagnan, but always organic], rinsed under cold water and dried
• 1 onion, cut into thick slices [I like to use 2 good-sized but not giant red onions, cut in half lengthwise.]
• 4 medium red potatoes, washed (but not peeled) and sliced in half. [I prefer to use medium Yukon Golds, cut in half lengthwise.]
• [1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock or broth (optional)]
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 375°F. [I use my convection setting.] In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the mustard, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Squeeze the juice from one lemon half into the herb mixture; squeeze the juice from the other half into a small bowl and reserve. Reserve the squeezed lemon halves. Spoon the herb mixture over the chicken and inside its cavity, rubbing to coat the bird thoroughly. Put the reserved lemon halves inside the chicken's cavity.
2. Put the onion and potatoes in a roasting pan. Season them with salt and pepper and toss them with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Scatter the ingredients around the pan to make room in the center for the chicken. [I put the onions and potatoes, cut side down, in the middle to make a rack for the chicken.]
3. Put the chicken in the pan, breast side up. Cook until the meat is tender and the juices run clear at the thigh, about 1–1/4 hours. [I find this time correct for a less-than 3 lb. chicken on convection setting; otherwise, allow 1 1/2 hours for an organic chicken.] By this time, the potatoes and onions should be tender.
4. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter. Pour the juices from inside the chicken's cavity into the roasting pan and transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest.
5. Spoon off and discard as much fat as possible from the juices in the roasting pan. Set the pan with the juices over medium-low heat and pour in the reserved lemon juice along with 1/2 cup water [chicken stock is better if you have it]. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Cut the chicken into pieces (or serve it whole, if you like). Pour the pan juices over the chicken and serve.
7. Enjoy!
Bobby Jay
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Late Summer Bounty at Union Square
Three of the many reasons why I like the Union Square greenmarket in late summer.
Bobby Jay
Bobby Jay
Monday, August 9, 2010
Pass the Tam Ham, Please
Tamworth Ham
I remember being shocked as a pre- or early teen, when Scout, the young heroine of To Kill a Mockingbird, famously exclaimed, "Pass the damn ham, please." Now I know that it was just a typo, for I just slow-cooked a wonderful 9-pound Tamworth ("Tam") ham acquired through Heritage Farms USA, and everyone wanted seconds (and, in some cases, thirds). Harper Lee obviously knew about this unctuous, tasty heritage pig and meant to have the heroine ask for some Tam ham; "damn" ham is what came out, and the rest is history.
In case you're wondering, I prepared the ham with a fennel seed rub and served it with corn kernels sauteed with shallots and whole cumin seeds, then sprinkled with lots (nearly a cup) of mixed herbs, and string beans sautéed in olive oil and finely minced fresh rosemary.
The pig theme continued with sautéed bananas accompanied by vanilla ice cream and bacon caramel sauce: really carrying the salted caramel idea to another level (recipe from Michael Symon).
Bobby Jay
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Three- and Five-Day Gourmet Visits to Paris
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A loyal reader of my blog suggested that it would be useful for me to do a post with my suggestions for a gourmet stay in Paris of three or five days. I protested that existing sources, including Clotilde's "Epicurean Adventures in Paris" have everything one needs to put together a great food-oriented vacation, but she pointed out, correctly, that this wealth of information is not prioritized for those planning relatively short stays. Further, my point of view - however incomplete - may be more relevant to an American traveler to Paris than that found in the available resources.
So here goes. I am going to set out my thoughts on food-related things to see and do in Paris if you have three days there (too short) or are lucky enough to have five. I am assuming that the reader is not completely food obsessed, and will to save time for non-food related activities, like clothes shopping, going to museums and churches, and taking long walks in the most beautiful large city in the world. Following even a significant number of my recommendations will leave time for such pursuits. If you will be in Paris for longer than five days, so much the better; it would take more time than that to fully exhaust the list of places contained in this post, let alone the more comprehensive information that may be found elsewhere on this blog under the topic "Paris."
Except for open-air markets, I have not listed opening days or times. Beware of the fact that the French have very different views on this subject than Americans. Great restaurants are generally closed on Saturdays, Sundays or Mondays. Stores in the food business are often closed Mondays and Saturday afternoons. Anything might be closed in August. So check ahead. Virtually every place mentioned in this post has a website with contact information, hours and directions.
I plan to revise this and repost it from time to time, based on new experiences - good or bad - and, I hope, based on COMMENTS FROM READERS. If you try something that I recommend, please let me know your thoughts; tastes differ and places get better and worse, so feedback is guaranteed to make this post more useful for future visitors to Paris.
I will sometimes refer (and link) to other posts on my blog for more detailed information or photos. For more restaurant information, click on Paris Restaurants under Topics at right. My most comprehensive restaurant list may be found, not surprisingly, at Bobby Jay's Restaurant List.
Click on more below to get to the substance of the post. This will be a long post but a short guide to the ever-fascinating epicurean side of Paris.
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PLACES TO EAT
I do not pretend to have been to a significant percentage of the restaurants in Paris, so all I can do is to list places that `I like. If someone you trust recommends a place, go to it and feel free to eliminate one or more of my suggestions. If it's good, let me know!
Three-Day Visit
If you are in Paris for just three days, my advice is to eat French. Try these three lunch ideas and choose from the list of six dinner places. If you crave ethnic food, try Moroccan, which is excellent and can't really be found in New York. Italian, Chinese, Indian, Japanese just aren't worth it.
Granterroirs is a lunch place that also sells carefully selected, high-quality regional foods, wines and liquors. The food is really great, with a daily plat du jour and some excellent salads and open-faced sandwiches. I am sorry to report that the great Landais foie gras sandwich is not longer on the daily menu. Try to leave room for the dessert of the day. 30 rue de Miromesnil (Métro Miromesnil), 8th, Tel 0147 42 18 18.
Le Bristol is a gastronomic palace that has a great lunch for 85 euros. I know that sounds like a lot, but trust me on this one, it's a great deal. See my post of June 26, 2010. 112 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré (Métro Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau or Miromesnil), 8th, Tel 01 53 43 43 00.
Moving from the sublime to the ordinaire, I like to go to any cafe that looks nice and have a sandwich on a baguette at the bar (or at a table without a place mat), with a beer or glass of red wine. (I don't like the many new sandwich/salad places, which are no better than my firm's cafeteria). I recommend a "jambon mixte" (ham and cheese), "mixte de saucisson sec" (salami and cheese) or a "sandwich camembert" (just what you'd think).
Rôtisserie du Beaujolais is my number one place to take people who are not very familiar with Paris, although my wife and I go ourselves, too. Get the great duck confit with pommes Sarladaises if it's being offered. The regular duck for two is excellent, too, but all the food is really quite good. The best part is getting there, though. Take the Métro to Pont-Marie and walk from the right bank to Île St-Louis and then to the left bank. The view of the back of Notre Dame from the second bridge is one of the great sights in the world, in any weather and at any time of day. Desserts are fine, but we generally pass and walk back the way we came, stopping for Berthillon sorbets and ice creams at the outdoor place (not Berthillon itself, which is nearly always closed) on the aptly named Rue des Deux Ponts: the sorbets and ice creams are nearly all excellent, but the intense cacao amer is just not to be believed. 19 quai de la Tournelle (Métro Pont-Marie), 5th, Tel 01 43 54 17 47.
The French love their shellfish, particularly oysters, which are a bit brinier than North American varieties. It's fun and instructive to get a varied platter, especially in the winter season, when shellfish are kept and shucked to order on the sidewalks outside of restaurants and brasseries all over Paris. Garnier's little oyster bar is great for shellfish in the cold weather season. 111 rue St-Lazare, 8th. In winter or summer, try L'Écailler du Bistrot for excellent and totally fresh shellfish and classic fish dishes (e.g. marvelous, buttery, just al dente sole meunière). 20-22 rue Paul Bert, 11th, Tel 01 43 72 76 77.
Dominique Bouchet was very chic and popular right out of the box, and the food is imaginative and well-prepared. The ambiance is elegant but not overdone, and likewise the service. It's on the expensive side, but probably worth it. My only problem with this restaurant is that it was 100% filled with Americans the last time we had dinner there (not so for a fairly recent lunch), and I find it somewhat jarring to hear nothing but English at a Parisian restaurant. 11 rue Treilhard (Métro Miromesnil), 8th, Tel 01 45 61 09 46.
Le Hide features excellent, somewhat modernized classics at incredibly low prices. Winner of Pudlo's meilleur rapport qualité-prix for 2009. 10 rue du Général Lanrezac (Métro Etoile), 17th, 01 45 74 15 81.
Beaujolais d'Auteil: a recent great find. Non-touristy neighborhood bistro near the Bois de Boulogne, serving excellent food at very reasonable prices. 99 boulevard de Montmorency (Métro Porte d'Auteuil or Michel-Ange Auteuil), 16th, Tel 01 47 43 03 56.
I also like L'Accolade. A very reasonable 34-euro three-course dinner, including the unbelievable pig ear salad that I have chronicled elsewhere in this blog. 23 rue Guillaume-Tell, Métro Porte-de-Champerret or Pereire, 01 42 67 12 67, 17th.
Five-Day Visit
Now you may miss non-French food, so, in addition to the above, I add some ethnic places, along with some additional French ones that I like.
A Priori Thé, a nice place for tea, quiches and salad that is run by Americans, set in the gorgeous Galerie Vivienne, one of the most beautiful and most chic indoor arcades in Paris. Strictly for lunch or tea. 35 Galerie Vivienne (Métro Palais Royale or Bourse), 2nd. Tel 01 42 97 48 75.
The great pâtisseries also serve lunch at their tea salons. The best are Ladurée and Dalloyau (see below).
Kunitoraya: The best udon noodles I have found outside Japan are at Kunitoraya, and I try to get there at least once each time I am in Paris to enjoy the totally authentic kitsune udon. (My wife goes for the equally excellent tempura udon. There is nearly always a line, but if you go after 1:45 you probably won't wait more than a couple of minutes. 39 rue Ste-Anne (Métro Pyramides),1st.
Timgad or Étoile Maroccaine for Moroccan food. Timgad has excellent Moroccan in fancy (and expensive) surroundings. 21 rue Brunel (Métro Argentine), 17th. Tel 01 45 74 23 70). Etoile Morocaine has very good food in a nice setting. Despite proximity to the Arc de Triomphe, the clientele is not touristy; mostly locals who appear to be regulars. It is not very expensive. 56 rue de Galilée (Métro Georges V), 8th. Tel 01 47 20 44 43. It's fun, but not necessary, to go to either place with a group of at least four, which enables you to try more dishes. In any event, try the bastilla (or pastilla or b'stillla) - somewhat sweet pigeon pie with raisins, cinnamon & powdered sugar - as an appetizer.
We have never found good Italian food in Paris. When we feel a need for Italian food, we head to Sardegna à Tavola, an out of the way place with really interesting Sardinian food. It is not the same as Italian but satisfies the craving. They serve great pasta and fish (they are across the street from one of Paris’ better fish markets) with bold flavors, e.g. spaghetti with lots of bottarga. Pretty expensive for what we think of as Italian food (expect to spend $150 for two including wine), but constant crowds show that it's worth it. 1 rue de Cotte (Métro Gare de Lyon or Lédru-Rollin), 12th. Tel 01 44 75 03 28.
Mon Vieil Ami is an excellent bistro on the Île St-Louis. Really good food in a fashionably modern décor inside an ancient building. The executive chef is from Alsace, but the food is not particularly. It is very popular among Americans, so be prepared to see lots of tourists. 69 rue St-Louis-en-l'Île (Métro Pont-Marie), 4th. Tel 01 40 46 01 35.
Le Troquet is a really good family-run bistro deep in the 15th arrondissement, said to be Basque but a bit more general. Wonderful 30 Euro menu and warm welcome. Just what you want a bistro to be. 21 rue François Bonvin (Métro Volontaire or Sèvres-Lecourbe), 15th. Tel 01 45 66 89 00.
Relais d’Auteuil is one of our favorites. Excellent food, at a “neighborhood” place near the Bois de Boulogne. They are just lovely people there, who are out to make you comfortable, not to show off. Lots of half bottles of wine from all regions and at fair prices. Stupendous artisanal cheeses served from enormous wheels. This is a big splurge but worth it. 31 boulevard Murat (Métro Michel-Ange Auteuil), 16th. Tel 01 46 51 09 54.
Apicius is another one of our favorites. It has very sophisticated food (two stars from Michelin), beautifully presented without a trace of snobbery. The chef and the help couldn’t be nicer. Try the hot foie gras with unsweetened chocolate sauce – really – or whatever is the hot foie gras of the day; theirs is the best that we have found anywhere. This restaurant moved a couple of years ago to a fancy chateau (yes, a chateau in the middle of Paris), increased its prices and become a huge power place; it is great. 20 rue d'Artois (Métro St-Philippe-du-Roule or Franklin-D-Roosevelt), 8th. Tel 01 43 80 19 66.
Clos des Gourmets serves slightly modernized versions of classic bistro fare, with a 35-euro menu that's a great deal for food of this quality. A bonus is the stupendous view of the Eiffel Tower from the Pont de l'Alma as you walk to the restaurant from the Métro (and on the way back). See my post of February 27, 2010. 16 avenue Rapp, 7th (Métro Alma-Marceau), Tel 01 45 51 75 61.
PÂTISSERIES
Three-Day Visit
Where you go in a three- as opposed to a five-day visit will depend heavily on where you are staying or what you are otherwise doing. I recommend getting to at least two pâtisseries in a three-day visit, including Dalloyau and La Pâtisserie des Rêves if not too inconvenient.
Five-Day Visit
For a five-day visit, in addition to the ones named above, I would highly recommend a trip to La Bague de Kenza to see something you won't find elsewhere (follow the link below for photos). Supplement with any of the others mentioned below.
Dalloyau. Our go-to pastry store, only in part because we live two minutes away. Perfect croissants - flaky and rich without a hint of greasiness - pains au chocolat and pains aux raisins for breakfast, and, in my opinion, the best macarons in Paris (i.e., the world). My blog is littered with pictures of cakes in Dalloyau's windows. 101 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, 8th, 63 rue de Grenelle (Métro Rue du Bac), 7th. For other locations, check the Internet.
Ladurée. If not the inventor, then the popularizer of macarons. Widely considered the best ones in town, but Pierre Hermé and Dalloyau each have their partisans (notably me in the latter case). They also have a really great tea salon for breakfast, brunch (truly spectacular omelets and scrambled eggs), lunch or tea. 16 rue Royale, 8th.
Gerard Mulot. An excellent left bank pastry shop across the board. Try the truly amazing orange tart, which is a cross between a tart and a custardy crème brulée (too sweet for one person). 76 rue de Seine (Métro Odéon), 6th.
Pâtisserie des Rêves. This little shop on Rue du Bac has some of the most beautiful pastries I've ever seen, including interpretations of classic desserts -- like tarte tatin and mille-feuille -- that are reconsidered and reconstructed, as well as classics like a pistachio financier and a Breton kouing-aman (a stupendous caramelized, layered cake). 93 rue du Bac, (Métro Rue du Bac), 7th.
La Bague de Kenza. An Algerian pastry shop whose magnificent offerings will blow you away. There is a tea salon next door. The selection there is meager, but it's okay to go into the pâtisserie and tell them its for next door. A selection of pastries and mint tea makes for a memorable Paris experience. 106 rue St-Maur (Métro Parmentier or St-Maur), 11th.
La Petite Rose. My local favorite, this small patissier-chocolatier run by Japanese women has wonderful tarts - especially the perfectly balanced lemon tart - and great chocolates at 60 euros per kilo, 40% less than the well-known chocolatiers. A must if you are at the rue de Lévis market. 11 boulevard de Courcelles (Métro Villiers), 17th.
OPEN-AIR MARKETS (MARCHÉS VOLANTS) AND MARKET STREETS (RUES DE COMMERCE)
The open-air markets, and related market streets, are among the gems of Paris, and no gourmet's visit to Paris should omit a visit to at least one of each. Most open-air markets are open two mornings a week, with the weekend market being substantially better. No open-air markets are open on Mondays, and the Market Streets are pretty lame, too. That makes Monday a perfect day to go to La Grande Epicerie or Lafayette Gourmet (see below).
Three-Day Visit
Which markets you visit will be a function of where you stay and the days of the week you are in Paris. If you will be there on a Saturday, I highly recommend the Marché Président Wilson; on Sunday, try to get to the Raspail organic market. For market streets, try the ones nearest where you are staying.
Five-Day Visit
Now you will be there for all markets. In addition to the above, the Place des Fêtes is fun for something different, Place Monge for something charming and Bastille for sheer size. Just make sure you go. Few market streets are really destinations, so go to the ones nearby.
My favorite open-air market is the one on the Avenue du Président Wilson (Métro Iéna or Alma-Marceau), in the wealthy 16th arrondissement, on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. The market at the Bastille, on Boulevard Richard Lenoir (Métro Bastille or Bréguet-Sabin), open on Thursdays and Sundays, is enormous, but the quality of the produce on offer varies tremendously. I also like the Place des Fêtes, (Métro Place des Fêtes) open Tuesday, Friday and Sunday mornings, in the far-off 19th, where the varied quality mirrors the transitional nature of the gentrifying neighborhood. The Auteuil market on Place Jean-Lorrain (Métro Michel-Ange Auteuil), in a pretty snazzy part of the 16th, is small but good, and a walk around the neighborhood uncovers some interesting architecture from the early 20th century; it's open Wednesday and Saturday mornings. The best organic market is on the Boulevard Raspail in the 6th (Métro Raspail) on Sunday mornings, although the other markets have numerous stands selling organic produce.
My nearest market street, which is a good one, is rue de Lévis, in the very residential 17th (start at Métro Villiers). Other good ones are
- rue Cler, in the chic 7th (Métro École Militaire)
- rue Mouffetard, in the 5th (Métro Monge)(go on Wednesday, Friday or Sunday morning, when the Monge market is open)
- rue Poncelet (Métro Ternes), in the 17th (go to the nearby Maison Pou (16 avenue des Ternes) for some of Paris' best terrines, foie gras, etc.)
- rue de Buci, in the 6th (Métro Odéon)
CHEESE
Three- or Five-Day Visit
There are an infinite number of excellent cheese shops in Paris. The problem is that you can't legally bring cheese into the United States, so there's not much point in buying a lot, although a picnic lunch can be really fun if the weather is good. Nevertheless, it's worth going to the ones listed below and enjoying the cheese counters at La Grande Épicerie and Lafayette Gourmet.
Barthélémy. This famous cheese shop in the chic Seventh deserves its reputation. Notable camembert and vacherin, among so many others. 51 rue de Grenelle (Métro Rue du Bac), 7th.
Alléosse is a lovely cheese shop on a small but good market street. All cheeses are good, but especially the 30-50 varieties of chèvre on view every day. 13 rue Poncelet (Métro Ternes), 17th.
Androuet has been among the best affineurs in Paris for 101 years. Everything is reliable and they vacuum pack for travelers. There are multiple locations so consult their website for the nearest one.
Dubois et Fils. I love this shop, which is quite a walk for me but worth it. They have two private label camemberts, mild (not really) and strong (really!), as well as a great selection of hard cheeses like beaufort and salers. They also have wonderful tête de moine that they will shave freshly on request. 80 rue de Tocqueville (Métro Wagram or Villiers), 17th.
CHOCOLATES
Three- or Five-Day Visit
Parisians are chocolate-crazed, so there is an amazing number and variety of chocolatiers in Paris. A visitor who is a real chocoholic could spend most of three (or indeed five) days eating and drinking chocolate. I will only hit some of the highlights.
Pierre Marcolini is a superstar Belgian chocolatier who sells his amazing (and expensive) chocolates on Park Avenue as well as Paris and elsewhere. So I really don't bother to go there unless I am in the neighborhood. It is a convenient neighborhood, though, so this is not so rare. 89 rue de Seine (Métro Odéon), 6th.
Jean-Paul Hévin is another superstar, located in an equally fancy area, near the spectacular Place Vendôme and the Louvre. I don't really love his chocolates, but there is a nice tea room above the store where you can sample the beautiful pastries on offer on the ground floor. 231 rue St-Honoré (Métro Tuileries), 1st.
Maison du Chocolat makes wonderful chocolate, but it is so readily available in New York that I don't bother to go to any of the numerous Paris stores. But then I am not a chocoholic.
Patrice Chapon is conveniently located on the rue du Bac, a stone's throw from Barthélémy, Pâtisserie des Rêves and Dalloyau's left bank branch. I am not wild about their award-winning chocolates, but they are highly respected.
But my favorite is the not-famous La Petite Rose, which makes an array of classic chocolates. The best are the dark mendiants, rochers and chocolate-covered orange peels, which border on the bitter but manage to stay just on the right side. See above under "Pâtisseries."
You can find hot chocolate (chocolat chaud) everywhere in Paris, but the good stuff is best found at tea salons. And the best of the best, I am told, is at Angelina. Their mix, which may be found at the salon and also at La Grande Épicerie, makes a great gift. 226 rue de Rivoli (Métro Tuileries), 1st. NOTE: This is the only place mentioned in this post that I have not been to myself - it's just too touristy. So I am relying on the virtually unanimous accolades Angelina receives from chocolate lovers everywhere.
ICE CREAM AND SORBET
Three- or Five-Day Visit
Berthillon, Berthillon, Berthillon. Established on the Île St-Louis, this is the place for sorbets and ice cream. The textures are perfect and the array of tastes, which change with the seasons, brilliant. The cacao amer sorbet is a must, but for the other scoop(s), you can choose among pain d"épice spices, real fraises des bois, other exotic fruits and the more mundane nuts, spices, and fruits. The main store is nearly never open - they take August off, which is pretty amazing for an ice cream store - but their products are available through other stores, mostly on the Île. Stores selling Berthillon products are not shy about it, so you will know when you find it. 29-31 rue St-Louis en l'Île (Métro Pont Marie), 4th.
There are other good ice creams, sorbets and gelati in Paris, but I would not go out of my way for any of them. You are on your own. But Reader, please don't waste an opportunity to discover something new in Paris by going to Haagen-Dazs.
FOOD STORES
Three-Day Visit
Depending on where you are staying, go to one of La Grande Épicerie or Lafayette Gourmet, and do get to the Place de la Madeleine for the group consisting of Hediard, Fauchon and Mariage Frères. Maison de la Truffe and Caviar Kaspia, which specialize in what you'd expect from their names, are just next to Hediard.
Five-Day Visit
Add Goumanyat and at least one of the other stores to the Three-Day Visit musts and, if possible, get to the other department store.
La Grande Épicerie, the stand-alone annex of Bon Marché, is one of the great food stores in the world. The selection of luxurious foods from France and around the globe, though not huge, is extremely choice, and their own pastries, breads, cheeses and charcuterie are of top quality. There is also a big selection of wines and spirits. I often spend an hour or more just looking, and end up picking up terrines, spices, nut oils and chocolate bars to bring home as gifts for friends or for myself. 38 rue de Sèvres (Métro Sèvres-Babylone), 7th.
Lafayette Gourmet, the food store of Galeries Lafayette, is also excellent, but not quite as good as La Grande Épicerie where they overlap. But they have counters from Dalloyau, Eric Kayser (one of Paris' best bakers) and Sadaharu Aoki, and stands selling beautiful and appetizing Moroccan and Chinese/Thai prepared foods, so this is an excellent place to buy food to heat up for dinner. The excellent wine store is in a separate but contiguous space. 50 boulevard Haussman (Métro Havre-Caumartin or Chausée d'Antin), 9th.
Hediard is a general luxury food store selling the world's best pâtes de fruit and spectacular looking fruits glacés (which I have never tried), teas, coffees, wines, jams, etc., beautifully displayed. A good place to buy gifts, especially the compact pâtes de fruit. 21 Place de la Madeleine (Métro Madeleine), 8th.
Fauchon is not what is used to be, but it still has a big selection of fine luxury food items, and offers inviting pastries and light food that can be consumed in the store. 26, place de la Madeleine (Métro Madeleine), 8th.
Goumanyat is a super spice store near the still unfashionable République and the now très chic covered Marché des Enfants Rouges. This is the relatively new retail outlet of Jm Thiercelin, a 6th- or 7th generation spice manufacturer (founded 1809) located in Melun, not far from Paris. This company actually makes the spices, with raw materials obtained throughout the world. The have a huge assortment of peppers, oils and proprietary spice blends. A wonderful place for gifts for foodie friends who cook. 3 rue Charles-Francois Dupuis (Métro République), 3rd.
G. Detou primarily sells products in bulk to baking professionals, but also sells to the retail public. It is a lot of fun to visit. In addition to the professional stuff, including kilo bars of Valrhona chocolate, they have a nice selection of oils, jams, chocolates and other gourmet products. Worth a visit when you go to Dehillerin or M.O.R.A. 58 rue Tiquetonne (Métro Étienne Marcel or Sentier), 2nd.
Mariage Frères is one of the great tea purveyors in the world. My wife always keeps the Mahé and the Earl Grey French Blue in stock, but she has enjoyed many other MF teas. Probably the most amazing part of their selection is the dazzling variety of Darjeelings, which are prominently displayed throughout the stores. All but the Madeleine store also include elegant tea salons, where you can taste any of MF's teas as an element of a (generally quite good) meal or light collation. Each store also sells an array of expensive tea pots and utensils. 17 place de la Madeleine (Métro Madeleine), 8th; 260 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré (Métro Ternes) 8th; 13 rue des Grands-Augustins (6ème); 30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg (Métro Hôtel de Ville), 4th.
La Cure Gourmande is a wonderful candy store, which is headquartered in Balaruc-les-Bains (near Montpellier). It recently opened a branch near the Opéra. The shop is very attractive, as are the goods they sell, most notably the hard candies (berlindises) and spectacular lollipops ("Choupettes"), as well as cookies, chocolates and calissons (a kind of dense almond cookie). Most things are available in bulk but also are offered in charming decorated tins that make perfect gifts. 49 avenue de l'Opera (Metro Opéra), 9th, and multiple other locations (check on line).
COOKING EQUIPMENT
Three- or Five-Day Visit
Get to all these places, which are close together (and near G. Detou).
E. Dehillerin is renowned as the best kitchenware store in Paris and one of the best in the world. Personally, I find it obnoxious. Prices are not posted, and when you get help they are quoted H.T. (hors taxe, without the VAT); in any event the prices are comparable to everyone else's. BUT . . . it is clearly the best place in the world to buy their proprietary label copper pots and pans at reasonable prices. I have a number, and have given many as engagement or other gifts; they are always well-received. Apart from copper pots, though, most everything they have is now available in New York at comparable prices. 18 rue Coquillère (Métro Étienne Marcel or Les Halles), 1st.
M.O.R.A., just up the street from Dehillerin, is another equipment store that caters to professionals and retail customers alike. Clearly the focus here is on baking nad chocolate making at the professional level. Their stock is better presented and organized than at Dehillerin, prices are marked, and it's a fun place to browse. 36 rue Montmartre (Métro Étienne Marcel), 1st.
A. Simon, which sells restaurant grade dinnerware and some kitchen equipment, is just a minute away from M.O.R.A. Worth a visit. 48 rue Montmartre (Métro Étienne Marcel), 1st.
La Bovida is just across the street from M.O.R.A. I am not sure what purpose it serves, but if you're in the neighborhood, it won't hurt to spend five minutes there. 48 rue Montmartre (Métro Étienne Marcel), 2nd.
Duthilleuil sells uniforms for people in the food business - cooks, waiters, sommeliers, etc. It's fun to browse there, and I have found very high quality linen aprons and kitchen towels, both for my own use and as gifts. 14 rue de Turbigo (Métro Étienne Marcel), 1st.
There are also excellent kitchen equipment and houseware departments at Lafayette Maison, just across from Lafayette Gourmet, 40 boulevard Haussman (MétroChausée d'Antin), 9th, and the justly famous Bazaar de l'Hôtel de Ville (BHV) department store, 52-64 rue de Rivoli (Métro Hôtel de Ville), 4th.
So there you have it: my thoughts on what to do if you have a few days in Paris and want to steep yourself in its rich food culture and tradition. Enjoy!
Bobby Jay
* * * * *
A loyal reader of my blog suggested that it would be useful for me to do a post with my suggestions for a gourmet stay in Paris of three or five days. I protested that existing sources, including Clotilde's "Epicurean Adventures in Paris" have everything one needs to put together a great food-oriented vacation, but she pointed out, correctly, that this wealth of information is not prioritized for those planning relatively short stays. Further, my point of view - however incomplete - may be more relevant to an American traveler to Paris than that found in the available resources.
So here goes. I am going to set out my thoughts on food-related things to see and do in Paris if you have three days there (too short) or are lucky enough to have five. I am assuming that the reader is not completely food obsessed, and will to save time for non-food related activities, like clothes shopping, going to museums and churches, and taking long walks in the most beautiful large city in the world. Following even a significant number of my recommendations will leave time for such pursuits. If you will be in Paris for longer than five days, so much the better; it would take more time than that to fully exhaust the list of places contained in this post, let alone the more comprehensive information that may be found elsewhere on this blog under the topic "Paris."
Except for open-air markets, I have not listed opening days or times. Beware of the fact that the French have very different views on this subject than Americans. Great restaurants are generally closed on Saturdays, Sundays or Mondays. Stores in the food business are often closed Mondays and Saturday afternoons. Anything might be closed in August. So check ahead. Virtually every place mentioned in this post has a website with contact information, hours and directions.
I plan to revise this and repost it from time to time, based on new experiences - good or bad - and, I hope, based on COMMENTS FROM READERS. If you try something that I recommend, please let me know your thoughts; tastes differ and places get better and worse, so feedback is guaranteed to make this post more useful for future visitors to Paris.
I will sometimes refer (and link) to other posts on my blog for more detailed information or photos. For more restaurant information, click on Paris Restaurants under Topics at right. My most comprehensive restaurant list may be found, not surprisingly, at Bobby Jay's Restaurant List.
Click on more below to get to the substance of the post. This will be a long post but a short guide to the ever-fascinating epicurean side of Paris.
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PLACES TO EAT
I do not pretend to have been to a significant percentage of the restaurants in Paris, so all I can do is to list places that `I like. If someone you trust recommends a place, go to it and feel free to eliminate one or more of my suggestions. If it's good, let me know!
Three-Day Visit
If you are in Paris for just three days, my advice is to eat French. Try these three lunch ideas and choose from the list of six dinner places. If you crave ethnic food, try Moroccan, which is excellent and can't really be found in New York. Italian, Chinese, Indian, Japanese just aren't worth it.
Granterroirs is a lunch place that also sells carefully selected, high-quality regional foods, wines and liquors. The food is really great, with a daily plat du jour and some excellent salads and open-faced sandwiches. I am sorry to report that the great Landais foie gras sandwich is not longer on the daily menu. Try to leave room for the dessert of the day. 30 rue de Miromesnil (Métro Miromesnil), 8th, Tel 0147 42 18 18.
Le Bristol is a gastronomic palace that has a great lunch for 85 euros. I know that sounds like a lot, but trust me on this one, it's a great deal. See my post of June 26, 2010. 112 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré (Métro Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau or Miromesnil), 8th, Tel 01 53 43 43 00.
Moving from the sublime to the ordinaire, I like to go to any cafe that looks nice and have a sandwich on a baguette at the bar (or at a table without a place mat), with a beer or glass of red wine. (I don't like the many new sandwich/salad places, which are no better than my firm's cafeteria). I recommend a "jambon mixte" (ham and cheese), "mixte de saucisson sec" (salami and cheese) or a "sandwich camembert" (just what you'd think).
Rôtisserie du Beaujolais is my number one place to take people who are not very familiar with Paris, although my wife and I go ourselves, too. Get the great duck confit with pommes Sarladaises if it's being offered. The regular duck for two is excellent, too, but all the food is really quite good. The best part is getting there, though. Take the Métro to Pont-Marie and walk from the right bank to Île St-Louis and then to the left bank. The view of the back of Notre Dame from the second bridge is one of the great sights in the world, in any weather and at any time of day. Desserts are fine, but we generally pass and walk back the way we came, stopping for Berthillon sorbets and ice creams at the outdoor place (not Berthillon itself, which is nearly always closed) on the aptly named Rue des Deux Ponts: the sorbets and ice creams are nearly all excellent, but the intense cacao amer is just not to be believed. 19 quai de la Tournelle (Métro Pont-Marie), 5th, Tel 01 43 54 17 47.
The French love their shellfish, particularly oysters, which are a bit brinier than North American varieties. It's fun and instructive to get a varied platter, especially in the winter season, when shellfish are kept and shucked to order on the sidewalks outside of restaurants and brasseries all over Paris. Garnier's little oyster bar is great for shellfish in the cold weather season. 111 rue St-Lazare, 8th. In winter or summer, try L'Écailler du Bistrot for excellent and totally fresh shellfish and classic fish dishes (e.g. marvelous, buttery, just al dente sole meunière). 20-22 rue Paul Bert, 11th, Tel 01 43 72 76 77.
Dominique Bouchet was very chic and popular right out of the box, and the food is imaginative and well-prepared. The ambiance is elegant but not overdone, and likewise the service. It's on the expensive side, but probably worth it. My only problem with this restaurant is that it was 100% filled with Americans the last time we had dinner there (not so for a fairly recent lunch), and I find it somewhat jarring to hear nothing but English at a Parisian restaurant. 11 rue Treilhard (Métro Miromesnil), 8th, Tel 01 45 61 09 46.
Le Hide features excellent, somewhat modernized classics at incredibly low prices. Winner of Pudlo's meilleur rapport qualité-prix for 2009. 10 rue du Général Lanrezac (Métro Etoile), 17th, 01 45 74 15 81.
Beaujolais d'Auteil: a recent great find. Non-touristy neighborhood bistro near the Bois de Boulogne, serving excellent food at very reasonable prices. 99 boulevard de Montmorency (Métro Porte d'Auteuil or Michel-Ange Auteuil), 16th, Tel 01 47 43 03 56.
I also like L'Accolade. A very reasonable 34-euro three-course dinner, including the unbelievable pig ear salad that I have chronicled elsewhere in this blog. 23 rue Guillaume-Tell, Métro Porte-de-Champerret or Pereire, 01 42 67 12 67, 17th.
Five-Day Visit
Now you may miss non-French food, so, in addition to the above, I add some ethnic places, along with some additional French ones that I like.
A Priori Thé, a nice place for tea, quiches and salad that is run by Americans, set in the gorgeous Galerie Vivienne, one of the most beautiful and most chic indoor arcades in Paris. Strictly for lunch or tea. 35 Galerie Vivienne (Métro Palais Royale or Bourse), 2nd. Tel 01 42 97 48 75.
The great pâtisseries also serve lunch at their tea salons. The best are Ladurée and Dalloyau (see below).
Kunitoraya: The best udon noodles I have found outside Japan are at Kunitoraya, and I try to get there at least once each time I am in Paris to enjoy the totally authentic kitsune udon. (My wife goes for the equally excellent tempura udon. There is nearly always a line, but if you go after 1:45 you probably won't wait more than a couple of minutes. 39 rue Ste-Anne (Métro Pyramides),1st.
Timgad or Étoile Maroccaine for Moroccan food. Timgad has excellent Moroccan in fancy (and expensive) surroundings. 21 rue Brunel (Métro Argentine), 17th. Tel 01 45 74 23 70). Etoile Morocaine has very good food in a nice setting. Despite proximity to the Arc de Triomphe, the clientele is not touristy; mostly locals who appear to be regulars. It is not very expensive. 56 rue de Galilée (Métro Georges V), 8th. Tel 01 47 20 44 43. It's fun, but not necessary, to go to either place with a group of at least four, which enables you to try more dishes. In any event, try the bastilla (or pastilla or b'stillla) - somewhat sweet pigeon pie with raisins, cinnamon & powdered sugar - as an appetizer.
We have never found good Italian food in Paris. When we feel a need for Italian food, we head to Sardegna à Tavola, an out of the way place with really interesting Sardinian food. It is not the same as Italian but satisfies the craving. They serve great pasta and fish (they are across the street from one of Paris’ better fish markets) with bold flavors, e.g. spaghetti with lots of bottarga. Pretty expensive for what we think of as Italian food (expect to spend $150 for two including wine), but constant crowds show that it's worth it. 1 rue de Cotte (Métro Gare de Lyon or Lédru-Rollin), 12th. Tel 01 44 75 03 28.
Mon Vieil Ami is an excellent bistro on the Île St-Louis. Really good food in a fashionably modern décor inside an ancient building. The executive chef is from Alsace, but the food is not particularly. It is very popular among Americans, so be prepared to see lots of tourists. 69 rue St-Louis-en-l'Île (Métro Pont-Marie), 4th. Tel 01 40 46 01 35.
Le Troquet is a really good family-run bistro deep in the 15th arrondissement, said to be Basque but a bit more general. Wonderful 30 Euro menu and warm welcome. Just what you want a bistro to be. 21 rue François Bonvin (Métro Volontaire or Sèvres-Lecourbe), 15th. Tel 01 45 66 89 00.
Relais d’Auteuil is one of our favorites. Excellent food, at a “neighborhood” place near the Bois de Boulogne. They are just lovely people there, who are out to make you comfortable, not to show off. Lots of half bottles of wine from all regions and at fair prices. Stupendous artisanal cheeses served from enormous wheels. This is a big splurge but worth it. 31 boulevard Murat (Métro Michel-Ange Auteuil), 16th. Tel 01 46 51 09 54.
Apicius is another one of our favorites. It has very sophisticated food (two stars from Michelin), beautifully presented without a trace of snobbery. The chef and the help couldn’t be nicer. Try the hot foie gras with unsweetened chocolate sauce – really – or whatever is the hot foie gras of the day; theirs is the best that we have found anywhere. This restaurant moved a couple of years ago to a fancy chateau (yes, a chateau in the middle of Paris), increased its prices and become a huge power place; it is great. 20 rue d'Artois (Métro St-Philippe-du-Roule or Franklin-D-Roosevelt), 8th. Tel 01 43 80 19 66.
Clos des Gourmets serves slightly modernized versions of classic bistro fare, with a 35-euro menu that's a great deal for food of this quality. A bonus is the stupendous view of the Eiffel Tower from the Pont de l'Alma as you walk to the restaurant from the Métro (and on the way back). See my post of February 27, 2010. 16 avenue Rapp, 7th (Métro Alma-Marceau), Tel 01 45 51 75 61.
PÂTISSERIES
Three-Day Visit
Where you go in a three- as opposed to a five-day visit will depend heavily on where you are staying or what you are otherwise doing. I recommend getting to at least two pâtisseries in a three-day visit, including Dalloyau and La Pâtisserie des Rêves if not too inconvenient.
Five-Day Visit
For a five-day visit, in addition to the ones named above, I would highly recommend a trip to La Bague de Kenza to see something you won't find elsewhere (follow the link below for photos). Supplement with any of the others mentioned below.
Dalloyau. Our go-to pastry store, only in part because we live two minutes away. Perfect croissants - flaky and rich without a hint of greasiness - pains au chocolat and pains aux raisins for breakfast, and, in my opinion, the best macarons in Paris (i.e., the world). My blog is littered with pictures of cakes in Dalloyau's windows. 101 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, 8th, 63 rue de Grenelle (Métro Rue du Bac), 7th. For other locations, check the Internet.
Ladurée. If not the inventor, then the popularizer of macarons. Widely considered the best ones in town, but Pierre Hermé and Dalloyau each have their partisans (notably me in the latter case). They also have a really great tea salon for breakfast, brunch (truly spectacular omelets and scrambled eggs), lunch or tea. 16 rue Royale, 8th.
Gerard Mulot. An excellent left bank pastry shop across the board. Try the truly amazing orange tart, which is a cross between a tart and a custardy crème brulée (too sweet for one person). 76 rue de Seine (Métro Odéon), 6th.
Pâtisserie des Rêves. This little shop on Rue du Bac has some of the most beautiful pastries I've ever seen, including interpretations of classic desserts -- like tarte tatin and mille-feuille -- that are reconsidered and reconstructed, as well as classics like a pistachio financier and a Breton kouing-aman (a stupendous caramelized, layered cake). 93 rue du Bac, (Métro Rue du Bac), 7th.
La Bague de Kenza. An Algerian pastry shop whose magnificent offerings will blow you away. There is a tea salon next door. The selection there is meager, but it's okay to go into the pâtisserie and tell them its for next door. A selection of pastries and mint tea makes for a memorable Paris experience. 106 rue St-Maur (Métro Parmentier or St-Maur), 11th.
La Petite Rose. My local favorite, this small patissier-chocolatier run by Japanese women has wonderful tarts - especially the perfectly balanced lemon tart - and great chocolates at 60 euros per kilo, 40% less than the well-known chocolatiers. A must if you are at the rue de Lévis market. 11 boulevard de Courcelles (Métro Villiers), 17th.
OPEN-AIR MARKETS (MARCHÉS VOLANTS) AND MARKET STREETS (RUES DE COMMERCE)
The open-air markets, and related market streets, are among the gems of Paris, and no gourmet's visit to Paris should omit a visit to at least one of each. Most open-air markets are open two mornings a week, with the weekend market being substantially better. No open-air markets are open on Mondays, and the Market Streets are pretty lame, too. That makes Monday a perfect day to go to La Grande Epicerie or Lafayette Gourmet (see below).
Three-Day Visit
Which markets you visit will be a function of where you stay and the days of the week you are in Paris. If you will be there on a Saturday, I highly recommend the Marché Président Wilson; on Sunday, try to get to the Raspail organic market. For market streets, try the ones nearest where you are staying.
Five-Day Visit
Now you will be there for all markets. In addition to the above, the Place des Fêtes is fun for something different, Place Monge for something charming and Bastille for sheer size. Just make sure you go. Few market streets are really destinations, so go to the ones nearby.
My favorite open-air market is the one on the Avenue du Président Wilson (Métro Iéna or Alma-Marceau), in the wealthy 16th arrondissement, on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. The market at the Bastille, on Boulevard Richard Lenoir (Métro Bastille or Bréguet-Sabin), open on Thursdays and Sundays, is enormous, but the quality of the produce on offer varies tremendously. I also like the Place des Fêtes, (Métro Place des Fêtes) open Tuesday, Friday and Sunday mornings, in the far-off 19th, where the varied quality mirrors the transitional nature of the gentrifying neighborhood. The Auteuil market on Place Jean-Lorrain (Métro Michel-Ange Auteuil), in a pretty snazzy part of the 16th, is small but good, and a walk around the neighborhood uncovers some interesting architecture from the early 20th century; it's open Wednesday and Saturday mornings. The best organic market is on the Boulevard Raspail in the 6th (Métro Raspail) on Sunday mornings, although the other markets have numerous stands selling organic produce.
My nearest market street, which is a good one, is rue de Lévis, in the very residential 17th (start at Métro Villiers). Other good ones are
- rue Cler, in the chic 7th (Métro École Militaire)
- rue Mouffetard, in the 5th (Métro Monge)(go on Wednesday, Friday or Sunday morning, when the Monge market is open)
- rue Poncelet (Métro Ternes), in the 17th (go to the nearby Maison Pou (16 avenue des Ternes) for some of Paris' best terrines, foie gras, etc.)
- rue de Buci, in the 6th (Métro Odéon)
CHEESE
Three- or Five-Day Visit
There are an infinite number of excellent cheese shops in Paris. The problem is that you can't legally bring cheese into the United States, so there's not much point in buying a lot, although a picnic lunch can be really fun if the weather is good. Nevertheless, it's worth going to the ones listed below and enjoying the cheese counters at La Grande Épicerie and Lafayette Gourmet.
Barthélémy. This famous cheese shop in the chic Seventh deserves its reputation. Notable camembert and vacherin, among so many others. 51 rue de Grenelle (Métro Rue du Bac), 7th.
Alléosse is a lovely cheese shop on a small but good market street. All cheeses are good, but especially the 30-50 varieties of chèvre on view every day. 13 rue Poncelet (Métro Ternes), 17th.
Androuet has been among the best affineurs in Paris for 101 years. Everything is reliable and they vacuum pack for travelers. There are multiple locations so consult their website for the nearest one.
Dubois et Fils. I love this shop, which is quite a walk for me but worth it. They have two private label camemberts, mild (not really) and strong (really!), as well as a great selection of hard cheeses like beaufort and salers. They also have wonderful tête de moine that they will shave freshly on request. 80 rue de Tocqueville (Métro Wagram or Villiers), 17th.
CHOCOLATES
Three- or Five-Day Visit
Parisians are chocolate-crazed, so there is an amazing number and variety of chocolatiers in Paris. A visitor who is a real chocoholic could spend most of three (or indeed five) days eating and drinking chocolate. I will only hit some of the highlights.
Pierre Marcolini is a superstar Belgian chocolatier who sells his amazing (and expensive) chocolates on Park Avenue as well as Paris and elsewhere. So I really don't bother to go there unless I am in the neighborhood. It is a convenient neighborhood, though, so this is not so rare. 89 rue de Seine (Métro Odéon), 6th.
Jean-Paul Hévin is another superstar, located in an equally fancy area, near the spectacular Place Vendôme and the Louvre. I don't really love his chocolates, but there is a nice tea room above the store where you can sample the beautiful pastries on offer on the ground floor. 231 rue St-Honoré (Métro Tuileries), 1st.
Maison du Chocolat makes wonderful chocolate, but it is so readily available in New York that I don't bother to go to any of the numerous Paris stores. But then I am not a chocoholic.
Patrice Chapon is conveniently located on the rue du Bac, a stone's throw from Barthélémy, Pâtisserie des Rêves and Dalloyau's left bank branch. I am not wild about their award-winning chocolates, but they are highly respected.
But my favorite is the not-famous La Petite Rose, which makes an array of classic chocolates. The best are the dark mendiants, rochers and chocolate-covered orange peels, which border on the bitter but manage to stay just on the right side. See above under "Pâtisseries."
You can find hot chocolate (chocolat chaud) everywhere in Paris, but the good stuff is best found at tea salons. And the best of the best, I am told, is at Angelina. Their mix, which may be found at the salon and also at La Grande Épicerie, makes a great gift. 226 rue de Rivoli (Métro Tuileries), 1st. NOTE: This is the only place mentioned in this post that I have not been to myself - it's just too touristy. So I am relying on the virtually unanimous accolades Angelina receives from chocolate lovers everywhere.
ICE CREAM AND SORBET
Three- or Five-Day Visit
Berthillon, Berthillon, Berthillon. Established on the Île St-Louis, this is the place for sorbets and ice cream. The textures are perfect and the array of tastes, which change with the seasons, brilliant. The cacao amer sorbet is a must, but for the other scoop(s), you can choose among pain d"épice spices, real fraises des bois, other exotic fruits and the more mundane nuts, spices, and fruits. The main store is nearly never open - they take August off, which is pretty amazing for an ice cream store - but their products are available through other stores, mostly on the Île. Stores selling Berthillon products are not shy about it, so you will know when you find it. 29-31 rue St-Louis en l'Île (Métro Pont Marie), 4th.
There are other good ice creams, sorbets and gelati in Paris, but I would not go out of my way for any of them. You are on your own. But Reader, please don't waste an opportunity to discover something new in Paris by going to Haagen-Dazs.
FOOD STORES
Three-Day Visit
Depending on where you are staying, go to one of La Grande Épicerie or Lafayette Gourmet, and do get to the Place de la Madeleine for the group consisting of Hediard, Fauchon and Mariage Frères. Maison de la Truffe and Caviar Kaspia, which specialize in what you'd expect from their names, are just next to Hediard.
Five-Day Visit
Add Goumanyat and at least one of the other stores to the Three-Day Visit musts and, if possible, get to the other department store.
La Grande Épicerie, the stand-alone annex of Bon Marché, is one of the great food stores in the world. The selection of luxurious foods from France and around the globe, though not huge, is extremely choice, and their own pastries, breads, cheeses and charcuterie are of top quality. There is also a big selection of wines and spirits. I often spend an hour or more just looking, and end up picking up terrines, spices, nut oils and chocolate bars to bring home as gifts for friends or for myself. 38 rue de Sèvres (Métro Sèvres-Babylone), 7th.
Lafayette Gourmet, the food store of Galeries Lafayette, is also excellent, but not quite as good as La Grande Épicerie where they overlap. But they have counters from Dalloyau, Eric Kayser (one of Paris' best bakers) and Sadaharu Aoki, and stands selling beautiful and appetizing Moroccan and Chinese/Thai prepared foods, so this is an excellent place to buy food to heat up for dinner. The excellent wine store is in a separate but contiguous space. 50 boulevard Haussman (Métro Havre-Caumartin or Chausée d'Antin), 9th.
Hediard is a general luxury food store selling the world's best pâtes de fruit and spectacular looking fruits glacés (which I have never tried), teas, coffees, wines, jams, etc., beautifully displayed. A good place to buy gifts, especially the compact pâtes de fruit. 21 Place de la Madeleine (Métro Madeleine), 8th.
Fauchon is not what is used to be, but it still has a big selection of fine luxury food items, and offers inviting pastries and light food that can be consumed in the store. 26, place de la Madeleine (Métro Madeleine), 8th.
Goumanyat is a super spice store near the still unfashionable République and the now très chic covered Marché des Enfants Rouges. This is the relatively new retail outlet of Jm Thiercelin, a 6th- or 7th generation spice manufacturer (founded 1809) located in Melun, not far from Paris. This company actually makes the spices, with raw materials obtained throughout the world. The have a huge assortment of peppers, oils and proprietary spice blends. A wonderful place for gifts for foodie friends who cook. 3 rue Charles-Francois Dupuis (Métro République), 3rd.
G. Detou primarily sells products in bulk to baking professionals, but also sells to the retail public. It is a lot of fun to visit. In addition to the professional stuff, including kilo bars of Valrhona chocolate, they have a nice selection of oils, jams, chocolates and other gourmet products. Worth a visit when you go to Dehillerin or M.O.R.A. 58 rue Tiquetonne (Métro Étienne Marcel or Sentier), 2nd.
Mariage Frères is one of the great tea purveyors in the world. My wife always keeps the Mahé and the Earl Grey French Blue in stock, but she has enjoyed many other MF teas. Probably the most amazing part of their selection is the dazzling variety of Darjeelings, which are prominently displayed throughout the stores. All but the Madeleine store also include elegant tea salons, where you can taste any of MF's teas as an element of a (generally quite good) meal or light collation. Each store also sells an array of expensive tea pots and utensils. 17 place de la Madeleine (Métro Madeleine), 8th; 260 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré (Métro Ternes) 8th; 13 rue des Grands-Augustins (6ème); 30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg (Métro Hôtel de Ville), 4th.
La Cure Gourmande is a wonderful candy store, which is headquartered in Balaruc-les-Bains (near Montpellier). It recently opened a branch near the Opéra. The shop is very attractive, as are the goods they sell, most notably the hard candies (berlindises) and spectacular lollipops ("Choupettes"), as well as cookies, chocolates and calissons (a kind of dense almond cookie). Most things are available in bulk but also are offered in charming decorated tins that make perfect gifts. 49 avenue de l'Opera (Metro Opéra), 9th, and multiple other locations (check on line).
COOKING EQUIPMENT
Three- or Five-Day Visit
Get to all these places, which are close together (and near G. Detou).
E. Dehillerin is renowned as the best kitchenware store in Paris and one of the best in the world. Personally, I find it obnoxious. Prices are not posted, and when you get help they are quoted H.T. (hors taxe, without the VAT); in any event the prices are comparable to everyone else's. BUT . . . it is clearly the best place in the world to buy their proprietary label copper pots and pans at reasonable prices. I have a number, and have given many as engagement or other gifts; they are always well-received. Apart from copper pots, though, most everything they have is now available in New York at comparable prices. 18 rue Coquillère (Métro Étienne Marcel or Les Halles), 1st.
M.O.R.A., just up the street from Dehillerin, is another equipment store that caters to professionals and retail customers alike. Clearly the focus here is on baking nad chocolate making at the professional level. Their stock is better presented and organized than at Dehillerin, prices are marked, and it's a fun place to browse. 36 rue Montmartre (Métro Étienne Marcel), 1st.
A. Simon, which sells restaurant grade dinnerware and some kitchen equipment, is just a minute away from M.O.R.A. Worth a visit. 48 rue Montmartre (Métro Étienne Marcel), 1st.
La Bovida is just across the street from M.O.R.A. I am not sure what purpose it serves, but if you're in the neighborhood, it won't hurt to spend five minutes there. 48 rue Montmartre (Métro Étienne Marcel), 2nd.
Duthilleuil sells uniforms for people in the food business - cooks, waiters, sommeliers, etc. It's fun to browse there, and I have found very high quality linen aprons and kitchen towels, both for my own use and as gifts. 14 rue de Turbigo (Métro Étienne Marcel), 1st.
There are also excellent kitchen equipment and houseware departments at Lafayette Maison, just across from Lafayette Gourmet, 40 boulevard Haussman (MétroChausée d'Antin), 9th, and the justly famous Bazaar de l'Hôtel de Ville (BHV) department store, 52-64 rue de Rivoli (Métro Hôtel de Ville), 4th.
* * *
So there you have it: my thoughts on what to do if you have a few days in Paris and want to steep yourself in its rich food culture and tradition. Enjoy!
Bobby Jay
Friday, July 9, 2010
Stovetop Smoking
I have recently been using my Cameron stovetop smoker to smoke a variety of things. Consisting of a pan, a liner, a rack and a tight-fitting cover, this inexpensive device allows you to hot-smoke just about anything on your stovetop with little effort and only a minimal amount of ambient smoke.
Using the smoker over a burner set at medium (on a powerful Viking range) is equivalent to roasting at 350 º . First I tried meat -- hanger steak and pork tenderloin. The results were impressive. For the hanger steak, I liberally salted and peppered the meat, then smoked it over hickory chips for 12 minutes. After that, I pan-fried it in a cast-iron skillet for just a couple of minutes per side and voilà, deliciously smoked, tender beefy goodness.
For the pork tenderloin, I had already-brined, cryovac-packed pork, so I didn't add any salt. I opened the tenderloin like a book, rubbed in a lot of cracked pepper, smoked it over cherry chips for 8 minutes and then grilled on a grill pan for 2 minutes per side. Subtly smoke-flavored tender pork that was perfect on a sandwich with grilled onions, jalapeños, barbecue sauce and a little mayo.
Emboldened by my initial successes, I decided to try smoking extra firm tofu and ricotta cheese, which both came out well after 10 minutes on the burner and another 5 in the smoker off the heat. I mixed cubes of subtly smoked tofu with leftover Indian rice and loved the way the smoke mingled with the Indian spices. I enjoyed the smoked ricotta with slices of local beets that I had foil-roasted with salt and olive oil.
I am looking forward to trying chicken, fish and shrimp in the near future.
While not a kitchen essential, this is a worthwhile piece of equipment if you have space for it.
Bobby Jay
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Paris -- La Pâtisserie des Rêves
Now back from Paris for more than a week, I just realized I have not written about a great new discovery: La Pâtisserie des Rêves. I plan to follow up with more, including pictures, when I next get to Paris, but in the meantime, let me say that this little shop on Rue du Bac has some of the most beautiful pastries I've ever seen, including interpretations of classic desserts -- like tarte tatin and mille-feuille -- that are reconsidered and reconstructed, as well as classics like a pistachio financier and a Breton kouing-aman (a stupendous caramelized, layered cake). They have very recently opened a branch, complete with salon de thé, in the fashionably residential 16th. Friends with impeccable taste went and enjoyed it immensely.
93 rue du Bac, 75007 Paris, and 111 rue de Longchamp, 75016 Paris.
Definitely more to come on this unusual pâtisserie.
Bobby Jay
93 rue du Bac, 75007 Paris, and 111 rue de Longchamp, 75016 Paris.
Definitely more to come on this unusual pâtisserie.
Bobby Jay
Monday, June 28, 2010
Paris - Ecailler du Bistrot
I finally got to L'Ecailler du Bistrot, a well-known fish and shellfish restaurant in the 11th arrondissment that I have been trying to get to for awhile. The verdict: great shellfish and classic French seafood, extremely well-prepared.
I had excellent briny belon oysters (my favorite Utah Beach are out of season), followed by a perfect sole meunière with sauteed ratte potatoes that were among the best potatoes I have ever eaten. My dining companion had sweet tender bulots and dos de barbue on a bed of vegetables; both were excellent.
Prices are not low, but fair for ingredients of such high quality.
L'Ecailler du Bistrot, 20-22 rue Paul Bert, Paris 11ème, 01 43 72 76 77.
Bobby Jay
I had excellent briny belon oysters (my favorite Utah Beach are out of season), followed by a perfect sole meunière with sauteed ratte potatoes that were among the best potatoes I have ever eaten. My dining companion had sweet tender bulots and dos de barbue on a bed of vegetables; both were excellent.
Prices are not low, but fair for ingredients of such high quality.
L'Ecailler du Bistrot, 20-22 rue Paul Bert, Paris 11ème, 01 43 72 76 77.
Bobby Jay
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