Cooking With Michele® » Paris

September 16, 2007 – Going Home

Michele — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 22:47:00 +0000

I’m always sad leaving vacation – it seems such a letdown to get back to my normal routine and the full day of taxis, planes, and automobiles to get home exhausted doesn’t help. But as with every trip I take, looking back at the pictures a full week later warms my heart and reminds me how much fun our group had. Here’s to my friends!

Our first drink together at what turned out to be our favorite classic Parisian corner bar on the Ile Saint Louis.

The men all smiles celebrating Tim’s birthday at Mon Veil Ami on the Ile Saint Louis:

The women all dressed up for Benoit on our last night in Paris:

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September 11, 2007 – Heading to Bruges

Michele — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:41:00 +0000

I enjoyed one last cafe noisette before heading to get the rental car near the Louvre on Rue di Rivoli, which turned out to be a goat rodeo. It took 25 minutes to walk there which is just a little longer than I thought, but took nearly 45 minutes to figure out where Hertz was, which is down some obscure stairs below the Louvre. We managed to pack ourselves in like sardines, and headed out, having lunch on the highway.

We arrived at the Hotel Heritage which is just off the main square in Bruges – the rooms are large and nicely decorated, and the location couldn’t be more perfect. We headed directly to the square to do what they do in Belgium – drink beer!

The group was less than enthusiastic about the Michelin 3-star restaurant that I had planned for dinner (a bummer for me!) so we cancelled that reservation and instead when to Le Petit Grand for dinner where they specialize in grilled food. We shared beef carpaccio and a fairly gross shrimp croquette as appetizers. Most of the group had beef, but I had a filet of bar fish which was wrapped in prosciutto and pan seared, then served over slices of fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, which was really delicious.

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September 10, 2007 – Last Day in Paris

Michele — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:20:00 +0000

The other couples in our group were up early to visit the Louvre, but I slept in until 10 am and woke up feeling great. I walked along the Rue Ile St Louis to see the shops before joining my husband at our favorite spot at the end of the island for a cafe noisette.

We then walked to meet the group and joined them for lunch at a bistro in the Saint Germain des pres area. I enjoyed the classic roast chicken with frites (fries) and mixed salad. After lunch two went home to rest and the other four of us headed to the Eiffel Tower, passing the Hotel Invalides (above) on the way. After walking back we stopped for the obligatory (at least to us anyway!) drink at our favorite spot on our island and I enjoyed my champagne almost as much as I enjoyed the waiter singing to me (“Michele, my belle”) and cracking open hazelnuts from the tree next to us with the pliers he had found behind the bar.

After a quick snack on a butter and sugar crepe and cleaning up we set out for dinner on the right bank at Benoit, one of the few remaining classic Parisian bistros owned by the Alain Ducasse group. After wandering forever we found it tucked away on Rue St. Martin, and slipped inside for dinner. The bistro certainly was classic, which meant loud, hot, crowded, and with spotty service. The group was less than enthused and the evening was a disappointment to me since I had looked forward to this dinner for months. But despite the service, the food was great:

Foie Gras

The French serve the foie gras uncooked and in this case with a delightful individual brioche muffin cooked and served in it’s own tin.

Cassoulet

While most of the group was intimidated by the menu (things like pig’s feet), I figured “when in Paris…” and ordered the cassoulet. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned and contained a myriad of meats (chicken, pork, sausage) along with tender white beans in a slightly thickened sauce. It was perfect with a 2002 St. Julien wine.

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September 9, 2007 – Paris

Michele — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:02:00 +0000

I set the time on my travel alarm clock an hour ahead so unfortunately woke up an hour earlier than I needed to meet the group. Desperately in need of caffeine (which I only drink while traveling), my husband and I headed straight to our breakfast spot at the end of the street with views of the gorgeous apartments along the island with Notre Dame.

We ordered a Grand Cafe Noisette which is basically a double espresso to which I added cream and sugar (how decadent!) and a ham and cheese omelet to share. The omelet was perfectly cooked and so large that together we couldn’t even finish it. I love how the Parisians serve you chocolate truffles at breakfast, although I could rarely fit one in.

After breakfast we met up with our tour guide, Chris, from Paris Walks for a two hour private tour of the Ile de la Cite and the Ile Saint Louis. He shared incredible details about the design of Notre Dame, the history of the island, and the roots of Paris. After ending the tour in the Marais district we stopped for lunch along the Rue de Rivoli where I had my second Salad au Chevre Chaud – the salad featured a full 8 ounces of goat cheese which I couldn’t come close to eating.

From here we jumped on the metro to head to Montmartre for the fabulous Sunday afternoon showings of art in the small square at the top. We all bought some street art, then took the funicular ride down and made our way again on the metro to the Arc de Triomphe. We strolled down the Champs Elysees and stopped for a cocktail and some snacks before catching the metro back to the hotel. I usually prefer walking in Paris, but by using the metro we covered huge ground in just one day.

We had just enough time to clean up before our dinner reservations at Mon Veil Ami, where chef Alan Westerman has brought some excitement to traditional Alsatian dishes. Most everyone in the group was afraid of the menu, but I couldn’t have been more thrilled to be there. The meal started with an amuse bouche drink of either a light white wine or a V8 type of drink. I began with a country style pate en croute served with celery root in a creamy sauce and pickled red onions. It tasted fabulous, but was large enough for the table so I stopped after a few bites. I continued with a sea bream filet that was pan seared and served in a pot with caramelized fingerling potatoes, chorizo, red peppers and onions – outstanding! The rest of the group had a warm vegetable salad with olive tapenade on a crouton as a first course and a variety of entrees including chicken with roasted tomatoes in a consomme and veal with carrots and pasta. The sommelier helped me pick out some perfect wines for this meal: a Burgundy Pinot Noir and an Alsatian Reisling.

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September 8, 2007 – Paris

Michele — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:45:00 +0000

Fourteen flights arrived all within about 20 minutes in Paris which caused a 2 hour delay in getting luggage and getting to our hotel in Paris, but we were still the first to arrive at the Hotel Saint Louis on the Ile Saint Louis. We selected this location because of the unbelievable sense of peace and quiet despite being in the very center of Paris. It sits just 1 block from the end of the island so within walking distance to some great cafes for breakfast and cocktails.

My husband and I popped in to one for a Cafe Noisette (espresso with just a drop of cream in it) and a chocolate croissant before meeting up with our group. We headed out to explore the Latin Quarter and stopped for lunch at a typical bistro where I dug right in with my favorite Parisian treat, Salade au Chevre Chaud – mixed greens with a huge amounts of goat cheese melted onto large croutons – washed down with some champagne. After lunch we continued our touring with a Seine River cruise which is a great thing to do for first timers to Paris.

By dinner time everyone was wiped out from the travel so we headed to an Italian restaurant right on the island, Sens’o. We were giddy and hungry and shared appetizers of Buffalo Mozzarella with Tomatoes & Basil and Beef Carpaccio before ordering three pizzas – four cheese, vegetarian, and a ham and cheese. For wine we shared a light red wine from the Brouilly region.

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September 7, 2007 – Traveling to Paris

Michele — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:40:00 +0000

As far as trips abroad go, this one was about as uneventful as they come – which is a good thing! I read about 20 magazines before taking an Ambien and sleeping nearly a full 7 hours on the flight to Paris. The meals of the day were all courtesy of United Airlines:

Red Carpet Club breakfast: yogurt
In flight lunch: a chicken breast along with all of the hot almonds and champagne
Red Carpet Club dinner: cheese and crackers and carrots and celery sticks

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May 27, 2007 – Alone in Normandy, Louviers, On Rue Tatin

Michele — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 19:13:00 +0000

After breakfast of a quick yogurt and coffee near the hotel, I set out to deliver my husband to the airport. Here’s a tip for you – make sure you know which terminal your airline flies from at CDG in Paris because if you miss it the first time it takes 15 minutes driving in circles to find it again!

I was so sad to see my husband leave and be alone in France – for my next solo travels, I’ll be certain to travel alone first and have my husband meet me for the second half. I drove from CDG to Louviers, and uneventful drive along the highways outside of Paris. Once in Louviers I had to call the hotel to get directions. The woman spoke no English and the man was willing to speak to me in Italian, but my brain wouldn’t make the adjustment after 10 days hearing French.

It never occurred to me that nothing would be open in Louviers on Sunday at lunch time, so on the advice of the cooking school instructor I drove to Acquigny, a tiny town a couple miles away with an old chateau and for some reason several high end restaurants. I stepped into La Table du Bearnais and found it full of families having Sunday dinner, so I dined alone at a table for 5 that was set with roses tucked into the napkins.

Creme Brulee l’Aliyette – in between an onion custard and a creamy soup, served with salad and 3 slices of meat that I think is a type of bacon

Filet de Bar – sea bass gorgeously presented skin side up (I just can’t get into the skin!) with garlic mustard sauce made with vermouth, risotto served in a tiny ring of zucchini slices, small mushrooms, a piping of potatoes Dauphinois, and peas.

Delice de D’Artagnan – specialty dessert of the house, an orange flavored mousse with creme brulee style caramelized sugar on top, served with caramel sauce and ice cream flavored with baking spices.

The poor woman serving be must have thought I was a reporter with all of the notes I was taking, so she kept bringing me menus and other information about dining in Normandy, and was distressed I didn’t eat everything.

I returned to my hotel and zonked for a little while in front of CNN (did you know they get new news only every 3-4 days?) then had a brisk walk about town for a half hour to revive myself before heading to On Rue Tatin for the opening dinner for our cooking class which consisted of myself, Sue (retired, her husband Doug would join just for the meals), Vicki (from CA, her husband would meet her to go to Bordeaux at the end of class, and Silvestro (an Italian-American who now lives in Lecce, Puglia and runs a cooking school there called The Awaiting Table). Everyone seemed to get along and we were all excited for the week.

Susan Herrman Loomis author of French Farmhouse Cooking and the memoir On Rue Tatin, opened the school a few years ago in her home in Louviers, a 500 year old former convent. Here’s the big spread from the first night:

Orange Wine Aperitif (excellent, recipe in her cookbook)

Olive & Parmigiano Sweet and Savory Crackers

Fresh Spring Pea Soup with just a touch of cream

Roast Guinea Hen with Citrus served with roasted new potatoes and roasted garlic

Salad du Jardin with walnut vinaigrette (the first of many flavored oils we would try)

Artisinal Cheeses from Normandy (at this point I was totally into the swing of having cheese after most dinners)

Rhubarb Tart with sliced strawberries that had been cooked in butter.

Dinner conversation was lively – the wine industry, changes in the cookbook publishing world, Susan getting divorced, and the food we were eating. Time for bed – first lesson at 10am the next day!

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May 26, 2007 – Paris

Michele — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 18:43:00 +0000

Unknown to us when we decided to come to Paris, it was a holiday weekend and the opening weekend of the French Open tennis tournament, so the city was buzzing with activity. We had to switch hotels, which required moving our car to a garage closer to the new hotel which was on the right bank near the fancy shopping area. We hung out here for a breakfast of crepes with butter and sugar and coffee (I was fully addicted at this point to both the crepes and the coffee).

We get a kick out of buying street art on our travels – as much for the buying experience as the art itself – so we decided to walk up to Montmartre, the artist district that sits high on a hill outside of Paris overlooking the city and the home of the large Sacre Couer church. We made our way into the tiny pedestrian square where the artists set up shop and landed on two paintings done by a man from Croatia – they just happened to be Normandy and Brittany which was a perfect memoir from our trip. My husband always makes me pose with the artist – definitely dorky, but a fun memory!

After enjoying a bit of the bubbly and watching the crowds, we headed back to the hotel via the metro and grabbed some bread and cheese at the market to snack on in the hotel while we packed and got ready for dinner. The woman from the hotel had made us reservations at Le Bilboquet, a restaurant and live jazz club. We arrived at 8:00 and by 9:00 most of the Parisians started showing up and the music began. Great fun and a terrific spot for our final night in France.

Entree – gazpacho

Salmon fillet with basmati rice and some Bearnaise I stole from my husband’s steak

Chocolate ice cream (that we ordered just to extend our time in the club and enjoy the music)

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May 25, 2007 – Paris!

Michele — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 18:28:00 +0000

I’m not much for spontaneous travel – I plan my trips 18 months in advance, I book my hotels 9 months in advance, and I have my touring planned 3 months in advance. So my husband was both surprised and delighted that we decided to end our tour of the Normandy countryside and head into Paris for the weekend. It was about a 4 hour drive from Mont Saint Michel, but we made it without any problems, and even managed to read the map and navigate our way into the 1st Arrondisement to our hotel Le Relais du Louvre. We wandered around, had some snacks and drinks before getting caught in a deluge of rain which did us in.

We returned to the hotel drenched, showered and went to Le Fumoir right next to the Louvre for dinner. It was nice to have a non-smoking dining room (new in Paris – although the non-smoking section is usually small and relegated to the back of the restaurant) and we relaxed and savored a quiet and very French bistro type of dinner:

Green salad – there’s something great about salads in France and I’m pretty sure it’s the simple vinaigrettes and fresh greens.

Chicken on polenta that was outstanding

Lemon & thyme sorbet

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