I'm going to pretend it's hot and sunny in Paris and just ignore the pools of rain collecting on my terrace. I think that's a good plan because this wet blanket weather is seriously grinding my gears. And even though the recipe I'm about to share is most satisfying sipped seaside, it can be equally as refreshing when days upon days of rain are dragging you down. Maybe even better because one gulp of this smoothie and you're ready to scrunch your toes in the nearest strip of sand. Watch out dirty park sandbox on blvd. Richard Lenoir! I'm comin' with my umbrella worthy smoothie!
Remember when the awesome yogurt folks at FAGE sent me a package of their products after I wrote them about my love affair with their yogurt? Well this smoothie is thanks to that small act of God or should I say Apollo, THE Greek god of dairy skills. Dairy skills folks. I think that might be more important than Apollo's claim of reigning over the sun. Just maybe... With or without Apollo's role in this yogurt miracle, Greeks are the ones to praise for this smoothie being worthy of a cabana on Santorini. The quality yogurt in this smoothie makes it a cut above the rest. It's beachy, brain freeze-inducing, and your best bet to beat the heat on the hottest of days (with a punch of protein no less) so big kudos to Jen DePalma for thinking up this recipe. I owe her for helping me will away the clouds blanketing Paris and transporting me to an island oasis. FAGE Island Smoothie from Jen DePalmaMakes: 2 large servings Ingredients 1 banana 1/2 cup chopped frozen mango1/2 cup chopped frozen pineapple 2 tablespoons honey1 container FAGE Total Instructions 1. Put all ingredients in a blender and get that blade workin' ! (I found the ingredients blended together better when the frozen fruits weren't totally rock solid. Let them defrost a bit to keep your blender from going into overdrive. Lesson learned when I caught a whiff of appliance smokiness in the air...)Slurp that smoothie and come back soon for a talk about guac and a recap of my trip to Berlin! Later gators.
This is the kind of terrible photography that happens when I'm about to be presented with a chariot of desserts. Oui, c'est vrai! A limitless chariot of desserts! In Paris no less! And from where did this majestic display of dessert gluttony appear? Heaven? No, but close--l'institut Vatel. Recommended to us by friends, mon mari and I dined at l'institut Vatel to celebrate Valentine's Day way back when and I'm just now getting to share this delicious discovery with you. L'institut Vatel is not your average restaurant. It's a school for hotel and tourism management that operates a restaurant to give its students experience working in a bustling dining establishment. Because the restaurant is there to train students, the atmosphere is a bit classroom like and students swarm around the tables like a bunch of nervous bees. They're almost too attentive, and a few times I found myself feeling anxious for them knowing they were probably receiving marks for that night's service. Some people may not like the students' doting, but I quite enjoyed their attentiveness especially in Paris where most servers make rare appearances at your table. Our meals were very tasty, but really we were there for the cheese and dessert. The cheese platter would have made Templeton the happiest rat around and left mon mari and I searching for stomach space to fit the pastries heading our direction. Forget a measly dessert tray! The servers wheeled out 4 carts displaying over 12 scrumptious sweets. You know dessert is serious business when you need more than one person to push the dessert display. And instead of trying to capture a well composed photo of the dessert, I hastily took the first picture I could and quickly got to picking out which pastries would make it on my plate. Who can even think straight, let alone take good photos when there's that much dessert staring you down? Not this girl. Don't ask me how I narrowed down my choices either. All I know is three slices of tart and cake (I can practice some restraint) were piled on my plate, the standout being a delicious combination of grapefruit and cream. Major yum. If you're down with dessert like I am or enjoy watching restaurant students sweat it out for a good grade, l'institut Vatel is a fun experience. Walk in with the understanding that it's at it's core it is a training facility and you won't be disappointed. Promise. (Oh, by the way, this would not be a place to make reservation if you're trying to come to grips with a gluten allergy. Nope, not the best choice. Oops.) Institut Vatel 122 Rue Nollet 75017 Paris 01 42 26 26 60
I am allergic to gluten. My taste buds just writhed in pain as I wrote that. They're protesting to keep the Parisian pastry parade marching down my gullet. My taste buds want the constant stream of candy and Berko cupcakes to continue making its way into my mouth. And I tend to agree with them, except, except...my favorite pastries, sweets, and gluten filled products are making me sick. Up until a month ago, I never suspected gluten was the culprit causing my anemia. But after doing some research, gluten started to seem like the bad guy. While I don't have any of the digestive problems that plague people with a gluten intolerance, the other symptoms I read about began to match up--unexplained anemia, weird skin rashes, anxiety, fatigue, and tingling in my feet. While these maladies could stem from a number of things, I knew something wasn't quite right. I couldn't be that tired from walking up a flight of stairs...my skin couldn't be that sensitive for no good reason...so I convinced the doctor to order gluten tests. She wasn't so convinced herself, but I proved that M.D. wrong (or rather, gluten did). All three lab tests came back positive and just like that gluten is guilty. On the one hand, I'm happy I have an answer and can move forward with getting my body healthy. On the other hand--HOLY MOLY, I need to stop eating gluten! It's now been two weeks since I've confirmed gluten is the enemy and I haven't come any closer to making significant changes to my diet. I actually at three cupcakes on Friday. Three. It's possible I'm in denial. Very possible. No gluten means no croissants (real ones at least...) and that means serious business. I need to rally the strength to walk by a bakery without stopping (a new route to work is clearly in order) and get into the kitchen to start whipping up my own creations or pastry withdrawal is imminent. I can't imagine that would be very pretty. At least the gluten gods have enough sense to keep dairy safe. I can eat stinky, scrumptious French cheeses to my heart's content. Oh, and macarons too! Hallelujah!
Off to read David Lebovitz's gluten-free guide to Paris and perhaps cry into a bowl of Christmas jelly beans.
All kinds of Turkey have come and gone this November. The fig and foie gras stuffed Thanksgiving turkey was gobbled up last weekend and it's been nearly a month since our trip to Cappadocia and Istanbul, but I have top-notch souvenirs from both occasions--a Turkey Day place card masterpiece and authentic Turkish cooking ingredients courtesy of Eveline and Chef Feyzi, the culinary wizards behind Cooking Alaturka. Even before our Turkey trip was finalized, I'd booked a cuisine class for two at Cooking Alaturka. I couldn't wait to get in the kitchen and was thanking the blog gods for bringing Ann Mah's NY Times article to my attention. Ann got to travel the globe researching cooking schools in some of the world's top tourist destinations and highlighted Istanbul's Cooking Alaturka in her October 2011 piece. Working alongside the school's founder, Eveline and her co-chef Feyzi, we prepared a Turkish meal fit for a sultan. With the help of four other students (and the expertise of our instructors of course!), mon mari and I dished up zeytinyağlı taze fasulye (green beans), ezogelin corbası (red lentil & bulgur soup), kabak mücveri (zucchini pancakes), and hünkar beğendili kuzu (lamb stew). For a sweet ending, we stuffed figs with walnuts and soaked them in a clove infused syrup. It was a simple, easy, and delicious way to cap off our hearty menu. After whipping up our culinary creations, we sat down to enjoy our feast and each others' company. The highlight of the evening was sharing the meal with fellow students and hearing their stories. Matt from Chicago, the couple from Vancouver--everyone had a different reason for visiting Turkey. Better yet, each guest had an Istanbul tip or recommendation to share which we made good use of the rest of our stay in the city.
My fingers reeked of garlic for days afterward despite dousing them in lemon juice, but the lingering stink was worth the reward of learning how to create Turkish dishes in our own kitchens someday. Unsure of what I'd be able to find make in Paris, I purchased the more exotic spices and pastes directly from Cooking Alaturka. Now I just have to find time to prepare a proper Turkish dinner for my friends in Paris!
Agh! No blog post in 6 (almost 7!) days. Yikes! Here's what I've been up to since I've been gone.
Last Wednesday I picked up my fresh produce basket and decided to make zucchini bread for the second week in a row. I just can't get enough of those green little veggies! For the past two weeks my produce basket (How fun, right? You can read my post about ordering produce baskets in Paris at Posted in Paris.) has had three lovely zucchinis inside and I couldn't resist the chance to make the perfect breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert bread. Zucchinis' ability to go sweet or savory makes it an awesome baking vegetable. Depending on what you add to the batter, zucchini bread can be a quick morning bite or an after dinner treat. I used the recipe in The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook for my first loaf and Smitten Kitchen's recipe for my second. Both turned out well, but the Test Kitchen loaf felt a bit heartier, had more moisture, and wasn't quite as sweet as the Smitten Kitchen one. I'd recommend either recipe though! Zucchini bread was only the beginning of a foodie few days. Mon père came to Paris for the weekend and when he visits it means one thing: good eatin'. We went to my absolute favorite Chinese restaurant in the entire world: Tse Yang. The Peking duck is hands down one of my favorite meals--crispy slices of oh so very thin duck skin wrapped in small pancakes with sweet hoisin sauce and green onions--ah yum! I love it so! Our great eats didn't stop with Peking duck perfection-- mon mari, mon père, and I shared a fantastic turbot dish for three at Sassontondo and that was after we'd sampled the charcuterie plate and had individual pasta dishes. The food at this relatively new Tuscan restaurant will definitely have me booking another reservation soon. To read reviews of Sassontondo visit the write up done by Paris by Mouth. After the Tuscan feast, this trio continued eating, eating, and eating (getting a bit ridiculous, no?). We had brunch in Montmartre, sampled the roast chicken from Jeanne A. (Sassontondo's neighbor; same owner too!), and snacked on one too many jalapeno chips while watching the Eagles Giants game at Rush Bar. (Need a bar to watch American football? Rush Bar will air games if you ask! Plus you can play trivia while watching.) Our eating extravaganza was fueled in part by mon mari and I completing the Paris-Versailles run on Sunday. You're not really supposed to eat more when you run more, but sometimes it's OK and after jogging up the race's giant hill, I don't regret eating my weight in pasta. The race was a doozey. People weren't kidding when they said the hill would be hard! I even resorted to pretending I was Marie Antoinette with hungry revolutionaries chasing me to keep my feet moving--silly, but it worked and I didn't walk one step :) Next up is a half marathon in November! A goal of 13 miles will be good to keep my expanding Paris palette from expanding my belly!
Hope you all had a great weekend and have a fabulous start to the week!
One of the greatest things about living abroad is getting to meet new people from all over the world. Earlier this month, mon mari and I were introduced to a young couple who recently moved to Paris by way of Chile and the States. With a shared passion for good food, sports, and the outdoors, we quickly connected with our new friends. It didn't take long for the Chilean girlfriend to convince us to join them for a meal at what she promised to be the best Chilean restaurant in Paris-- Tierra del Fuego. It took an even shorter amount of time for us to agree on the date of our dinner rendezvous--Chilean food? Yes please! Tucked away on a back street in the 10th arrondissement, we would have missed Tierra del Fuego if not for its brightly painted exterior and the handful of tables spilling into the street. Greeted warmly by the owner we were quickly seated and served a round of the traditional Chilean cocktail--pisco sour. The pisco sour is a frothy concoction of pisco (powerful grape brandy), lemon juice, egg whites, simple syrup, and bitters. The foamy drink is a bit like an alcoholic Sour Patch Kid. One or two and you'll be puckering your mouth for the rest of the evening!
Thankfully we had our Chilean foodie to guide us through the menu. I would have been ordering the yummy cheese and beef empanadas all night long if my friend hadn't directed me to the pastel de choclo. My dish arrived in a piping hot bowl that resembled a mini corn bread pot pie. Beneath a thick, sweet corn layer, there was a tasty mix of beef, chicken, and onion. If not for the steam pouring out of my dish, I would have gobbled it up in just a few minutes. After finishing my own meal and sampling my friend's ceviche, I was floating over the Andres in a delicious Chilean dreamland. I woke up from my taste bud overload with what else but another pisco sour! A few more drinks and spoonfuls of the coconut panna cotta (one of the best I've had in Paris!) had us happily stuffed and chatting with the owner. He excitedly told us that the restaurant would soon be hosting a block party to celebrate Chile's national holiday and the holiday's date just happens to coincide with the restaurant's 10th anniversary! Based on the photographs the owner was eagerly showing us and his enthusiasm for the event, you can tell the party will be a lively celebration. If you'd like to sample Chilean cuisine, down a pisco sour, and dance in the street, head over to Tierra del Fuego this coming Saturday, September 17th. The party kicks off at 4PM, but the music, dancing, eating, and drinking will last until the wee hours of Sunday morning. In addition to the party hosted by Tierra del Fuego, there's a Fête Nationale du Chili at Savigny-le-Temple beginning at 12PM on the same day. Tierra del Fuego
4-6 Rue Sainte Marthe
Paris 75010, France
01 42 39 46 21
06 61 33 52 48
Why do I go camping? Simple. S'MORES. Even without Jetpuffed, Hershey's, and Honey Maid, I roast and ready America's favorite fireside treat to my little heart's content. Haribo and gang made some pretty sweet s'mores last weekend, but there's definitely room for improvement given the uniquely European ingredient line up. I'm looking forward to tomorrow night when I get to squish mallow, chocolate, and graham in another round of euro s'moring. Friday we're off for another weekend of tents and BBQs, but with my sticky fingers I don't think I'll be allowed to get too close to the weekend's main attraction. Can you guess where we'll be roughing it from the hot rod photo below? It's probably the closest I'll ever get to Nascar-style antics in France...
Happy weekend to you!
P.S. And just because I love this movie more than apple pie and baseball...
I was channeling Lindsey from Lost in Cheeseland and Amy from God, I Love Paris as I walked up Rue Montorgueil on my hunt for croissant #7 (number 7 for this series--probably number 700 since I landed in Paris...). A favorite street of both ladies with its lively vibe and traditional Parisian feel, Rue Montorgueil is also home to one of the best bakeries in Paris-- Stohrer. My hands were full from running errands, but I knew I had enough room in my grocery bag for one tasty croissant--for the sake of the blog of course ;) Bakery: Stohrer
Location: 51 rue Montorgueil in the 2nd arr.
Croissant Critique: warm--just enough. glossy exterior--just enough, but not too sweet or sticky. flaky outside, soft inside--absolutely, I felt like I was biting into butter flakes sent from heaven. crumbs on shirt--in my shopping bag (I hid the croissant in there as I sneakily ate a few bites on the metro). was it mmm, mmm good?--without a doubt one of the best. would I go to this bakery again?--yes, Amy writes about the pain aux raisins in at least 5 blog posts so I have to go back to try one!
Current Rankings: #4, #7, #1, #6, #3, #2
(#5--my pain au chocolat stands alone)
 Want to read about more delicious adventures in Paris? Check out these posts:Croissant Chronicle #6My favorite cafe in Paris--Derrière le MurHomemade macarons! Croissants Blog ♡ @ The Best Croissant by David Lebovitz & A Croissant Tour of Paris by Adam Goldberg
Up until a few short days ago I was functioning without any kind of cooking device other than a microwave. The microwave was handy if I stuck to the basics and didn't venture into the microwave's supposed grilling capabilities (obviously reheating isn't rocket science). But beyond nuking leftovers I would have to translate the microwave's instruction manual--a common occurrence for me in France, but when I want to eat I want to eat. My French English dictionary doesn't get to interfere with feeding my hunger. And lets not lie--no microwave is going to produce Weber quality grilling. Any real BBQ days are on the back burner until I return to the land of ketchup and hush puppies. Sans stove top and oven, I perfected ordering takeout and eating out. I wouldn't have minded continuing this delicious, dirty dish free trend until....forever, but M. Frank and my wallet thought otherwise. Probably smart for both bank and belly.
Fortunately (or some might say unfortunately) I used my sweet, barely there French skills to acquire a working oven and now Chez Lindsey is back in business. Last night I christened my new oven with perhaps the most American recipe on the planet: MEATLOAF. Oh yeah. I love meatloaf, but I love leftover meatloaf sandwiches even more. Guess what's for dinner tonight?
 Oh Chaz and your meatloaf... P.S. I used the meatloaf recipe from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. 99% of the ingredients I had zero trouble finding in Paris (without going to a specialty shop once;), but meatloaf mix is just not going to happen unless I get my act together and actually go to the butcher. But I'm too scared!
P.P.S. When I think of meatloaf, I think of Will Ferrell in Wedding Crashers. I'd share that gem of YouTube video with you, but you'd then you'd have to pardon my French. Chaz just goes too far with asking his ma for meatloaf ;)
 FREE CANDY get in my belly! Note that I used the phrase "free candy" in the title of this post. The cafe I'm about to describe to you is exponentially cooler than any other cafe because the bartender gave me a free plate of Haribo gummies. Yes. You read that correctly. SHE GAVE ME A FREE PLATE OF CANDY! In addition to my cheese, bread, and reality TV addiction, I also have a serious sweet tooth. I'm a regular at the Paris candy stalls and frequently rack up 15 euros when visiting the movie theater candy stand. I used to stuff Sour Patch Kids in my pocket before heading out to the bars in college--it's bad. When the bartender of Derrière le Mur offered me a sugary snack to go with my drink, I knew I landed in heaven. Sugar buzz and drink buzz at the same time? A perfect cafe combo!
 My favorite corner booth. The location and atmosphere were what first drew me to this cozy cafe located in Paris's 4 arr., but the exceptional service is what keeps me going back. I made my first visit during the depths of winter and was craving a vin chaud to stave off the January chill. Not seeing vin chaud on the menu, I asked the bartender if they had it. She replied that they did not, but she'd be happy to whip some up. Seriously? Did I suddenly teleport to another city? I could not believe how incredibly hospitable this woman was being and the vin chaud was one of the best I've had--not that brown glop that tastes like pork roast gravy. After two glasses of vin chaud, I had officially left winter at the door and was feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. The plate of tropical Haribo treats obviously didn't hurt either.
 The bar--where the candy magic happens. Round 2 at Derrière le Mur was with mon père. We stopped in after a long day of tourist trudging to rest our tired feet. Just quiet enough to rehash our sightseeing accomplishments, but not so quiet it seemed dead, the cafe was the perfect spot for wasting away a good part of the afternoon. Even without a free plate of candy the service made me want to set up a cot in the kitchen. Food, drink, light music--I'd be set. I'm sure they would have let me if I'd asked. They're just that nice ;)  Wouldn't you like to be tucked away in here? I was back for round 3 last week with a large group of friends. Before entering the cafe, I'd really started to hype the place up (who wouldn't with free candy on the line?) and was hoping for another great happy hour experience. Derrière le Mur did not disappoint. We got free fries. I know. I couldn't have rigged it better myself. For a group of tipsy youngins a salty side was just what we need to cap off a great round of drinks.
Go visit and then tell me what awesome free thing you scored (I've got my fingers crossed it's something sweet)!
 Some like it hot! Derrière le Mur
44 Rue des Tournelles
75004 Paris
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