Last night was the second-to-last night of the chocolate tour, and we spent it on Mort’s boat, which is anchored in the Seine, just off the place de la Concorde. Like so many things, the evening began with the best of intentions. On the next boat over, la mère and le père went away for the holiday weekend, leaving the teenage son alone to have…
We’re mid-week into our Paris Chocolate Tour here and we’re having a great time. Everyone’s enjoying the unusually fine weather, and of course, the chocolate. I wanted to post a few shots and notes in my spare seven minutes—it’s 5:34am so forgive any typos or missed links. I’ll catch ’em later…in my free time ; ) Cheerful, and the amazingly-talented, Jean-Charles Rochoux shows us a…
There’s a nifty guidebook to the bakeries, chocolate shops, and tea salons, called The Pâtisseries of Paris. This handy little book is full of great addresses and tips, and is just small enough to slip in your shoulder bag when hitting the streets of Paris, should you come to Paris on a mission for sweets. I was surprised at how in-depth this guide takes you….
1. A few weeks ago I went back to Exceptions Gourmands with a friend from New York. The two women working there were quite nice and helpful, and my friend ended up picking out a few things to buy. The amount was something like 7.53€. So my friend opened her wallet and handed over a 10€ bill. “Oooohhh,” the saleswoman said, eyeing the lone bill…
When you fly in to Charles de Gaulle airport, there’s a mad rush to get off the plane. Then you’re herded to a holding pen-like area, where you wait to go through passport control. It’s complete chaos: everyone surging forward, en masse, trying to get around everyone else, regardless of who got there first. That is, except for the Americans, who wait patiently for their…
While Paris is a meat eater’s paradis, there are pockets of places that are vegetarian-friendly, or are completely vegetarian. As a sideline to my guest post Vegetarian Restaurants in Paris, here are my tips for dining out and getting by. If you’re looking for a typical ‘Parisian’ meal, don’t limit yourself to bistros and brasseries. Nowadays, Parisian cuisine includes ethnic dining. There’s excellent Asian, Indian,…
…it’s a challenge to get through to the person you really need to speak to on the phone. …the amount of documentation you need seems excessive. …when there’s a screw up, there’s no one to complain to. …all the workers act like they can’t be fired—because they can’t. …you’re sure the folks up ahead of you are getting better treatment. …there aren’t nearly enough bathrooms.
Now that you’ve all seen everything I have in my kitchen, I thought I’d show you a place I just discovered this week not far from where all that pastry magic happens. (And I’m sure a few of you remember where all the magic that doesn’t happen around here ends up.) Someone chided me for having French Wine For Dummies on my bookshelf, but gave…
I can’t remember the last time I saw a real, live squirrel. Yes, yes, I know. I live a city. But when I go out into the French countryside I just don’t see them there either. I never realized how much I missed the little rascals until I was back for a visit to the states and there were hoards of squirrels going about their…
Join me on my Spring 2026 book tour for my latest book, The Great Book of Chocolate
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