Sorry about the less-than-stellar photo. I was trying to take a picture in a hectic métro station, and when there was a break in the frenzy of commuters, I tried to get my shot. But soon the people behind the glass in the information booth started taking notice of me snapping a few pics of the high-security features of the métro, like metal railings and…
I’m fortunate to live in Paris, a city where there’s an unusually large amount of very good chocolate shops. With so many to choose from, it’s hard to whittle it down to just the few, most perfect ones. But I must. And one of them is John-Charles Rochoux. His jewel box of a shop is located just off the bustling rue de Rennes. It’s not just…
(Please note that this list was recently updated in 2013. However prices, addresses, and policies are subject to change. You may wish to visit the website or call the school for additional information.) If you feel the need to work off that croissant au beurre you’re likely to indulge in every morning or the daily éclair au chocolat you’ve been treating yourself to each afternoon,…
That’s the new one meter box of chocolates from Patrick Roger, over three feet of pralines, caramels, nougats, and creamy-smooth ganache-filled bonbons, all enrobed in ultra-dark bittersweet chocolate. I don’t know how someone would brave getting one of those home on the métro, but I’d surely appreciate their efforts if I found one under my tree! Patrick Roger 108, Boulevard St. Germain (6th) Tel: 01…
Here’s a list of 10 books, in no particular order, that I’ve enjoyed this year. Since I don’t have easy access to English-language books, I chose mine carefully. Although I usually like to read books about food, I got a bit literate and discovered few books about Paris that were truly enlightening…which is really saying something for someone that hasn’t lifted the lid on a…
I got a very cute message lately from a couple who had come to Paris and followed some of my restaurant suggestions. But it got to the point one evening here they were undecided where to go one night, and her husband said, “I don’t care. Let’s just go anywhere that chocolate-guy says to go!” I was glad to be of service, but I like…
When I started traveling around Europe with a backpack several decades ago, the only thing one needed to make sure you had to have were traveler’s checks. They were easy to buy and widely accepted, no matter where one went. But times have changed and the advent of ATM machines, where you can access money directly from your bank account back home, has changed everything….
After spending years learning the language, I’m pretty comfortable with menus in French and I’m rarely in for any unpleasant surprises when waiters bring me food anymore. But on my trip to Italy, I was completely baffled when handed an Italian menu, scarcely knowing stinco from souris d’agneau. Stinco I Iearned the hard way: a Fred Flintstone-sized hunk of roasted veal knuckle was plunked down…
Although not Michelin-starred, one of my favorite restaurants in Paris is Les Papilles. I have to admit that I rarely go there, since it’s equally far from any métro station, and I don’t make it over to that part of town very often. But when a friend called me about having a leisurely Saturday lunch, I jumped at the opportunity to revisit the restaurant. A…
Join me on my Spring 2026 book tour for my latest book, The Great Book of Chocolate
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