When I heard about La Cidrerie, I knew I wanted to go there. I like beer, but I donโt have the same capacity for it as locals do; young people in Paris seem to have no trouble polishing off those pint-plus giant glasses of beer that have become ubiquitous on cafรฉ tables. Cider hasnโt gotten the same attention that beer, wine, and other French beveragesโฆ
Because itโs one of my common pantry items, shortly after Iโd moved to Paris, I went to the supermarket to get Marsala, to stock my larder. Much to my surprise, the supermarket didnโt have it. So I went to another, then another. Then another. Then I went to some liquor stores, where I thought for sure it would be on the shelf, but no oneโฆ
Some say that the French can be very narrow in their definitions of things, which is why traditional French cuisine can be so simple, yet spectacular; because the classics donโt get messed with. Other cuisines, however, do get modified to local tastes, like les brochettes de bลuf-fromage, or beef skewers with cheese, at les sushis restaurants, popcorn available as salty or sweet (!?), and whileโฆ
I eat a salad almost every day. I grab a big bowl, make dressing in it, then toss in whatever ingredients I have on hand. It might be a hard-boiled egg, miscellaneous greens, bits of roast chicken, slivered carrots, shredded cabbage, toasted nuts, cherry tomatoes, crumbled cheese, and so forth โ whatever I have on hand. (But hold the alfalfa sprouts; does anyone really likeโฆ
I just learned a few more words to add to my French vocabulary while in the throes of remodeling this week. I already wrote about the five or six words in French for sink. And I finally got the difference between a mitigeur and a robinet (a mitigeur has one knob โmixesโ the water, and a robinet has two knobs). Fortunately the word is theโฆ
Iโve been living in France for almost eight years and in all that time, Iโve yet to make even one of these classic French pear tarts. I donโt think Iโve ever been in a bakery that didnโt have wedges of this tart in little paper footings, ready to take out and be consumed right away. So I guess because I could always buy one, whyโฆ
Every year I spend an inordinate amount of my time poaching fruit. Itโs usually because Iโm powerless to resist all the pears in baskets at my market, and buy far more than I need. Yes, much of my sweet bounty finds its way into sorbets, cakes, ice creams, and jams. But one of my favorite ways to keep those pears around a little longer isโฆ
A
Get David's newsletter sent right to your Inbox!
Sign up for my newsletter and get my FREE guidebook to the best bakeries and pastry shops in Paris...
