Paris, France

Paris

January 2014

Last Wednesday, Ali and myself headed off to Paris to soak up the sights and tastes of the French capital. The first thing we did upon arrival, before even collecting the key to our apartment, was to go for some lunch in a beautiful little cafe, stuffed with busy Parisians on their lunch break. After a thorough scan of the menu I settled on a Lamb Nuckle with Mash and Sweet Garlic Gravy. The lamb was beautifully tender and the gravy delicious. It reminded me of the way I like to cook a Beef Brisket, in Red Wine with lots of garlic, I'll certainly be trying Lamb in a similar manner (it's almost spring after all). Speaking of Red Wine, that is one thing that really struck me in Paris, even the house Wine's are outstanding. 

The rest of Wednesday was spent sightseeing, the Notre Damn Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower being the highlights but first thing on Thursday morning we were back on the Metro to the Eiffel Tower to take in the Saxe-Breteuil Food Market. The quality of the produce on sale here was breathtaking. The freshest of Meat and Fish surrounded by stalls of the ripest Organic Fruit and Veg with the odd pastry stall thrown in for good measure. Looking around at all the wonderful ingredients evoked a mixture of sadness and frustration, how nice it would be to be able to shop somewhere like this on a daily basis. It seems that the French (and Italian's from previous trips) place far more value on the quality of their ingredients where as in Ireland, the majority are far more concerned with convenience.

Duck Foie Gras with Fleur de Sel

Food highlights from Thursday included a delicious House Terrine, which could have been a little stronger for my taste but the accompanying Pickled Gherkin cut it perfectly. I also had a novel take on our Shepard's Pie, using shredded Duck Confit instead of the usual Lamb/Beef. That evening I had a first for me, Duck Foie Gras. It was lovely and rich but it was really brought to life by the accompanying Fleur de Sel. That was followed by a Veal Kidney Cassoulet which was notable because of a lack of any Vegetables (except Potato) leaving the Sauce feeling somewhat empty, even so, it was delicious. Dessert was a Dark Chocolate Lava Cake, which was absolutely magnificent.

On Friday, we spent the day in Montmartre, where we stumbled upon the most wonderful herb and spice shop. After topping up my spice collection and buying some Fleur de Sel with Chilli, we went for lunch in the Cafe des 2 Moulins, made famous by the film Amelie. Here we both had a very non traditional Burger (a rare burger is actually a great treat!). Friday evening we found ourselves in a fantastic little restaurant stuffed with locals. It was hot, smokey and didn't have half the menu in stock but it was extremely charming with great food! First up was an Avocado and Prawn Salad which was fantastic, although the dressing may have had a touch too much Mustard. The limited menu left me with a Chilli Con Carne as a main but I wasnt disappointed, it was beautiful although a little short on Chillies (maybe they were out of stock too!). Dessert was a Pana Cotta  cut with a splendidly tart Raspberry Coulis. Ali took the last Tirimasu in the house, it was terrific, the best either of us has ever tasted.

Rounding up, the food of Paris was wonderful! French cuisine is definately more complicated than my favoured Italian and is also a lot richer containing far more butter and cream than the majority of Italian dishes. The Pastries, however, are fantastic! There is no better way to start your day than with a Pain Suisse and a double espresso. The quality of the produce in the shops/markets was particularly striking but so too were the cuts of meat being displayed. Pig Trotters and Ox Tongues sat proudly beside Fillet Steaks, Chickens retained their heads and giblets and Pigeons and other poultry were stocked in great numbers. Using the entirety of any animal is something that really appeals to me, leaving nothing to waste and it is something that we could really learn from our continental cousins.

The Greatest Tirimasu in the World......Ever