Freedom Frites And That Older Woman

Ah, the food of France! But I suppose I should just say the food of Paris since I am yet to go anywhere else...


Ah, the food of Paris! Rich, savory... full of things like butter, cream, bacon, and sumptuous cheeses... everything is a feast. Even the simple places serve classic, delicious food. Any diet I perceive myself to be on must be forgotten for a few days whilst dining in Paris.

So here we have it, a long list of camera phone pictures of everything we ate, mostly arrange from left to right, top to bottom -- at least on my screen. Click on the picture for a closer look.

1. A leek and cheese tart (they didn't call it a quiche!) with fries. This was at our first stop and was a great start. Cold beer to drink -- a Belgian Leffe blonde. It was a hot day in Paris and this hit the spot.
   
2. At the same spot, a plate of charcuterie with paté, rillet, dried sausage, boiled ham, and dried ham.
3. A giant, spicy steak tartar. Yep, that's a big ol' pile of raw chopped steak mixed with some onions, spices, and large capers. Fries on the side, of course.
4. Escargot á la Bourguignonne (snails in a garlic, shallot, and parsley sauce) -- excellent! This was at a place near our hotel, Le Suffren, that was recommended by the concierge. Excellent value for the quality of the food.
   
5. Plate of raw oysters and boiled prawns - these were some of the best oysters I've had.
   
6. Profiteroles - a dessert made from choux pastry (an amazing kitchen creation), filled with ice cream, and topped with a rich, chocolate syrup.
7. The house cheese platter to share.
8. Omelette de Campagne (country omelet with bacon, cheese, onions, and potatoes) -- served with a side salad to make a very filling lunch.
   
9. The wife's salad - I don't remember what they called it but it was full of potatoes and dried ham.
10. Boeuf Bourguignonne, a classic French beef stew.
    

We didn't eat a bad bite through the entire trip! I need to go eat something now.

Cheers!





"Every city has a sex and an age which have nothing to do with demography. Rome is feminine. So is Odessa. London is a teenager, an urchin, and, in this, hasn’t changed since the time of Dickens. Paris, I believe, is a man in his twenties in love with an older woman."
John Berger, an English painter and novelist.