The Saucier's Apprentice - Heaven In A Bowl - A French Favorite

It's been a long week at work, good, but long and tonight I am going to treat myself (a Lewis Brother’s tradition,mind you) to a pot of homemade Berrnaise sauce and eat it straight with lots of crusty French bread and of course, a 6 to 1 Gin martini!
I don’t want to hear any oh’s! Out there, it’s my stomach and it has been treated to this tradition for over 60 years.
Béarnaise sauce is a hot emulsified butter sauce made of Clarified butter, egg yolks, and a tarragon, shallot, chervil, peppercorn and wine vinegar reduction.
"A Béarnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar. but It takes years of practice for the result to be perfect," wrote the restaurateur Fernand Point (1897-1955) in Ma Gastronomie. Béarnaise is a traditional sauce for steak or straight out of the bowl!
The sauce was likely first created by the chef Collinet, the inventor of puffed potatoes (pommes de terre soufflées) and served at the 1836 opening of "Le Pavillon Henri IV", a restaurant at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, not far from Paris. Evidence for this is reinforced by the fact that the restaurant was named for King Henry IV, a gourmet himself, who was born in the former province of Béarn.The sauce has appeared on US restaurant menus since 1882,

Charming Islands Off The French Coast

The newest issue of Conde Nast Travler magazine highlights the many charming islands off of the coast of France.

I have visted two of them ( Ile de Re and Belle-Ile)  and found them charming, BUT, you need to spend at least 3 to 4 days to really enjoy them ( it should be a vacation just in its sefl) and I find that most visitors to France (unless they have been to France many times) do not have the time to spend within their vacarion period for that kind of stay.

Dreamin' Of French Chickens!

Visiting the Ferry Building food hall in San Francisco this weekend, I am reminded again, how much I love the French open air weekly markets. A tradition since the Middle Ages, the many open-air food markets in France are bursting with fresh produce, cheeses, meats and other delicious looking edibles and seasonal foods. Displaying a tempting array of all kinds of food—from a fresh soft goat cheese, to ripe strawberries and freshly picked green beans—browsing the outdoor markets of France is one of my very favorite morning activities.

Especially, my chef brother and I, love, no make that, are mad about the roasted chickens with their dripping’s falling on roasted potatoes. We can stand mesmerized for hours just looking and sniffing that most heavenly scent.

If you have never attended a French open air market, you have not discovered the soul and essence of France and the French people!

Bourdain On Brittany

Anthony and a Plateau de Fruits de Mer

I adore the small baby lobsters called Langoustines ( those pink looking shrimp in the photo) served with Mayo..heaven!!

Available also in Paris!

On Monday, the 25th of January, tune into the Travel Channel at 10PM EST to see Anthony Bourdain's show on Brittany, along with host Olivier Roellinger ( famous chef and hotel owner in the region). They highlight and tour some of my favorite places and restaurants in Brittany.

Julia Child's - First Meal in France

If you enjoyed (as I did) the recent movie ‘Julie and Julia’ - in the opening moments of the movie, you see first time France visitors; Julia and Paul Child (soon after disembarking from their transatlantic ship), having lunch at a restaurant and having a dish of Sole Meuniere and at that very moment, both discovering and falling in Love with France and its cooking!
That restaurant they ate in, is still around, in fact it’s been around since 1345!
It’s Located in Rouen (just 1 hour west of Paris).
Leaving or arriving from America (in and out of Le Havre – home to the big transatlantic liners during those glorious days) passengers have always stopped-over in Rouen (nearby) for lunch at "La Couronne", enjoying, among other classics, their most classic dish - "Canard à la Rouennaise" From time immemorial, France's oldest inn, registered 1345 on the most ancient bill of sale found to this day, has been a legendary place... where Kings and Queens, heads of states, politicians, artists, stars, writers, sportsmen, came for lunch or dinner.
From Sophia Loren to John Wayne, from the last Emperor of Ethiopia to the Prncess Grace of Monaco, from Foujita, Juan-Manuel Fangio, Jacques Anquetil, to Maurice Chevalier, Charles Trenet, from Jean-Paul Sartre to Jean d'Ormesson, as well as Serge Gainsbourg to Patrick Bruel, Francis Huster or Patricia Kaas : all went through "La Couronne.

Rouen can be reached easily for a day trip from Paris by train. This historic city is the capitol city of Normandy and it mixes magnificent Gothic architecture, charming half-timbered houses and contemporary bustle like no other city in France.

                                                                    La Couronne - today

                                    

Art Musuems Closed in Paris for 2010 and beyond!

If you are planning to visit Paris this year (I Hope so!), please be aware that for museums lovers, there may be some disappointments ahead for 2010.The Palais Galliera (The fashion museum) and the Picasso Museum have closed their doors for a massive renovation that will continue until 2011 and 2012.

As already noted, the Musee d’Orsay is undergoing a year long makeover and its roughly 220 Impressionist and Post Impressionist masterpieces will vacation overseas at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. The Dejeuner sur l’Herbe ( see painting above) is staying put! Hurrah!

But on the better art news front: Giverny is hosting a big Impressionist show with some of the D’Orsay loans in April and there will be a major Monet exhibit at the Grand Palais in September.
The long awaited Cite de la Mode et du Design will open in May in the re-vamped dock house on the Quai d’Austerlitz.

Old Time Food Bargains In Paris - Bouillon Chartier

What with Three Star Michelin Chefs closing down their haute Cuisine temples and opening bistros. The times are a-changing in Paris and high time in my opinion!

One of the best bargains is housed in an 1890's restaurant with prices stuck in the 1950's!

The traditional Paris dish of steak/frites is a good deal, as long as you like it the way the chef cooks it, you won't be asked and if you asked, you'll be ignored.

Bouillon Chartier, 7 rue Faubourg-Montmartre 75009

A sample menu is below:

http://restaurant-chartier.com/www/visit/atable.php

Yves Saint Laurent - YSL - Retrospective - It's Not Fashion, It's Art!

If you missed the fabulous retrospective of the fashion of Yves Saint Laurent in San Francisco last year at the DeYoung Musuem, you'll have a second chance this year in Paris at the Petit Palais.
300 outfits and well as a number of drawings, documents and films will be on exhibtion at the Petit Palais from March 11th to August 29th.
This show pays a fitting tribute to the greatest couturier of the second half of the 20th century.
If you think that fashion is not art, wait until you see this exhibition. I promise you, you'll come away looking at his creations with a different view.

TURNER & THE MASTERS COMES TO PARIS

National Galleries, Grand Palais: February 22 – May 24
One of the world’s great landscape painters, J.M.W. Turner’s work is also considered a segue into the Impressionist style to follow. The magnificent exhibition at the Grand Palais showcases the artist’s work as it evolved into his unique signature style through more than 100 paintings. Hanging alongside them are works by many of the artists who influenced him, including Titian, Canaletto, Poussin and Rembrandt.

Hours: Fri. – Mon. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Tues., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wed., 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

France Festivals - If You Thought The French Were A Serious People..Forget It!

 
Marathon-running and wine-tasting aren’t usual bed fellows, but at the Marathon du Medoc that is exactly what is on the menu. The race follows a path through some of France’s most famous vineyards and instead of the usual high energy drinks poured over their heads, runners stop along the way to taste the various appellations and local produce. If you fancy a challenge, sign up at www.marathondumedoc.com for this year’s race on September 11.

READY!.....SET!........SALE!....OOH LA LA!

Unlike in the US, where there is a sale every 10 seconds, its not that way in France...........so in January, it's

SALE! SALE!

It’s an annual ritual for the locals and a rite of passage for travelers lucky to be in Paris in January. More than 1,000 stores will post their “SOLDES” signs, from January 6 until February 10. Shoppers line up early in front of their favorite stores (both large department stores and trendy neighborhood boutiques) where clothing, accessories and house wares can be found at discounts from 20 to 70 percent.
Here are a few good shopping strategy tips to share with travelers:
• Browse a couple of days before the sales begin to get acquainted with shops and merchandise that has personal appeal
• Shop during the week, rather than weekends.
• Focus on specific neighborhoods.
• Wear comfortable shoes for the lines and those marathon runs to the next store.
(Did you know that the French government regulates the sales event and that the big bargains are offered only during specific times in January and July?)