The Food of France

"I have unfinished business with Paris."

This is what I keep telling everyone who asks me how I liked Paris and how I liked the food I ate there. There are two main reasons I say this: first, because we only spent four days in Paris and two were completely filled with going to the Normandy beaches and the Versailles gardens. And second: when I actually WAS in Paris one of our group dinners was at the Hard Rock Cafe (to make myself feel a little less guilty I ordered the Paris Burger), and our very last dinner in Paris--and our last dinner of our whole trip--was at an Italian Restaurant! After spending a week and a half in Italy, we eat our last meal at an Italian Restaurant!

Delicious Raspberry Macaroon

So now you can see why I have unfinished business with Paris. I didn't get to visit a single place from the 15 pages I printed of "Where to Eat in Paris", or David Lebovitz's book, The Sweet Life in Paris (which I diligently read during flights and train rides proceeding Paris).

REAL French Creme Brulee

With all that said, I would like to tell you that I DID have good food in Paris, just not as much as I would have liked.

After some pretty dreary weather in Austria and Germany I was ecstatic when we got off the train in Paris, a city I have dreamed of visiting since I was a child, and it was sunny! That first night our whole group headed to Rue Claire for dinner. It was just around the corner from our hotel (which was also just around the corner from the Eiffel Tower!). The street was simply precious with tons of restaurants, bakeries, specialty food and wine stores, and produce markets. Now this is why I came on this trip!

Places to go on Rue Claire

I did stumble across a few wonderful cafes and bakeries in France but honestly one of my favorite wasn't even in Paris at all! It was in a small town on the northern coast of France, near Normandy beaches, called Sainte Mere Eglise.

I stumbled upon Le Fournil while scoping out a good place to have lunch. Many students from our group were going to have lunch at a hamburger stand nearby. Disappointing and disgusted, I went in search of a "more French" place (these students reported that it was the worst burger of their life, and subsequently came and had a second lunch at the place I picked out!).

After this good lunch we walked outside and discovered Le Fournil across the street. I had to go in. After looking around in astonishment at my dream French Bakery I decided to buy a small white chocolate and raspberry mouse cake (pictured above). I was so caught up in the moment that I took it to go eat outside and forgot a fork! I ended up eating it with my hands like a barbarian--it also didn't help that I was moaning and muttering "this...is...so...good" between mouthfuls of moist cake. 

I was so impressed with my cake that I had to make a second trip into the patisserie to buy something I could take home. My friends told me I probably didn't have enough time and might miss our bus, but this was worth it! I grabbed the first thing I saw that was packaged and paid for it--a small bag of tiny orange candies which I am eating right now!

Many people go to Paris with high expectations for delicious crepes. My first crepe--with nutella--was purchased at a small crepe shop right next door to the Moulin Rouge. But my favorite crepe place was also found on Rue Claire. 

I had heard several girls on my trip mention that they had frequented a crepe cart around the corner so many times that the man now knew their names. On our last night in Paris--after the depressing Italian dinner experience--I knew I needed a crepe. I went with a group of students to this stand. I ordered one of the most simple crepes you can get, cinnamon sugar with butter. I took so many pictures of the crepe man in action that he pretty much offered to apprentice me! I should have taken him up on the offer!

If I had to pick my favorite meal I had in Paris, I would say it was the very last meal I ate there before heading to the Paris airport to fly back home to Portland. I had gotten up early that morning to make sure I was packed and ready to go. I had a little extra time so I decided to wander in search  of a good breakfast. 

I discovered a boulangerie and patisserie directly across the street that I had never noticed before, J.M. Bretteau. I went inside and picked out a heavenly-looking almond croissant. Just thinking of it now is making my mouth water. It was the best pastry I have EVER put into my mouth.

To go with my croissant I went to a fruit stand and purchased a small container of raspberries and some fresh squeezed orange juice. It was such a humble breakfast, and couldn't have cost me more than 7 euros, but like I said, it was the best meal I had in Paris. It was so bittersweet, too, because it was also my last meal of my three week long trip.

Well, this concludes my blog posts about my awesome European trip. It was an experience of a lifetime and I really hope I am blessed enough to have the opportunity to go back again soon--especially to Paris! I made wonderful memories, met people from all over world, took about 2,000 pictures, spent about $300 on souvenirs and ate about 63 meals (with countless snacks and desserts). Just thinking about it now is making me hungry! I think I'll go make myself a crepe....Au Revoir!