I’ve been back from France a little over a month now! I have been super busy getting my life together–both personally and professionally! On Monday, April 11th, I was officially sworn in to the State Bar of California! See here. A few days later, I met my WONDERFUL boss who decided to give me a chance and hire me–even though I had not yet received my results from the New York Bar Exam. A few days after that, I learned that I passed the New York bar exam! I feel so fortunate and blessed. I now spend my days at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse defending the accused. Our office is on Broadway Avenue, right in the middle of Manhattan’s Financial District. Wall Street is a few short steps away.
I worked with some lovely people over the past seven months, and they were kind enough to send me out on a high note. An extremely high note. We traveled to Janvry, a tiny little village, and went to the restaurant La Bonne Franquette.
Eating at La Bonne Franquette was a reminder of how food is meant to be enjoyed, especially French food! Slowly, with good conversation, and good wine. We were there over three hours, and that was with us skipping the cheese course and after dinner drinks. The food was really inspiring. The chef was entertaining. The ambiance was inviting. All in all, it was a great night and I am so glad that I left France on such a positive note!
First course…
Goat cheese wrapped in philo dough on sliced apples, drizzled with honey and other deliciousness!
Second Course…
To say that this fish was “perfectly cooked” is a gross understatement! (Cod on a bed of sliced mangoes, celery root puree, and other vegetables)
And last, but certainly not least, the Dessert Course! The food was SO amazing that I was instantly skeptical of the desserts. But that skepticism was completely unwarranted, as the desserts were as incredible as the first two courses…
the Sampler
the Chocolate Sampler (A-ma-zing!)
Chocolate-Jasmine cake. Great texture. Great flavor combination.
I’m pretty sure that we all agree with Jamie Olliver–America needs a food revolution. And the unhealthy school lunches that are served to our children–our future–need to change.
Food in France very different than food in America. Making dinner every night is the norm. Eating together as a family is the norm. One hour lunch breaks are the norm… even at schools. I once told my students that we were given 30 minutes to eat lunch in high school. Their response? How do you finish your lunch in 30 minutes? Well, if you factor in waiting in line, it was much less time than that. But I distinctly remember that chocolate milk in a pouch, and stabbing a straw in said pouch and squeezing as hard as I could and imbibing my 8 ounces of sugary chocolate milk in just seconds!
Also, it’s much easier to eat fast when lunch is seldom more than a slice of pizza or a hamburger with fries.
But enough about lunch in America.
School lunches in France are actually healthy. Almost all of the teachers and administrators choose to eat the school lunch–which is very telling. No sugary beverages are served. There are cups and pitchers of water on the table. Water!
Instead of getting calcium from milk, students choose between either yogurt or cheese. Plain yogurt–with no added sugar–is an option. There are always at least 3 fruits and vegetables, and sometimes more. For example, in addition to the regular servings of fruits and vegetables, you have the option to choose between a dessert and an additional piece of fruit.
This is just one picture from a school lunch. The “entree” is often meat, but I’m not a big meat eater so I chose the pasta-ish dish in a sauce. It was very filling and very tasty. Also on my platte you will see two size-able side dishes–sliced carrots and potatoes. My “appetizer” was a tomato. A whole tomato, sliced (I added the salad dressing). Behind the small spoon is a container of yogurt, and next to the knife is the standard piece of bread that accompanies all lunches.
Lastly, there is dessert. A delicious, homemade slice of some yumminess–I forgot what it was! But, I had the option between dessert and a piece of fruit. A whole piece of fruit–not fruit cocktail or browning apple wedges.
Marie Antoinette's Hamlet
Marie Antoinette's Hamlet
Versailles’ Petit Trianon, Grand Trianon, and Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet–proof that the biggest McMansion won’t make you happy! Proof that you will always want more.
I have been to the palace of Versailles a number of times. I even roamed through the infamous gardens and enjoyed my very own Dejeuner sur l’herbe. However, I had not made it to the Petit Trianon, the Grand Trianon or Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet.
Louis XIV, the Sun King, initially commissioned the palace of Versailles to serve as a getaway from the hustle and bustle of Paris. However, Versailles soon became as busy as Paris ever was–hosting a thousand nobles and their entourages at a time. The King then decided that he needed a getaway from his getaway–so he built the Grand Trianon. The Grand Trianon was a retreat from the etiquette required of Versailles Palace.
It was Louis XV that commissioned the Petit Trianon–another getaway. He of course housed his mistress(es) there. The Petit Trianon has just undergone and total renovation and has been restored to its full glory.
Bedroom at the Petit Trianon
All of the kitchenware was labeled "Trianon"
It was Louis XVI’s wife, Marie Antoinette, who commissioned the building of the “Hamlet.” The hamlet was not a palace, but a place for her to pretend to be a peasant. She would dress up in a simple white linen dress and work as a “supervisor” to ensure that the farm tasks were all handled correctly.
No wonder the French revolted in 1789…
So we had this crazy idea to meet up in London for about 24 hours. The time was short, but fun and productive! There was much discussion about science, medicine, technology, pharmacology, informatics, food, and the intersection of these various concepts. I left our summit feeling invigorated and inspired!
But it wasn’t all serious conversation… there was some sightseeing too!
Lucy and I visited the Tate Modern, which is probably the most modern of any modern art museum I’ve visited. Even the bathrooms were modern! Ironically, the museum is in a rather traditional looking building.
Jason and Vasilli took us to dinner at an amazing Vietnamese restaurant, and I had pho for the very first time! Pho is a traditional Vietnamese beef and noodle soup. The broth of the soup cooks the beef so that it is super fresh and tender. I am now a fan of Vietnamese food. 
We visited the British Museum where Encouse gave us commentary on many of the Egyptian artifacts, and we went to this amazing foodie market where I had some incredible beer-battered fish and chips.
beer-battered fish and chips
We hiked up a very steep hill to reach the observatory and official marker of the Prime Meridian. We had a symbolic “where East meets West” kind of moment. Even though Europe is considered “western” in terms of culture, most of it is in the Eastern hemisphere…
Encouse straddling the Eastern and Western hemispheres
Our last stop was a pub for some interesting convo. Thanks so much to Jason, Vasilli, and Leilani for being such great hosts!
Paris Brest
Legend has it that this pastry was made in honor of a 1200 kilometer bike race that occurs in France every 4 years. The bike race starts in Paris, goes to Brest, and the back to Paris. The first race was in 1891, and that year, a pastry chef made a celebration cake, which he named the “Paris Brest,” in the shape of a bicycle wheel.
This pastry consists of a large ring of choux pastry that is cut in half, and filled with a whipped hazelnut cream. It is topped with toasted almonds and powdered sugar. If you like Nutella.. you’ll love the Paris Brest.
Prêt-à-porTea at the Berkeley in London. Quite possibly one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. Truly the intersection of haute couture and haute patisserie. I had the absolute pleasure of having afternoon tea here. Each of the pastries served is based on a runway look from designers like Zac Posen, Fendi, Alexander McQueen, and Christian Louboutin. The Berkeley is just steps from Harrod’s in Knightsbridge, where you will find the same designers’ collections.
Pastry should be both beautiful and delicious. And it was.
Christian Louboutin shoe with signature red sole
Orange and cranberry mousse topped with Paul Smith hat from 2008 collection, panna cotta mousse with Manolo Blahnik high heel, 2005 collection
Several pots of tea, numerous finger sandwiches, and too many pastries later…
Most everything is closed on Sundays. Markets are often held on Sunday mornings, but Sunday is observed as a day of rest. However, the Marais neighborhood in Paris is as lively as ever on Sundays. The Marais, or “Jewish Quarter,” celebrates the Sabbath on Saturday. Thus, everything is open on Sundays.
There are many great trendy and hip clothing boutiques. But, my favorite thing to do in this neighborhood is eat falafel! The falafel here is truly unparalleled. I made the mistake of ordering some falafel in the Latin Quarter–no comparison whatsoever to the falafel in the Marais.
They stuff the pita with lots of delicious falafel balls (fried chickpeas mixed with spices like cumin and coriander), tons of veggies–fresh tomatoes, lettuce, some type of coleslaw, fried onion rings, eggplant, and 4 different types of sauces! It is sooooo amazing. When the weather is nice out, the lines are crazy long, but it is worth it!
Falafel "mixte"--combination of falafel balls and something like shwarma
Lucy enjoying her falafel
The Marais swarming with people on a sunny Sunday afternoon
Kosher bakery next door to L'as du Falafel in the Marais
Spring. It’s like someone turned the lights on. The grass is green and long. The smell of freshly mowed lawns lingers through the air. The flowers are blooming–the tulips are singing!
Spring is a great time to visit the many “marchés” (open air markets) of Paris.
Marché aux Fleurs (Flower Market)–at Place Madeleine, or Ile de la cite.
Marché aux Puces (Flea Market) There are a couple of scarily large flea markets in Paris, but the one I prefer is at Porte de Vanves, and there are some really interesting antiques there. It is a quintessential Parisian experience–jolly and convivial sellers mingling with folks. There’s even the occasional accordion player.
One pleasant surprise about Amsterdam was the great food. We ate out for every single meal, and every single meal was outstanding–even in the most touristy areas. There was a definite emphasis on quality and freshness of the ingredients. The street food is wonderfully fatty–often fried. Unless it’s spring/early summer, in which case “street food” is smoked herring. There is also a lot of great Indonesian food (the Dutch colonized Indonesia).
Poffertjes-Dutch mini pancakes (street food)
Poffertjes served with butter and powder sugar--delicious!
Indonesian Rijstaffel (rice table): One popular way to eat Indonesian food is the rijstaffel. There are numerous side dishes (normally about 40)–kind of like tapas. We went to an Indonesian restaurant and the food was pretty tasty and VERY spicy. It was so spicy that I could hardly eat it (and I’m a Louisiana native–so I normally have a high tolerance for spicy food!)
spicy shrimp wrapped in a banana leaf
chicken with pineapple chutney
We had a very pleasant experience at the most adorable soup shop. The soup was freshly prepared and just really outstanding! I’d be remiss not to mention it.
De Soepwinkel (the Soup Shop)
amazing curry lentil soup
Gouda: Gouda is the traditional process that is used to make Dutch cheese. You can use cow milk or goat milk. The longer it ages, the more taste it has. We stopped by a Gouda tasting.
rounds and rounds of gouda
Stroopwafels: These are little snacks that consists of two wafer-like “waffles” sandwiching a caramelized syrup. They are soft and chewy and delicious! I’ve seen them for sale at many grocers in the U.S. (like Trader Joe’s), but I can’t vouch for their quality or authenticity.
