Travel Archives - Page 2 of 11 Kitchen Conundrum

Kitchen on the Road- Le Mary Celeste, Paris (Part Trois)

September 25, 2013 by Renee

Our last full day in Paris started off with Brunch at Le Mary Celeste. David told me all about this place that is renown for their scrumptious cocktails, spicy kimchi , slow-grilled beef jerky and 1 euro oyster bar at happy hour. They also happen to serve brunch on weekends. Perfect!

Le Mary Celeste gets its name from an American-British merchant ship that was found completely abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean in 1872. The boat had been at sea for only a month when her crew of seven went missing leaving their valuables and the ship’s cargo untouched. It remains one of the greatest maritime mysteries of all time.

Even in the heart of Paris, Le Mary Celeste transports you seaside with its rope wrapped columns and white washed bricks. The interior is light and bright with large open windows and stained glassed transoms but also boasts some quirky touches- like the chain saw behind the bar and a large mural of a toucan on the restroom door.

In addition to their innovative cocktail menu, they also offer a selection of Brooklyn Brewery beers on tap and an impressive list of wines.

Our meal began with cocktails. It’s no wonder they are lauded as much as they are. I had the Beverly Hills Brunch, a concoction with Nardini Bitters, a brilliant orange flavored and scarlet colored bitter, pamplemousse (grapefruit), agave, romarin (rosemary) and champagne. Slightly sweet, but tangy with a mildly earthy, savory flavor. Just WOW! And such a gorgeous color!

The Garden Fizz featured Aalborg aquavit, sirop de cumbawa maison, a house made syrup prepared from a type of Asian lemon, citron vert (lime), blanc d’oeuf (egg whites) and topped with ginger beer. This was a seriously sassy beverage! It was spicy, full of citrus and exceptionally creamy. Simply delicious!

Watching the bartender create this beautiful blend, the Snowden, a mixture of Laphroaig Single Malt whiskey, pureed peaches, lime and mint with a bit of fizz, was like watching an artist create a masterpiece. Such intensity and care! It tasted even better than it looked.

Our food was just as creative and bold. Each dish was so bright, colorful and utterly impressive. They had contrasting textures and flavors. Unlikely partners on the plate that actually worked in harmony with one another.

I had the arepa (galettes de mais), haricuts au four, pickles de jalapenos, oeuf au plat (corn cakes with baked beans and pickled jalapenos topped with a fried egg). This was so good and I am still trying to recreate this at home because I am craving it still! I love how the sweet, tomato sauced beans were given a lively kick from the jalapenos. The crunchy peppers complimented the crispy arepa, whose center was soft and creamy and the egg was perfectly sunny side up. Such a fresh, flavorful dish.

Who would ever think to pair French toast with mushrooms and fresh tomatoes? Well, this dish was just that-pain perdu de brioche maison, ragout de champignons, gremolata (french brioche toast with sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes with lemon zest, garlic, and parsley). Taking a traditionally sweet breakfast and turning it savory instead. Delightful!

For dessert (Dessert after breakfast/brunch? Why, YES!) we all shared a creamy panna cotta a la vanille, casseilles confits, chocolat blanc caramelise (vanilla infused panna cotta with caramelized, candied white chocolate and a gooseberry blackcurrant hybrid called casseilles) served in a funky chipped enamel bowl.

I loved everything about this place and it’s on my list of “must return to’s” for the next time I am in Paris. I can’t wait to try their other creations- bold and beautiful cocktails and fresh innovative dishes.

Reservations can be made for weekday dining but for the weekend brunch you can just show up.

Le Mary Celeste

1 rue Commines
75003 Paris

for reservations email:
reservations@lemaryceleste.com

Kitchen on the Road- Paris, Maria Loca and Much More (Part Deux)

September 24, 2013 by Renee

Friday was a fabulous day. After trying to convince a friend who lives in Paris that Lightroom was the way to go and giving them a quick tutorial I was treated to a lovely lunch at Café Pinson, a unique vegetarian restaurant where much of their offerings are also vegan and/or gluten-free. This is just one of a handful of such restaurants in Paris. Unlike NY where you can find a vegan and gluten-free spot on nearly every corner, gluten-free and vegan places are just beginning to become more popular in Paris. This bright and welcoming space features a menu that’s both inventive and tasty. It was almost as if I were in Brooklyn- except it was Paris.

I can only thank David for what came after lunch. Not only did he introduce me to the Jacques Genin store, which sells some of the city’s most divine chocolate, caramels and pâtes de fruits and where I savored (perhaps too many) mango-passion fruit caramels, but he also took me to an extraordinary spice shop and recommended an amazing spot for cocktails and weekend brunch.

The sleek, ultra modern interior of Jacques Genin feels more like a high-end jeweler rather than a confection shop and though it may feel pretentious and intimidating at first, the staff was warm, friendly, and more than happy to translate the flavors and make suggestions.

Each luxurious piece of caramel is wrapped in clear plastic and encased a melt in your mouth, buttery morsel that exuded its rich flavor with every nibble. I tried several different chocolate ones but the mango-passion fruit were so delicate and delightfully bright and fresh that it was love at first bite. And second. And third.

While a bit pricey, you can see the love and passion behind each tray of goodies- they are perfect- not only in the look, but in the way they taste. They are truly works of art and well worth the splurge. You can purchase your treats in a clear plastic bag (pay by weight) or in a pretty box if you are so inclined as to be unselfish and to give them as a gift. I took a bag to go and I’m afraid that I didn’t really share them.

Thiercelin (Goumanyat & Son Royaume) is a beautiful spice emporium situated in an old apothecary shop. Run as a family business since 1809 they are especially known for their saffron, the shop’s signature product grown on their own farm in southern Iran.

As soon as you enter, you’ll see large jars filled with various spice mixtures and peppercorns at their “sniffing bar.” Here you can take a whiff of mace, star anise, cloves and juniper berries, inhaling aromas so vibrant and complex that any spices you buy at the grocery store will now seem to be a poor, pale substitute. The store boasts almost 200 different varieties of spices and plant extracts and is the place that Alain Ducasse, Joel Robuchon and other Michelin-starred chefs come to buy their rare spices.

They carry an amazing array of peppers, including white Malabar peppercorns from the Malabar region of Kerala, India, which are considered to be some of the best peppers in the world.

The proprietor really enjoys educating his customers too and even in the short time I was there, I learned quite a bit about the different varieties of peppers, spice mixtures and even the craft beer they sell. I inhaled so many glorious scents!

I picked up a bottle of the white peppercorns, a bottle of Ras el Hanout du Roy, a mix of more than twenty crushed flowers and spices that is used primarily in Moroccan cuisine and a bottle of the award winning dark Artesian beer, Bière de Brie Ambrée (http://www.biere-de-brie.com). Just as we were leaving, the proprietor gave me a parting gift, a bottle of agar agar so I can make their recipe for panna cotta from the back of the bottle. I’ll have to translate it soon!

I am kicking myself for not buying some of their saffron and for not taking photos of anything else in the store other than the beer, but that is a good reason to return!

After parting ways with David, I met up with my friend Michael and we made our way towards O-Chateau for dinner. But walking down the street, you know it is always exciting in Paris-Oh My! Hope no one was hurt.

Continuing on to dinner….

This time we had made reservations and I was so happy that Olivier was there to greet us. As always, dinner was fabulous and we had several glasses of delicious wine.

You really can not go wrong there. The filet is consistently perfect, melt in your mouth tender and incredibly flavorful. I never leave any left over! We also really enjoyed a plate of thinly sliced squid topped with a light salad. Then we each had dessert. The profiteroles were light and airy and filled with a chocolate creme. My rose of pistachio and creme filled cake with raspberry ice cream was delicious and visually stunning.

In case you were not aware, Olivier has a second book that was released this year- Into Wine: An Invitation to Pleasure, which makes learning about wine not only fun, but also unpretentious as Olivier’s enthusiastic sense of humor and personality shines throughout. If you don’t have a copy, I’d suggest you order it. It’s a quick, entertaining yet informative read. (Links to my Amazon Affiliate Shop where you can order your own copy.)

We finished off the night with a stop to my friend Max’s bar- Maria Loca. This was the first time I had been there since it opened and it was the last night it was going to be open before they closed for the month. So I was very lucky to sneak it in. I am beyond blown away by how awesome this bar, no, cocktail lounge is.

It was wonderful to catch up with Max (former sommelier at O-Chateau) and to see his vision come to fruition. He gave me a tour of the entire place and explained some ideas that he and his partners have for the future. I have no doubt they will make them all happen.

The decor is funky and casual, dimly lit at night with an array of exciting bottles housed in an assortment of wooden crates behind the shutter fronted bar. Featuring a different artist’s work on a rotating basis, the walls are lively and fun and offer a showcase for up and coming talent. They also have regular jazz nights making this a cool, relaxing place to come hang out for a while.

The kitchen is huge and puts out some seriously scrumptious tapas and small plates. Even though we had just finished dinner, we dug right in to the sliders, mini pizzas, shrimps, cheese and fruit. I definitely want to come back for a full eating event and to try many more of their creations including weekday lunch, but this night was just a preview. We were there for the cocktails. And wow! The Cocktails!

Michael Landart, who just competed in the Diplomatico World Tournament in Venezuela, is the cocktail creator extraordinaire at Maria Loca. His concoctions are so inventive and feature unusual ingredients like balsamic vinegar reduction, Jamaican black pepper and Tonka beans. Surprising flavors alone but when paired with the right spirit and infused with one of the house made syrups, you are in for a pleasurable experience.

I tried the Rosé… mais pas trop! Made with Plantation 3 Rhum (3-Star rum), Citron vert (lime), Sirop de Canelle maison (cinnamon syrup), Baies roses (pink peppercorns), Pamplemousse (grapefruit) and Spanish Bitters. It was delectable. Tart and warming, and perfectly balanced.

My friend had the Jamaican Pearl, a mix of Appleton V/X Jamaican Rum, Citron (lemon), Mélasse d’Ananas (pineapple molasses), Poivre de Jamaique (Jamaican peppers) and Cherry Hering (cherry liqueur). His drink was also tangy with a bit of a bite but went down smooth.

These were probably some of the best cocktails I have tried in a long while. Coupled with the atmosphere and the good food, I can see how Maria Loca is quickly becoming one of the hippest nightspots in Paris.

It was rather dim and I didn’t take very good photos here either… but that just means I have to go back again. And have a few more drinks.

Soon!

Here’s where we spent some of our day:

Cafe Pinson

6 rue du Forez
75003 Paris, France

Jacques Genin

133, rue de Turenne
75003 Paris

Thiercelin

Goumanyat & Son Royaume

3, rue Dupuis
75003 Paris

www.goumanyat.com

O-Chateau

68 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau
75001 Paris

Maria Loca

31, bd Henrie IV
75004 Paris

Kitchen on the Road- The First 24 in Paris (Part Un)

September 18, 2013 by Renee

There are very few things that I would wake up before 6am to do. However, a trip to Paris is one of them and I have no problem getting out of bed before the sun rises if I am heading to my most favorite city on the planet. Paris is my home away from home and I am always excited to visit.

We had a very early morning train to catch to London from Ely in order to make the Eurostar train from St. Pancras Station to Paris, Gard du Nord. It was absolutely freezing outside when we boarded the train-a typical English morning- even though it was July 31st the temperature was only in the 50’s (10° C).

This was my first trip on the Eurostar, and although I have travelled on several trains throughout Europe, this would be the quickest ride I have taken at a mere 2.5 hours. By comparison, it is shorter than taking the bus from midtown Manhattan to the Hamptons on any given summer weekend. This makes me think that a London-Paris commute is one that certainly could be feasible. For weekend excursions, you know!

Not only is it fast, the fares are quite reasonable too, starting at £69 standard class for a roundtrip ticket. They also have many specials throughout the year and if you book Eurostar online in advance, you can find a real bargain. Another plus!

We arrived in the early afternoon in the middle of a heat wave. Paris was in the high 90’s (32° C) and the sun was beaming. It was gorgeous-the chill of England left far behind.

We made our way via metro to the flat we rented in the 8th arrondissement just a block from the Arc de Triomphe. This location is ideal for exploring the city as the 1 line metro runs through the heart of Paris and connects to nearly every other line. After settling in, we went shopping for supplies -coffee, soda, pain au chocolat and cheese at Monoprix. As I wandered the aisles I was making mental notes of items I wanted to bring back to the US- mustard, cornichons, rillettes, foie gras. The weight of my suitcase may be an issue.

Deciding on an early dinner, we stayed close to the flat eating at Publicis Drugstore’s Brasserie. Because it is right on the Champs-Elysées at the height of wealthy tourist shops, it is a rather pricey place to eat. But the view of the Arc and the ability to people watch from the sidewalk cafe makes this an excellent spot to rest and relax after a very long day.

I’ve eaten here a few times before and the food has always been quite good. This time was no exception. I usually have one of their burgers (they have a whole list of varieties), but I opted for a café offert (2 courses for 20 euro deal) and had a gaspacho de poivrons (gazpacho with red peppers) and fricassée de volaille aux herbes (chicken fricassee with herbed potatoes). My friend had a beautiful tartare de thon albacore, coriandre fraîche et guacamole (tuna tartare with coriander and guacamole) and a simply done la sole meunière (filet of sole with salsa).Despite the fact that there is a Pierre Hermé Paris here where you can experience their macarons, we opted for ice cream instead. They create supersized sundaes in a glass that should be classified as a fish bowl. Needless to say, we slept very well with full stomachs!

Thursday is Marché Bastille (market day at Bastille) and this market is one of the very best ones in all of Paris. This vibrant market begins near the Bastille column and three aisles of vendors stretch for several blocks along Boulevard Richard Lenoir. Normally there are well over 200 vendors here, but since it is summer, and August, there were not nearly as many stalls as usual, but there was no shortage of fresh vegetables, ethnic foods, meats, fish and cheeses to choose from.

It’s a perfect place to stock up on picnic supplies, find odds and ends (like the wire trivet for my Moka pot that fits over stove grates so it won’t wobble) and specialty items like carved wooden cutting boards and bowls, scarves and jewelry.

Because the crowds were light and the vendors in need of sales, we had extra time with each one we stopped to talk to. The samples were plenty and we noshed the entire morning.

How we loved several of the cheeses! Knowing we would be out the entire day, we opted to not buy any as it would have become fondue in the heat. We were however talked into buying some sausages that sweated so much and stank up such a vile stench we actually ended up throwing it away.

Wanting to share my affection of Bread & Roses we hopped on the metro to the 6ème west bank neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Luxembourg Gardens. If you read my blog, then you will know this is one of my favorite places for lunch. The quiches and tartes are incredible and their brioche makes the best French toast. Much to our dismay, after walking and walking in the sweltering heat, it was closed! But the good news is that they are renovating, expanding into the space next door and adding a larger bakery! The maitre d’ that I knew took us around the new space and showed us where everything will be. I am very excited for my next trip to see what they have done!

At this point we were pretty hot and hungry so we walked over to the Luxembourg gardens and sat out in a park cafe before continuing on. The park was lovely with all the flowers in bloom and the clear deep blue sky spanning overhead.

By now it was midday and the sun was blazing hot and we were literally puddles. It was over 100 degrees (40° C) and all we could think of was cold ice cream and air conditioning. So we started to walk back towards the right bank and to Berthillon. Once we hit the Pont-Neuf bridge, and saw the water of the Seine below, we knew that was the only place to be. Hoping for a cool breeze and a place to rest for a bit and take in some scenery, taking a river cruise was the ideal choice. The boat, from Vedettes du Pont Neuf didn’t offer much relief from the sun but there was a tiny breeze and just having the opportunity to see Paris from another view was fun. The hour went by quickly and soon we were on our way.

We wandered through the streets of Ile de la Cité and along the Quai aux Fleurs, the early 19th century flower market of Paris and over the foot bridge to Île Saint-Louis. Would you believe we passed at least a dozen ice cream take out stands on our way to Berthillon, and finally arriving to its doorstep only to find it was closed! Closed for the month of August. I wanted to scream! Defeated and deflated. Sweaty and tired. We nearly collapsed into another cafe where we had our sought after ice cream and several glasses of water.

After regrouping and recuperating, we made our way back towards the flat by way of Rue des Rosiers and a mini tour through the Jewish quarter, where I noted which falafel stands and bakeries that we should visit– another time. Our last stop was to photograph the Centre Pompidou before grabbing a taxi to bring our weary selves home.

Thank goodness there was an air conditioner in the flat. It provided much needed relief, as did a cold shower!

After a good rest and thinking of dinner we headed out to O-Chateau. But as our luck of the day would have it, not only were none of my friends there, the kitchen was already closed. However, a flight of wine and a plank of carcuterie and cheeses at the bar ended up being just what we needed and it was the perfect ending to a very full day.