4 February 2019

2 February 2019

Standing order



No stools or chairs here: find a space and squeeze in at the counter for innovative French tapas and fabulous wines by the glass or bottle. 

Above: grilled croque monsieur of comté cheese and black truffles

Yves Camdeborde, chef de cuisine

L'Avant Comptoir de la Terre
3 Carrefour de l'Odéon 75006


February newsletter

31 January 2019

Season's end


 Today ends the holiday season in France.

Above: decorations in the Marais district last night

Bark with bite





Looking back on the holidays there was much activity in our small Paris kitchen.

Above: candied ginger, sea salt, pistachio, hazelnut, almond, fennel seed dark chocolate bark; milk chocolate bark w/sea salt, sesame seeds, fennel seeds and Lapsang souchong (smoked) tea leaves
 
*** 
 
Some of the sweeter highlights:
 
Several varieties of homemade chocolate bark were paired with after-dinner espresso or turned into gifts.

Vanillekipferl, Austrian hazelnut vanilla butter crescents (below), a family recipe, disappeared as fast as I could make them.



 
***

French chocolate: what makes it so good
February newsletter

30 January 2019

Reading for pleasure


Paris' kiosks remain a mainstay of urban life despite the internet and go hand-in-hand with its café culture.

Above: a weekly news magazine issue devoted "to the pleasure of women"