Arrival in France

Pretty easy getting from MPLS to Paris on US Air. I like that service. Small, new airbus (only four seats across the middle row. I had to sit inside, but it was ok - movies on demand - no sleep , but ok).

Formalities in Paris were startlingly informal. The nice passport control official beckoned me forward, even though I was in the EU ONLY line, and stamped me right away. No one checked anything. It was like flying domestic in USA. In the hall marked "nothing to declare" there stood a number of pleasant-looking uniforms, who couldn't have been less interested in me, as I wheeled my cart right by them into France. Just outside the door, the street had my destination (Porte Maillot-Charles de Gaulle-Etoile) painted on the street. IN a few minutes, the bus came and 20 minutes and 11euros ($15) later I was there. My friend, Sharif, with whom I am working for these two months had just pulled up behind the bus.

Sharif lives up on the ridge, which is the highest in the Paris region, near Mont Valerien. This is a big fort, which was the Gestapo interrogation center, then the Allied headquarters. At the foot of the hill is a big American cemetery. His house is right around the corner from the high street, which offers considerable delight: three butchers, a charcuterie (sausage and pates 7 such), fish-monger, including occasional oyster-man who shells them for you right on the street, superette, cheese shop, and five bakeries. And a bit further down is a full-scale super-market, which is of interest only because the prices are considerable lower.

This is a consideration, because of the weak dollar. Not as weak as I had feared, but about 9% lower than last year at this time. Meanwhile, prices have risen, so in all, most things are more expensive. NOT. however cheese and wine. The latter doesn't help me, but the former certainly does. Great French cheeses (including the raw-milk kinds that you can't get in the States anymore) are about half what they are at home. Meat, though is higher. e.g.: a rotisserie chicken was $15 compared to $5 at Rainbow. But then, it was about twice as big AND fermier, which means free-range, single-farmer-raised. And BOY did it taste good! It came with little yukon-gold-type potatoes, which were roasted at the bottom of the rotisserie, with the chicken's drippings. There are two of these rotisseries on the street.

Been to Les Gallopins just once so far (the little bistro down the hill, which has a limited but excellent menu). I had pork cheeks, which was the special of the day. It was indescribably good. Tasted more like brisket of beef than porkm, and was just as tender. Knife not necessary. The owner remarked that an animals cheeks are always the best, from trout to beef, to pigs. Les Gallopins also has delicacies such as whole sauteed foie gras (goose liver NOT made into a pate), gizzard salad, and glazed shoulder of mutton confit (slow-cooked in hot oil), served with home-made, paper-thin potato-chips for two. The latter costs $46. The fixced-price menu of the day (including an appetizer or dessert and main course) is $32. This is at an inexpensive restaurant.

So, I am cooking for myself, as usual, and going our only occasionally. There will be one or two splurges, however. I am determined to try the tripe at the Lyonnaise brasserie, maybe brains, too. There is also a chain called Hippopotamus, which is about the best chain restaurant I have ever been in. They have them all over France, and they are like a fine French restaurant in the States. They specialize in French beef (Limousin, Charolais, &c.). The cuts are generous (though the butcher the carcass differently and have slightly different cuts from ours), and the cuisson or degree of cooking is meticulous: au point is medium, sangeant (I think) is "bloody", or medium rare, and bleu is cold and raw in the middle, warm on the outside. Of course, every bistro, brasserie, and restaurant has steak tatare on the menu, so you don't really have to have it cooked at all! And I don't even know how to orer something well-done. Some French chefs flatly refuse to cook it that way. (Just like Maurice, at the Cafe Bouef.) And they're right.

I think I'll skip the snails, but the shellfish are very inviting. Coquilles St. Jacques (scallops) are sold on the sidewalk, still attached to their shells. Lots of mussels and oysters, too. Sharif's wife and daughter were back for the holidays from Saratoga Springs, where Kore is teaching French for the year. She had all the nearby Sufis in for oysters on New Years' Day. Four dozen, opened by the street vendor. To die for. Apparently, this is some kind of French tradition. I intend to make oyster stew with creme fraiche sometime soon.

So far, I have been to my French friends twice. Rabbit stew the first time and gigot (leg of lamb) the next. The first course was smoked trout with dill sauce and asparagus timbale. Something I used to make. I think I'll try it again.