It’s hard to think of a culture more gluten-centered than the French. Baguettes are a daily tradition, as are pastries, croissants, cakes, biscuits (cookies in the US), and tarts. Then you have flour-thickened sauces such as bêchamel and velouté. So it was a bit of a surprise to find a selection of gluten-free fad diet …
Tag: food
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/06/11/glutenous-maximus/
Jun 04
Cornfields in France
Corn is not a major ingredient in French cuisine except in the Basque country. So how come we saw corn fields in the Dordogne Valley? Two words: Foie gras. Corn is a key component of overfeeding ducks and geese to produce the fatty liver that’s such a delicacy in the region. Julian had some duck …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/06/04/cornfields-in-france/
Jun 04
Rest Stops à la Français
Your standard American rest area on an interstate toll road is little more than a bad vending machine. Forty years ago rest areas were run by Howard Johnson in the northeast, Stuckey’s in the south, and other chains elsewhere. If you drive the New Jersey Turnpike these days, you might find a Roy Rogers, Subway, …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/06/04/rest-stops-a-la-francais/
May 31
Off to the Hinterlands
Today was our last day in Paris. Unfortunately, it rained. We wandered around the Jardin de Luxembourg and the neighborhood where we rented an apartment four years ago. In the afternoon we attended a short organ concert at St. Eustache church, which boasts the largest pipe organ in Europe. We had dinner at Alsace aux …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/05/31/off-to-the-hinterlands/
May 31
For Members of the “Cult of Cute Shoes”
You know who you are. Your idea of Nirvana is the semi-annual shoe sale at Nordstrom. We found just the thing for you near Place St. Michel today: The size was not listed.
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/05/31/for-members-of-the-cult-of-cute-shoes/
May 31
Foodie Heaven on Earth
Friends, we have been to the Promised Land. It’s the Galeries Lafayette Gourmet Shop, which has FOUR FLOORS of food, beverages, and cooking tools. The Harrods Food Halls in London and the KDV Food Halls in Berlin are pale pretenders. Even our beloved Pike Place Market in Seattle doesn’t have the density or breadth of …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/05/31/foodie-heaven-on-earth/
May 31
Question du Jour
France has the best cheeses in the world. Its haute cuisine is based on butter and cream. So why do they sell milk in shelf-stable containers? This dairy farmer’s granddaughter wants to know.
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/05/31/question-du-jour/
May 30
A French Alliteration
The letter R in French poses a problem for English-speaking learners. It sounds more like a gargle than the rolled R of Spanish. So we saw this delivery truck bringing supplies to the café downstairs, and I immediately thought of our French class. The name on the truck is François Frites Fraîches. French fries (frites …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/05/30/a-french-alliteration/
May 29
Two Days, Four (Give or Take) Shrines
Wednesday we hit three shrines: Two religious and one secular. We got up early to stand on line to enter Sainte-Chapelle. This church is two blocks away from Notre Dame. It’s also older and smaller than its neighbor. The entrance to Sainte-Chapelle is shared with the Palace of Justice. Our line progressed much faster than …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/05/29/two-days-four-give-or-take-shrines/
May 25
Onward to Paris
We hopped a Thalys high-speed train from Amsterdam to Paris. Our seats were in a car with free Wi-Fi and food. Having flown cheapo US airlines for too long, I expected the usual peanuts or pretzels. Wrong! Shortly after we got on the train in Amsterdam, we had the choice of a savory or sweet …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2015/05/25/onward-to-paris/
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