The bistro (sometimes spelled bistrot) is a standard French restaurant term. According to Wikipedia (article in French), the bistro occupies a space in the restaurant hierarchy between brasserie and fine-dining restaurant in terms of food and price point. As you’ll see below, those definitions are quite fluid. The origin of the word may be Russian, …
Tag: France
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/19/bistro-mode/
Dec 18
Wandering in Paris
Julian observed that our travels follow a predictable pattern. We (actually he) are obsessive-compulsive about plane and accommodation reservations. Witness that, for this trip, he had all of these in place by early March. But once we get to our destinations, we tend to wander about, often without premeditated objectives. In old European cities and …
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Dec 17
Restaurants in the US versus France
The average American will notice significant differences in restaurants in France (and Europe in general) compared to home. Here are a few: Waiting on customers is considered an interim position in the US. Students and starving artists of all types make up a high percentage of waitstaff. In Europe, especially in high-end restaurants, customer service …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/17/restaurants-in-the-us-versus-france/
Dec 17
A Sad Reality
The last time we were in Paris was May 2015, before the mass shootings at the Balacan nightclub and at cafés in the city. It was also before the Bastille Day truck assault in Nice and the attack on a Berlin Christmas market in 2016. As a result, security is heightened throughout France. We’ve seen …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/17/a-sad-reality/
Dec 15
The Little Secret of French Cuisine
So you think that, after long days of work at le bureau, Maman (or Papa) cooks up three-course meals for the family every night? Au contraire, mes amis! Maman heads to le traiteur or le supermarché to get fixings for dinner, just like Americans do. Traiteurs are fixtures in Paris neighborhoods. You can purchase a …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/15/the-little-secret-of-french-cuisine/
Dec 15
European vs. American Homes
We’ve rented apartments in Paris three times. In addition, we’ve visited relatives and friends in the Netherlands and Switzerland over the years. There are features in some European homes that would be beneficial in North America: Heated towel racks that double as a radiant heat source for the bathroom. Separate the toilet from the rest …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/15/european-vs-american-homes/
Dec 14
Gluten-Free in France
Two years ago (see this post) we were hard-pressed to find much in the way of gluten-free foods in France. I saw a couple of French translations of Wheat Belly and other “diet books” in a bookstore, but little food for folks who had to be gluten-free due to intolerance or celiac disease. Things may …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/14/gluten-free-in-france/
Dec 14
For the Cute Shoes Clan
We couldn’t resist taking these pictures of figurines in the window of a furniture store in Colmar.
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Dec 14
Two Moments of Zen
We found these two window displays in Lyon. Enjoy! The first one is of marmots.IMG_2035 The second is a geographically incorrect one of dancing penguins and a polar bear. (Sorry, the scientist in me sneaked out.) IMG_2036
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/14/two-moments-of-zen/
Dec 13
Last Stop: Paris
We checked out of Colmar and grabbed the train to Paris. Before we left Colmar, we stopped at a French bagel chain restaurant called Bagelstein’s. Before my bagel-eating friends book tickets to France, let me warn you: These are not real bagels. These are bagel-shaped dinner rolls. They are not boiled. If you want the …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/13/last-stop-paris/
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