Dec 25
This critter was seen in a store in one of the passages in Paris last week. For some reason, Paris has several shops that specialize in taxidermy. One of these shops is on the chichi Boulevard de Saint-Germain. I may not have made it to veterinary school, but I think this animal is along the …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/25/bad-taxidermy/
Dec 23
As always, travel gives us a chance to try new things and see new places. As with last year’s vacation, we also learn new lessons. Keep the claustrophobia at bay. We were in the midst of huge crowds at every stop on the trip, not to mention long lines to catch the flight home at …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/23/lessons-learned-on-this-vacation/
Dec 19
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, …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/19/bistro-mode/
Dec 18
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 …
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/18/wandering-in-paris/
Dec 17
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
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
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
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
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
We couldn’t resist taking these pictures of figurines in the window of a furniture store in Colmar.
Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2017/12/14/for-the-cute-shoes-clan/
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