Pain...the double meaning

As my last post states, I did in fact partake in the wonderfulness that are baguettes, croissants, cakes and the like.  In French culture, bread is like rice to Asians.  It is served at every meal, and usually comes before the main course.  So if you are the impatient eater, such as myself, it is near impossible to resist.  That's actually an unfair statement, it's served pretty much throughout the meal.  If you do the real-deal full course dinner, which I did do one proper one with a French family--tales on that to come--it will be served throughout.  Usually you will start with an aperitif, which I think of as an appetizer drink.  It's just a drink that is a precursor to the meal to help stimulate the appetite..  Bread is usually out by then, and it will follow with an appetizer like pate (a spreadable meat mixed with additives--it's own fat, herbs, spices and so on-- or foie gras--made from the liver of a duck or goose with extra fat.  They like their foods rich, rendered in their own fat with butter, butter and more butter.  Can we say beurre blanc.  What better to eat pate with than bread?  The meal may consist of something with bread, but it will most definitely have some type of delicious sauce that should be soaked up with the best type of sponge...bread.  Then the cheese course.  As much as I love eating cheese by itself, it just spreads so well on bread (the old, smelly runny stuff, that is; the hard cheese just perches well atop a slice).  Then dessert, which might be your only recourse from bread, but not necessarily from gluten.  Then after dessert the meal is concluded with a digestif, a drink to aid digestion.  What it really meant to me, was strong drink, and excuse to imbibe.  Kidding, of course.  Well, only half kidding.  The drink is usually pretty strong, stronger than an aperitif, and usually enjoyed straight.  The French know how to indulge, and for this I am thankful! 

So, is a coincidence that pain means bread in French?  I think not, if it's not causing pain in the belly from over-eating, it's causing pain the in joints from gluten intolerance.  Those tricky, tricky French.  Let me show you what I was up against: 

Exhibit A: Another salad for lunch or the delectable Croque-Monsieur (a hot ham and cheese with gruyere)?

Exhibit B: Yeah, that's a chopping block to cut up baguettes right before serving.

Exhibit C: Pizza, fresh seafood pizza...enough said.

Exhibit D:  The final culprit, chocolate lava cake au lait, with a milk based sauce.  That alone was worth the pain.  However, I am on the road to recovery, and have been more diligent about cutting out gluten.  Pretty much cold turkey.  Sometimes you just gotta rip of that band-aid.

Delays, not just for flights

Bonjour, as you all can imagine, I'm not done talking.  I know, that almost never happens....right...  I lost my main internet source during the beginning of the third week of the trip, and thus I lost my ability to blog.  Well, at least to share my blogs.  I have a whole couple of weeks to catch up on, as well as a month long journey to reflect on.    The convenience of a computer is now at my fingertips.  So this petite posting serves as a promise that there is more to come.  I took over 1200 pictures while I was there, so you better believe there will be more visuals as well.  I hope that made your mouth water like a croissant made mine for the entire last week of the trip.  Talk about a buttery, deliciously painful breakfast.  So that is also a confession there.  Hi my name is Keshia, and I have a problem giving up gluten.  In the land of baguettes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it is hard to resist.  Any who, more to come...

Tales from the Crypt...or cellar

Here are  just a few pictures from the tastings I've done.  I believe the wines tasted count, only at the winery appointments, is at 116.

Chablis = Jubeliee

 The first stop after Paris was Chablis, a very small village in the middle of nowhere, which just happens to harbor some terrific Chardonnays.  We stopped at William Fevre.  A gentleman proceeded to drive us to the vineyards, which are open to all, by the by.  In America, I feel like they would have this on lock down, but here people are free to roam around, give a tour, or even get up around the vines to take pictures.  It's like airports pre-911, low security.  After our tour of the vineyards, he brought us back to their tasting room, and we tasted through 6 of their wines ranging from their village wines, up to their Grand Crus.  We stopped at a small place for lunch, and wandered around this charming little village, yes village, it's too small to earn any other name.  After wandering, we headed to our next appointment with Louis Michel & Fils.  The tasting room was small, but the wines were great.  They are much different then American Chardonnays, they are much more minearal-y and less of the oak-y, vanilla, sweetness.  Tre bien.  Chablis was very cute, and had a small river running through it.  I feel like there are so many spots here that are paintings waiting to be discovered.  So if you have yourself a set of paint brushes, oils and canvas, head on over to Chablis, you will be struck with inspiration--if not by the views, then by the wine. 

The tour continues

The smallest garage and car ever!

Still from the tour in the Latin Quarter

Nortre Dame

The  Lovre

The Eiffel Tower

Probably the best meal I have had in my life.  The owner/sommlier/chef/extrodinary man, was our waiter.  He guided us through a grand meal that started with a fois gras of canard (duck), then on to the main dish, I had fish, but tried the cheval (horse), then onto the cheese course and finally with a flour less chocolate cake.  All while enjoying some great wine and ambiance.  The pretentious feel is cut out, and you are free to just soak in the deliciousness that is Taxi Jaune.

The Adventure Continues...

I went on a private tour, it was by Paris Greeters.  It's free, you just need to give them about a 2 week heads up.  It was great, and the guide was awesome!  We started in Jardin de Plantes, where his father had worked.

in the Latin Quarter

Fredric pointing out where he grew up.  Since his father worked in the Garden, they lived right in it.

the only grave in Paris, not in an official cemetery.

Fredric's, the tour guide, home, it was on the second floor (which the French would call floor one, they start with floor )

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They host 6-7 million animal remains below ground, and this brings air down there.  The guide estimated that 40% of the animals are extinct.

Lussac worked here, he was the person who invented the measurement of sugar in grapes, and how it would convert to alcohol.

The Charles Darwin museum.  After they study the remains, they piece together what it evolved from.

Mosque

They serve tea and small desserts, that are all naturally sweetened with honey.

Fredric!  Great tour guide.

This is all handmade by people in Morocco.