atelier des chefs

It would be a pretty horrendous crime for me to keep a 'food blog' and not write about my very first cooking class in France. Yesterday, the coordinator for my program organized an afternoon at the a chain of informal cooking schools, the Atelier des Chefs , where they offer a wide range of classes (they even have one especially for macarons!).


Yesterday, our menu consisted of a steak tartare verrine served on top of a mango passion fruit chutney, followed by tartelettes of praline, a Lyonnais specialty. It was my very first experience with steak tartare, and I have to say, it was quite delicious! I was somewhat amused by the fact that a macho boy in our group was hesitant to dig into his raw meat while I polished off my verrine in pretty orderly fashion.

But the highlight was certainly the dessert. While our crusts were not quite as presentable as those I pass every day in the vitrines of the countless patisseries that dot the city, our praline filling was simply exquisite. Not the cavity-inducing sweetness of your typical praline tart, this filling highlighted the almond flavor of the candy while also tempering it with the smoothness of cream. Our crust was also a new experiment for me, using confectioner's sugar instead of granulated to create a more sandy texture that was just buttery enough to crumble on your tongue.

munchies in the marais

It's been said many times before: there's nothing quite like springtime in Paris. I had the chance to spend a few days in the capital earlier this month and stayed in the 3e arrondissement, familiarly known as the Marais. This translates to the "swamp", which is exactly what it was in the early days of the city -- but these days, it is dotted with art galleries, design stores, and charming cafés.

I found three excellent places in the neighborhood with the help of my 'Weekend Pas Cher à Paris' guide book. The first is a nifty restaurant called Le Loir dans la thière (3 rue des rosiers). The eclectic decor (a mixture of collage, photography, and retro posters) provides a more artsy, relaxed vibe than you find at most brasseries. In this convivial setting, you will still find all the elements of the French restaurant lunch experience: menus written on chalkboards, desserts on display, and incredibly slow service. If you've lived here for awhile, you get used to the latter; if you're just passing through, it all becomes worth it once you taste the food. I had a mint and goat cheese omelet with flavors mixed to perfection and a mouth-watering berry crumble for dessert. It is definitely worth a stop if you're nearby and have 2 hours to spare...

If you're on the run, though, try Pasta Linea on rue de Turenne. While the shop mainly deals in homemade pasta, which they make and package in-house, you can also find daily prepared specials which can be enjoyed at one of their few tables or to go. I opted for a sandwich, which are prepared with the freshest ingredients this side of the Seine. You might call it a classed up version of Subway, which a plethora of cured Italian meats and a colorful salad bar at your disposal. I left my choice of fillings in the hands of the owner, who put together the combination of my life in a manner of seconds: salty Tuscan ham topped with roasted eggplant, avocado and mozzarella salad, and arugula. It's making me hungry just thinking about it.

Another quick stop option is "Mama" Florence Kahn's bakery on rue des Rosiers. Aside from being filled with hip vintage stores, Rosiers is blessed with a high concentration of Jewish restaurants (the area once being the city's Jewish quarter). Mme. Kahn is a Parisian institution, and you would only be denying yourself the greatest gastronomic pleasure by missing out on her apple strudel.

ingredient of the day: figatelli

I realize that I have been absolutely miserable at keeping up this new blog. But with only 2 months left in France, I figure I should really start chronicling the last of my food adventures. This past weekend, I TGVed down to Marseille, the capital of Provence and France's second largest city. It's most famous specialty is bouillabaisse, a seafood stew that takes advantage of the city's fine perch on the Mediterranean shore. However, for the frugal student traveler, such a dish can be expensive. As a result, my friends and I went on a search for a more reasonably priced dinner on Saturday night and were lucky enough to find a charming Corsican restaurant. Now, I don't know about you, but Corsican cuisine does not ring any bells in my head. Luckily, the wait staff was very warm and friendly, explaining everything on the menu including figatelli, a dry liver-based sausage. I am a fan of most sausages, and therefore decided to try it atop a personal sized pizza. Though a bit tough, it is very flavorful and a delightful alternative to your average pepperoni slices.

On mange très bien à Lyon.

One of Lyon's main selling points is that it's the gastronomical capital of the country -- which is certainly saying something, since we are talking about FRANCE after all. Paul Bocuse is the king of the grands chefs, with the Halles of the city named after him and each of his restaurants in the city (there are more than 5 of them) have been granted Michelin stars.

Lyon's next culinary generation is well assured with the likes of Raphaël Beringer, whose self-named establishment on Rue Auguste Comte is a satisfying stand-by in the neighborhood. The interior gives the feel of a refined dining room, a spirit which is also reflected in Beringer's cooking. Made with simple, traditional ingredients, the plates are clean, straightforward, and delicious.

The thin escargot tart (the second time I've ventured to the delicacy since coming to France) does not shy away from the flavor of the snail to admirable effect. Main courses are divided into fish and meat, of which the Noix de Saint-Jacques (scallops) are particularly delicious, served over a white string bean purée. My meal wrapped up with a tarte amandine, a moist almond cake served over raspberry sauce which, while not necessarily inventive, got the job done.

just like grandma used to make

One of my favorite lunch spots right here in Lyon is L'Epicerie, just off the uber-touristy Rue Mercière. The menu is blissfully simple, specializing in tartines, which is basically toast topped with...anything. To give you a better idea, I'll countdown of my top 3 tartines:

3. Nutella: A classic.

2. Magret de canard et beurre des pruneaux: When I ordered this one, I wasn't really sure what was coming to me. I asked the man that was sitting next to me what it was, and he said it was the best part of the duck, and usually pretty delicious. Served cold over a slab of prune butter (I know it sounds weird, but give it a shot), it was a genuine gourmet delicacy.

1. Chèvre et miel (Goat cheese and honey): This one is served hot, with the cheese oozing all over the plate in this combination that never goes wrong.

If the delicious (and cheap) food isn't tempting enough, the décor is that of a quaint French country home, with old kitchen appliances in a paint-chipped cupboard, retro aluminum containers, and long wooden communal tables. And the desserts are pretty delicious too (try the temps de cerises, a rum infused cherry-and-cream concoction).

top spots: barcelona

It's not a secret that Spain is the culinary capital of the world. At least half of the top 10 chefs on the planet hail from there, and many have blessed the country with their Michelin-starred restaurants. While San Sebastiàn in Basque Country may be considered the capital of capitals, there is wonderful food to be found at everywhere. I can attest from first-hand experience that Barcelona has it's fair share of delicious dining establishments. 

While Barcelona is not known as a tapas hub, my experience at Taller de Tapas finally made me understand what this small plate trend is about. My parents and I had the good fortune of stumbling upon the place on New Years Eve, for which the chefs had prepared a special menu. The restaurant, which is known especially for their fresh, high quality seafood, is nestled in the shadow of the church of Santa Maria del Pi in the Gothic Quarter. While the unassuming entryway blends in with the cobbled architecture that surrounds it, the bar gives way to a large and fast-paced dining area with a clientele as trendy as their decor.

My father's choices of a platter of assorted Andalusian small fish and tuna tartare salad were especially delicious. The dressing on the latter had a bit of a citrus-y twist, and was the perfect complement to the tender slices of fish, which were presented on crisp mixed greens. While almost absurdly simple, the dishes were the best I had during all 4 days I spent in Barcelona. 

The following evening, we were lucky to get a table at one of the only restaurants in town that was open: Xaloc, just a few steps away from the Plaça Nova off of the Cathedral. The interior gives off the impression of a glorified butchers shop, with glass display cases highlighting 10 different kinds of sausage. I didn't set my hopes too high, and was just glad that we would be eating at all. But I was pleasantly surprised with my Catalan Cannelloni, the pasta filled with chicken, pork, and beef instead of the traditional ricotta cheese. The tubes were covered with a delicious cream sauce and baked in a terra cotta dish, giving the plate a homey, country feel. Even though the cream sauce was filling, it wasn't heavy, and I found myself scraping the last bits of it off the plate. The tapas which my mother ordered were less thrilling (and true to the butcher image - simply slices of ham, really), but ridiculously cheap. Our meal for three with half a jug of sangria and dessert came out to less than 50 euros.

a new year, a new blog

Having come to terms with the fact that I will waste my life away on the Internet, one of my New Years Resolutions is to at least make something out of the time I spend online. How shall I do this, you ask? My answer: blogging about food.

The concept may not be revolutionary, but at least it is something I know will always be of interest to me (24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the rest of my life). An especially interesting factor at this point in time is that I am currently halfway through a year abroad in Lyon, France, the self-proclaimed gastronomical capital of this gastronomically-reputed country. So tip your glass of champagne to a new year with a new kind of resolution: keep eating, and enjoy it.