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How to Make Galette Bretonne -- Here's a Photo Demo from Paris’ Street Market

 

Ever wonder how to make a Galette?  The master galette-maker in one of Paris’ best street markets works four griddles at a time.  It’s really quite the show!

Traditionally from Brittany & Normandy, Galette Bretonne is a basically a buckwheat crêpe cooked on one side only, and filled with egg, jambon (ham) and Emmental cheese -- it’s what the French call galette complète (a complete galette).

Here’s a step-by-step photo demo from the galette master of le Marché du President Wilson, Paris, France:

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Recipe for Galette Bretonne

 

A galette is not a crêpe.  Crêpes are filled with sweet ingredients and made with white wheat flour; while galettes are made with buckwheat flour and have savory fillings.  Originally from Brittany & Normandy, Galette Bretonne is traditionally cooked on one side only, and its most popular filling is egg, jambon (ham) and Emmental or Gruyere -- that’s what the French call galette complète (a complete galette).  Fillings are only limited to your imagination.  Have you heard of galette saucisse from Rennes?  It’s a hot sausage rolled up in a galette.  (Like a fancy hot dog.)

Paris Street Market: the Ultimate Foodie Mini-Tour

 

The Marché du President Wilson (street market on Pres. Wilson Ave.) is a jovial group of passionate food artisans cooking and selling their goods, bundled together beneath a long row of adjoining tents.  It’s like finding the entire city’s best products, but in one conveniently confined location -- a tour-ette of epicurean delights.  Tack on a 3-hour/9-course lunch at l’Astrance, and this food walk evolves into the ultimate food lover’s mini-tour.

 

 

The 16e arrondissement is known for its posh real estate -- stately apartments, tree-lined streets, concentration of museums, and exceptional views of the Eiffel Tower from across the Seine -- so, it’s cool that a stretch down the center of one of its regal neighborhoods has the vivacious atmosphere of the marché.  Not to imply the street market is bourgeoisie in such an area, like peasants peddling in the king’s courtyard -- these are true artisans with hand-crafted cheeses, beautiful pâtés, and heirloom produce.  Plus, great food is high priority in France, and the creators highly regarded. 

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The market begins just west of the l’Alma metro station on Avenue du President Wilson.  Inside the tent, booths line both walls, running the entire length, leaving a narrow walkway down the center.  There are displays of exotic seafood, frog legs and brightly colored fish.  Giant rotisseries spin dozens of chickens dripping juices onto potatoes strategically roasting underneath.  And then there's booth after booth of every cheese imaginable, plus a few more.  The charcuterie is stunning -- handmade sausages, salumi, and various pâtés and terrines.  Wild game, freshly shot and feathers still attached, is offered near an impressive array of prepped birds, including the rare black chickens.  In the autumn months, wild mushrooms are foraged and brought to the market -- giant cepes, porcini and Paris buttons.  There’s fresh pasta, fresh breads, fresh eggs; cured olives, dried fruits, whole nuts; pickled things, crafty things, snack things.  There’s even a master galette-maker working four griddles at once!  Dim sum, sandwiches, salads and wine -- all make a take-away lunch simple & tasty.  The three-foot paella pan is filled to the brim with saffron-colored rice studded with seafood and vegetables.  It’s marvelous!  What’s more, the booth keepers are very friendly -- proud of their products and delighted to share their knowledge & have their photo taken.  Not sure if I was mesmerized by the food or the joyful energy at le marché, but while inside, I don’t remember seeing or hearing anything from the outside world.  It’s really quite hypnotic.

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What Women Want for Valentine’s Day

 

 

Men hate Valentine’s Day.  It’s true.  In my profession, I spend most holidays in restaurant kitchens, Valentine’s included, so the occasion has never really been a big deal for me.  I had no idea that men hated this day in particular, until last year.  

 

I was thoroughly educated by my fellow chefs (4 men, various ages & situations) of the intense pressure this day brings to every man they know, themselves included.  Apparently, the expectation to somehow create, in setting and substance, a perfect, romantic gesture for the likely-to-be-disappointed woman in their life, drives men crazy.  For some, to the point of physical illness every February 14th.  Huh.

 

The answer?  That’s even more impossible to decode than resolving the issue that “life is short.”  However, by using the far-stretched notion that “life is short, melt some cheese” (aka, food fixes all things), it might be interesting to look at it a different way.  To decipher what women want, let’s first nix what they don’t want.

 

Shaoxing Sweet ‘n Sour Meatball Pizza with Roasted Pineapple & Basil

 

Sweet ‘n Sour Meatball Pizza sounds like it belongs in the white-trash cooking file, but this one isn’t as trashy as one might think.  Granted, the flavor profile is fairly untraditional for a pizza, but if quality ingredients are used, it works.

The s&s sauce is not that overtly sweet, ketchup-based kind from a package or bottle.  Although this one is still quick and easy, it gets a marvelous flavor from the Shaoxing rice wine, fresh ginger, star anise, sichuwan pepper & dark sesame oil.  The balsamic vinegar gives it the sour and pineapple juice gives it the sweet.

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The Search for Pleasure in a Hunk of Raclette

 

Life is short.  Cliché, I know, but the significance doesn’t fall far from the tree.  I’ve been a tad obsessed with the whole life/short/time subject for a while now; enough to where it comes up often, even in casual conversations.  The resulting consensus is always generic.  I even spoke with a friend in the parking lot at work, one of the most highly motivated, go-getters I know.  He said, when I “figure it all out,” I should let him know.  The conclusion?  Well, there is no solution -- it is what it is; life flies by in the blink of an eye, and it sorta chaps my hide.  Ah but... I do believe there is a way to ease the angst of unavoidable fleeting time.  Pleasure.  

The Pleasure Principle

The search for pleasure has been my consistent goal for one year, as of next Tuesday.  It went quite well, actually.  By pleasure pursuit, I don’t mean it in a “grab life by the balls” kind of way, although that method is also very effective.  I propose, rather, to pursue true pleasure, a slower, sensually minded approach is more apropos.  Obviously this is a lengthy, opinionated subject, but for me, one surefire way to receive pleasure is through the culinary arts.  Pleasure can come from eating a perfectly ripe tomato still warm from the sun, plucked right off the vine (a childhood, salt-shaker-in-the-garden moment); popcorn & Pinot in bed with someone you adore; or a leisurely three-hour gastronomic afternoon at l’Astrance in Paris.  

Pleasure is everywhere.  More often than not, it requires action (although sometimes you pleasantly stumble into it), but it doesn’t have to be complicated.  Simple pleasures, not always a black diamond experience, are more frequent, because they’re easier to pull off.  Like this one: with a little forethought and a trip to the market, sublime pleasure for you & yours can be had this weekend by merely building a fire and melting some cheese.

Paris’ Best Chocolate Shops & the Divine, Chocolate-Covered Existential Quest

 

Someone once said: everything you can find in the world, you can find in Paris.  It’s a comprehensive city, to be sure, but more options don’t necessarily make an easier quest.  Even for something seemingly simple as a box of chocolate.  Paris has some of the world’s finest chocolate, and not only does the city have multiple chocolateries, but each arrondissement has multiple chocolateries, each with a specific mission, specialty, expertise, and je ne sais quoi.  If you are delightfully lucky to find yourself in Paris, it’s just not enough to ask, “where can I buy some chocolate?”  The divine quest for chocolate requires a little deeper thought, some self-reflection -- maybe even on a higher, existential level, don’t you think?  Me too.  

Existentialism = giving life meaning, by living one’s life passionately and sincerely, despite existential obstacles and distractions like despair and angst.  (Kierkegaard’s)

Chocolate-Covered Existentialism = truly great chocolate, in all its decadent forms, gives one a moment of pure, unadulterated, sincere passion and satisfaction, despite obstacles like cellulite added to one’s posterior region.

Existential Angst = the experience that results from simply having the freedom to choose how to give life meaning, i.e., the responsibility of consequences.  Angst cannot be removed.  Angst is, because existentialism is.

Chocolate Angst = waistline expansion due to the delicious caloric properties of chocolate, a well-known consequence.  Calories cannot be removed.  (Diet chocolate is not chocolate.)  Calories are, because truffles are.

Don’t let the unavoidable angst get you down.  This philosophical thought of pursuing life does not mean to do without or suffer through, but rather to go forth, live well, eat, drink, & be merry, despite the perceived downside.  Really good chocolate is, after all, one of life’s more sublime little pleasures, and without a doubt, worth every calorie.  Albert Camus, an existential philosopher, also believed in chocolate existentialism -- he said, “There is scarcely any passion without chocolate.”  (or was it “struggle?” ... I doubt it ... who wants struggle?)  However, if those endearing, little butt dimples cause enough angst to retard your ganache-filled pursuit, well, that’s why the good lord gave us treadmills.

The Best Chocolate Shops in Paris to Pursue with Pleasure & Sincere Meaning:

A Box of Michel Chaudun's Les Pavés Will Get You Laid

 
 

You heard me.  A box of Chaudun’s Les Pavés will get you laid.  Les Pavés, sinfully simple ganache squares dusted with cocoa, melt ever so sensually on the tongue, the recipient is left with nothing but desire for additional pleasure.

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Michel Chaudun, arguably the best chocolatier in Paris, is a serious artisan and amazing chocolate sculptor.  His shop on rue de l’Universite is drenched top to bottom in warm brown tones, decorated with incredibly realistic sculptures made entirely of chocolate, and the scent floating in the air is pure heaven.  M. Chaudun offers single estate chocolate squares, a dizzying array of filled chocolates, and of course les Pavés.

Side Note: if you actually do muster up the necessary fortitude to share your Paves with someone special (2 boxes will minimize the loss considerably), stay close by, you’ll want to be the one that collects the inevitable gratitude.

 

Patrice Chapon Chocolaterie: Old-World Charm & Childlike Wonder Around Every Corner

Walking into Patrice Chapon’s chocolaterie I actually felt that giddiness I got as a kid when I knew I was in for the best treat of my life; better still, my piggy bank is waaaay bigger now!  Chapon’s sublimely flavored ganaches, pralines & pates have whimsical shapes & patterns, and are placed in a charming, old-fashioned box tied with a brown, textured ribbon.  The shop on rue de Bac in the 7eme is a sight to behold -- textured metal walls, huge copper kettle lights, tea cups, mysterious bouchees, colorful bonbons and gelées.  

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However, the most unexpected pleasure was the macarons.  Oh my stars!  They are amazing -- lushly flavored with simple ingredients like chocolate, coffee, pistachio & almond.  They aren’t dusted with gold or filled with exotic flavors; they look like a macaron and they taste like a macaron -- a heavenly one, that is.  The entire chocolate experience is one of the best in Paris.

 

Jean-Charles Rochoux: Elegant, Classic Chocolaterie in Paris' 6eme

 

Rochoux, an elegant, classic chocolaterie in Paris’ 6eme, is filled with wonderful chocolates, ganaches, liqueur-filled truffles (the Maker’s Mark ones are exceptional) and bars. But not just ordinary chocolate bars.  Take for instance Jean-Charles’ Saturday Bar: ripe strawberries lined up in two rows and completely entrenched in chocolate -- it’s basically chocolate-dipped strawberries in a chocolate bar form!  (Check the website under "humeur choc" for a flash presentation.) 

 

The staff is very kind and helpful (not the most common experience in Paris), and if your chosen delicacies don’t fit absolutely perfectly in the beautiful brown and silver reptile-textured box, they’ll throw in a few extra cocoa nibs & chocolate sticks to fill in the gaps.  Jean-Charles Rochoux is definitely one of the top 5 chocolate destinations in Paris.

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Christian Constant: Chocolatier, Pâtissier, Chef, Poet

“As you savour these chocolates, prepared with the best Criollos of the islands of the Indian Ocean, dream with me of these exotic and far off places.”  Christian Constant: chocolatier, patissier, chef & poet -- Clotilde is correct, he is a man of many talents.  I was lucky enough to enjoy truffles from his flower & perfume section as well as a few from his spice collection; they were subtly pure in flavor and ultra smooth in texture.  His shop on rue d’Assas also offers savory treats, gifts and some truly fantastic pastries.

Patrick Roger: Chocolate Artist & Sculptor of Flavour

 

Patrick Roger’s contemporary, exclusive, airy boutiques are decked out in vivid mint green & warm brown. His chocolaterie on Paris' Saint Germain has spun sugar-like chandeliers and truffles displayed in stainless steel compartments, giving the impression of a modern, decadent jewelry box.  Online descriptors include “chocolate artist” and “sculptor of flavours,” Patrick Roger “will collate up to 14 different products to obtain the flavour and substance he seeks.”  His chocolates seem simple - various sized squares and rectangles with straightforward embellishments, but oh!, his flavors are creative and textures divine!

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Hungry for More Alexander Lobrano?

Photo courtesy of Alec

I love how he plays with phrases, uses unexpected references and concentrated details, injects bits of history, and pulls in memories of his picky-eating youth, providing a little good-humored irony -- all things that give his work entertaining and relatable substance.

Mon Vieil Ami on Paris' I'Ile Saint Louis: Poshly Minimalistic & Stalker-free

 

Strolling around the 4th arrondissement on a beautiful, crisp autumn day, I inadvertently picked up my very first stalker.  I know -- big day!  It began innocently enough -- the sun, finally broke through the relentless rain clouds, highlighting the golden leaves fluttering to the pavement, children were playing in that park just off Quai de l’Hotel de Ville, I discovered adorable little shops off-the-beaten-path, and freely tested my accent with the locals.  Maybe I just “Bonjour”ed one too many times, because right around this antique shop, I swear I ran into the same gentleman that was sitting on the street bench a few blocks back.  Refusing to believe the “you all look the same to me” stereotype, I dismissed it as deja vu.  Besides, I was much more interested in breathing in the culture and capturing everything on film.

How to Backpack Through Paris in a Little Black Skirt, Part Deux

 

The little black skirt theory still holds true.  A little black skirt is light, comfortable, versatile, doesn’t take up much suitcase room, and with the appropriate accessories, it can take you anywhere.  And if “anywhere” is Paris, the general dress code is “make it black & make it tight.”  Perfect.  I have just the thing.

Other than dressing to blend in, planning the hell out of a trip (to make the most of it & to not look like a baffled tourist) is de rigueur.  I was well-researched, studied the language & customs, formed an impossibly long list of must-do’s, and efficiently mapped out an itinerary.  But Paris isn’t Parma, so I traded the backpack for an “it” bag and ramped up my reservations -- good Paris tables are tight even in low-season.  Also different from many other destinations, there’s no shortage of information on Paris; the challenge rather, is to wade through it all & find just what you need.

Here are some helpful tips & resources to design the perfect trip:

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Hedonism on Rue des Martyrs - It's What's for Dinner

There’s a charming little street in Paris’ 9th arrondissement that suddenly springs to life at dusk.  Rue des Martyrs is surprisingly neighborly and a little more jam-packed with hedonism than most, and at day’s end, it simply glows with wine shops, fish stands, and sidewalk rotisseries that seem nearly hidden in daylight.  

Beginning at the bottom, right around 6 pm, the subtle, enticing aromas of freshly baked baguettes waft down the hill, beckoning you upward.  Little by little, lights plink on and the sidewalk becomes increasingly speckled with curious visitors and lucky residents.  Continuing north, the anticipation builds, and the faint sights, sounds and smells become more apparent.  At this point, resistance is futile.  

Paper sacks crinkling while being filled with ripe pears & wild mushrooms; ice crunching as freshly caught fish are whisked away to be weighed & wrapped; people discussing, tasting, and choosing, which cheese, how much caviar, and with what wine; the rotisserie humming and slowly spinning golden-brown chickens dripping succulent juices upon heaps of roasting potatoes brilliantly placed underneath, while simultaneously releasing the single most pleasurable of all the dinner smells.  My god!  The only question on everyone’s mind is what’s for dinner.  Even if you had other thoughts on the way over to Martyrs, the deliciousness of this rue is utterly hypnotic.  All thoughts are consumed with consuming.  And with the variety and abundance on Martyrs, a feast can literally & easily be made within a few blocks.

This self-indulgent pleasure was mine for an entire week of evenings, strolling up the rue from the subway to my hotel.  Imagine the constant state of pleasure of her residents -- they are welcomed home like this every evening.