Posts tagged ‘Paris’

Today we welcome back Parisian Correspondent Christine Miksis with her contribution to the Good. Food. Stories. Neighborhood Guide series. Whether you’re looking for the best baguette in the City of Lights or just craving a pizza after spending three hours in the Louvre, Christine’s neighborhood of le deuxieme arrondissement has it all.

If you’ve traveled to Paris, you’ve probably been to the Latin Quarter, Saint-Germain-des-Prés and le Marais, but you may have missed their unassuming yet stylish neighbor, the 2nd arrondissement. Quelle surprise—this neighborhood with a true local, Parisian feel also happens to be my home.

In the heart of the city, the 2nd is about a 10-15 minute walk from the Louvre, the Seine and Palais Royal. The historic market street Rue Montorgueil draws in a number of locals and tourists alike with its cheese shops and fishmongers. Because the neighborhood also houses a handful of intriguing passages* and a multitude of fashion showrooms and shops like Sandro and Maje, a lot of young, fashionable things flock to the restaurant and bar scene after working or window shopping.

>> Read on for the best and tastiest cuisine in Paris’ 2nd arrondissement. >>

Our Parisian woman-about-town Christine Miksis has been en vacance on U.S. soil for the holidays, and has used this time chez Uncle Sam as any Good. Food. Stories. correspondent wisely would—to calorie-load on American delicacies. Let her break it down for you:

Don’t get me wrong, the cuisine in Paris is obviously to die for; however, from time to time, visions of buffalo wings and beef bean burritos dance in my head….

The biggest dilemma visiting the U.S. from Paris is controlling the cravings for all things delicious, fried and American (or not-so-American but which we embrace as our own nonetheless) and holding onto the little dignity I have left in this life. I pretty much de-board my flight fork in hand with a paper bib tied around my neck and crazy eyes à la Housewife of New York Ramona. That said, you can imagine that what I crave sometimes requires lots of moist towelettes, a defibrillator, and a stint on The Biggest Loser.

On my last trip home for the holidays, I was inspired to create a Top Ten list of American food not to take for granted should you crazy Americans be 9-to-5-ing near the Eiffel Tower or the Great Wall of China one day. Some of the items on this list may be found abroad, but are either A) extremely difficult to find or B) just straight up not.the.same.

If you didn’t get the hint yet, this food list is not gourmet. It is, however, for all the football-tailgating, middle-American-mallratting, hangover-Sunday-snacking, I-don’t-feel-like-cooking-dinner-tonight-so-I’ll-raid-the-fridge-for-whatever-is-around people out there. I know you must fit into at least one of these said types of people some of the time. And if you don’t, then get off your high horse and get on the mechanical bull, people. Let the countdown begin!

10. Dill pickles. France has these little pickles called cornichons, but I like my dill spears the way Britney Spears likes her Cheetos.

9. Peanut butter. Nutella is awesome, obviously, but sometimes you just want a little Jiffy. Learn to appreciate your ants on a log.

8. BBQ ribs. Need I further explain?

7. Soft pretzels. Particularly from dear old Auntie Anne. Sour cream and onion…don’t judge.

6. Lucky Charms and other sugary cereals marketed towards children and immature adults like me. Because who doesn’t like marshmallows with a cardboard-like texture that turns your milk pink? [Editor's Note: I find that the Target-brand "Marshmallow Treasures" are in fact superior to the non-generic version.]

5. Smartfood Popcorn or Pirate’s Booty. White cheddar snacks just make me giddy.

4. Bagels with Philadelphia cream cheese. The French make a mean and crusty baguette, but sometimes a Philly girl with a New York soul prefers the former.

3. Cheese steaks. In Paris you could make your own awesome version with baguette and provolone, but I like mine “wit” American cheese that one cannot find in the City of Lights.

2. Buffalo wings. A classic that is MIA in Paris. I have attempted to at least make a buffalo grilled chicken salad, but in line with my expectations just could not find Frank’s Red Hot sauce for the life of me.

And drumroll please…

1. Anything Mexican! It’s almost impossible to find good flour tortillas, jalapeños, chili powder, Manchego, queso fresco, Oaxaca cheese, or Patron in Paris. The closest thing to sour cream is light crème fraiche. And I know it’s not authentic, but take me to Chipotle during a trip home and I’ll consider you my BFFAE.

Honorable mentions: chocolate covered pretzels, Cool Ranch Doritos, graham crackers, Easy Mac, New York style pizza (Joe’s on Carmine Street comes to mind), WaWa (if you’re from PA, you will know), ranch dressing, Diet Dr. Pepper, iced tea and Breyer’s ice cream in mint chocolate chip and cookies & cream. Hamburgers are not on this list because they are very available and delicious in Paris.

There you have it. Now go out and appreciate your American quintessential treats before your company ships you overseas.

When we last left C.C., our Culinarily Challenged counterpart in San Francisco, she had just sprung the news on her British Boyfriend (B.F.) that she’d be spending time in old Blighty for a work assignment. Join us now, won’t you, for Part Two of C.C.’s introduction to British foodstuffs….

C.C. arrives home from the gym one day to find a package from Amazon. It’s heavy, like the weight of a bazillion books, all hardcover. She ponders the possibility, as she hauls it up the steps, that she may have actually ordered a small library of heavy tomes, perhaps one night after too much Prosecco, but no, by the time she reaches the Stair Master-level floor, she knows this is a gift, as she does not recall participating in any literary shopping spree of late.

Breathless, she opens the lovely box to find …

SIx cans of Heinz Spotted Dick.

The card reads: Thought this Spotted Dick in a Box might get you in the mood for British food!

She smiles. A thoughtful and hilarious surprise gift from her thoughtful and surprisingly hilarious British B.F. At least he didn’t send ketchup.

The gift is to commemorate to C.C.’s upcoming trip to the U.K. and the many conversations in which C.C. expresses her fear of “egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam; spam bacon sausage and spam; spam egg spam spam bacon and spam; spam sausage spam spam bacon spam tomato and spam.” And the redcoats in general, AKA ketchup.

It also references C.C.’s mirth every time she and B.F. are at Faletti’s market where the queue bypasses a small British food section, to which C.C. points and giggles at the assortment of packaged foods: Branston Pickle, Marmite, Treacle, and Spotted Dick. (C.C. would like to mention that she only points and giggles if no one is looking. But if someone is looking, then she points and loudly exclaims to her dear B.F., Have you ever had Spotted Dick? Or Remember the time you brought that Spotted Dick home?)

C.C. decides to try this sponge cake named Spotted Richard–reportedly menus in England have changed the name. It turns out that one does not eat Spotted Dick directly from the can–and, yes, it comes in a “can.” And no, it must first be microwaved or boiled in the can. Since C.C. does not own a microwaving device, she puts the Spotted Dick in the kettle (an earlier gift from B.F.–had he been plotting this all along?) and sets the timer to 35 minutes. Bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble.
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Today we check in with Parisian correspondent Christine Miksis, who has been learning the ropes at acclaimed Parisian supper club Hidden Kitchen. Here she shares the secret to one of the in-demand restaurant’s seasonal recipes courtesy of chef Braden Perkins.

I was fortunate enough to pick up a few tricks from an insider of the Parisian restaurant scene during a recent shopping trip to the Marché d’Aligre. Armed with an empty canvas bag, lots of Euro coins and a brain chock full of innovative recipes, Braden Perkins showed me the ropes and gathered sunchokes, cilantro, clementines and other ingredients for Hidden Kitchen, a private supper club he and his fiancée Laura Adrian host at their très chic apartment.

The Hidden Kitchen mascot, Tatie

If you happen to be traveling to Paris and are lucky enough to score one of the 16 sought-after seats at this dinner table, anticipate ten courses of creative recipes paired with wines and good conversation. You might even have the honor of meeting their charming Boston terrier, Tatie.

If you cannot make it to Hidden Kitchen, bring a piece of it into your own home by whipping up this awesome espresso-encrusted pork roulade recipe I picked up from the food duo that day after the market. They taught me how to prepare and cook this in about 45 minutes total (prep time 25 minutes, cook time under 20 minutes). Braden suggests serving the dish beside some roasted pumpkin, sweet potato or carrot mash, and pairing with a French Burgundy or an Oregon Pinot.

Espresso Encrusted Pork Roulade
(serves 4 people)

• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• Zest of 3 clementines
• Juice of 1 clementine
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 butterflied pork tenderloins or large boneless pork chops
• 5 ft butcher’s twine
• 2 tbsp ground espresso beans
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 gallon-size Ziploc bag

Add the first five ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well.

With a meat tenderizer, pound each pork tenderloin on both sides to flatten them out as evenly as possible (1/2-inch width is ideal). Afterwards, square off the edges using a knife to form a rectangular shape, and if necessary, even out the width as well by carefully cutting off any excess meat from the top. Reserve the excess pork pieces. Note that Braden actually uses grillade de porc, which is generally a cut of pork difficult to find in the U.S.

Next, generously salt and pepper the pork and scoop about 2 1/2 tbsp of the cilantro mix on top of each tenderloin. For a heartier filling, add any extra strips of the reserved pork pieces. Roll up each tenderloin like a sushi roll, keeping the cilantro filling evenly distributed throughout.

flattened and filled

rolled

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees, and heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, to medium-high to high heat. In the meantime, take out the trusty butcher’s twine and truss the pork to secure for cooking. It may sound scary, but it is actually quite simple. For the unfamiliar, just follow this quick and easy video. Five to eight loops of string around the meat should do the trick.

trussing the pork tenderloin

Add espresso grounds, brown sugar, salt and pepper to the Ziploc bag and mix well. Toss in the trussed tenderloins and shake until evenly covered.

Once the skillet is completely hot, add some oil, then sear the pork 1 minute per side (do all four sides), or until crispy and darkened. Turn off the stovetop but leave the skillet on the hot burner.

Transfer the pork rolls to a baking sheet and pop in the oven for about 10 minutes. Transfer the pork back to the skillet and let rest for another 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the twine and slice off the ends. Cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces and serve.

the finished product, here served Asian style with pickled radish, sticky rice and a balsamic soy glaze

The only thing left to do afterwards is to fake a little French flair — throw on a striped Breton tee-shirt, light some candles and turn up the Serge Gainsbourg. You’re now good to go.

Today’s guest post is courtesy of Christine Miksis, a Philly-born and bred writer and former New York publicist who’s now living in Paris and experiencing the good life. Look for more posts from Christine on la vie Parisienne in the coming months.

As a young American woman who worked in the fashion and lifestyle PR industry, I’ll admit my roots run deep in the carb-free, sugar-free land of Splenda, 100-calorie packs and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! spray. Due to lack of time and desire, I was never one to cook up gourmet meals for dinner. However, I have certainly always been a foodie via the practice of discovering the latest dining spots. I’m also known to partake in a Chipotle burrito, a Shake Shack burger or a Steve’s Prince of Steaks Philly cheesesteak—I could go on and on—but for the majority of the work week I ate lightly.

Enter Paris. The way I eat will never be the same again.

I moved to Paris about a year ago for love and cultural enlightenment, “just like Carrie from Sex and the City!”, and ended up gaining some culinary skills in the midst of it all. If you’re interested in the love and cultural enlightenment part, we can get into those details another day, on another blog.

The change all began after the crêpe and fromage honeymoon was over. It became apparent that the daily food experience in Paris is quite different from the American version with which I had been familiar. For instance, there are virtually no quick delivery options, most restaurants are relatively expensive, the NYC-style salad bars are few and far between, and things like skim milk, Splenda, and whole wheat sliced bread are almost nonexistent.

I wondered: Am I supposed to eat full fat mayo or real butter on white baguette bread, and wash it down with a glass of two percent or whole milk for a snack?! Oh la vache! I was going to have to make some big changes.

The discovery of Rue Montorgueil, around the corner from mon petit appartement, certainly facilitated those changes. This street houses one of the many marchés in Paris that carry farm-fresh fruits, veggies, meats, and cheeses of France. It was all so beautiful and colorful that it made me forget about the diet food hang-ups I had. I’d never seen so many fresh foods available in such a large space, in such excess, and at such small prices. My inner Julia Child emerged, and there was no going back.

Day by day, I have learned a lot. Here’s a list of those things:

• To allow myself about an hour to shop the markets daily. The meats, the vegetables, the fruits, the fish, the cheese, the bread, and the wines must all be purchased at separate shops.
• How to cope with the fact that sometimes certain shops aren’t open on certain days and certain times for reasons of which I’m still not sure!
• How to chop, mince, julienne, peel, sauté, braise, steam, sear, stew, baste, glaze, emulsify and reduce.
• How to order in French.
• That chopping fresh herbs is one of my favorite pastimes. After all, generous bunches of fresh cilantro, thyme and basil cheaply run at about 2 Euros total. And it’s so aromatic.
• How to make my own salad dressings with different combinations of vinegar, oil, lemon juice, real sugar, and herbs, as it’s very difficult to find bottled dressings.
• How to indulge in that fresh, warm baguette.
• How to eat fast food, the French way: Crusty baguette, good cheese, good charcuterie, maybe some grapes, a good bottle of French wine, et voilà!
• That drinking demi-écrémé (2 percent) milk is actually quite tasty!
• How to live a new and pleasurable lifestyle of handpicking my ingredients and preparing American recipes as well as traditional French dishes like boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin and cassoulet.

Finally, I’ve learned I am still in the same shape, sans the Splenda, fake butter and all. And I couldn’t be happier. Merci, Paris!