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Archive for the ‘Food & Drink’ Category

Five Cafés Not to Miss in Paris

Friday, May 10th, 2013
Coquelicot des Abbesses Montmartre Paris

Le Coquelicot des Abbesses in Montmartre

While wandering the streets of Paris, there seems to be an unlimited number of idyllic cafés that it can be nearly impossible to decipher which offers the best tasse du café in the city. Determining factors, such as the heavenly flakiness of a fresh croissant or the mellow rhythms of a live jazz trio playing in the background are all quintessential to the making of a classic Parisian café experience. To save you hours of listless wandering, below are five incredible cafes in Paris that will leave you longing to return.

For those looking for a quaint respite in Montmartre, be sure to stop by Le Coquelicot des Abbesses. Le Coquelicot des Abbesses is a classic Parisian café that offers a variety of delectable items, from the irresistibly simple pain au chocolat to main menu items such as quiche Lorraine and crepes. The laidback atmosphere makes this café an ideal place to meet up with friends for a weekend brunch or for a quick treat before a day of exploration.

Cafe Charbon_Paris Perfect

Café Charbon in Paris

Originally a coal shop, Café Charbon has embraced its industrial past in its hybrid design that beckons back to 19th century France. The intimate décor and authentic vibe attracts a lively bohemian crowd throughout the day and into the night. Wednesdays through Saturdays the café transforms into a cozy nightclub as the lights are dimmed and DJ’s spin tracks for an easygoing dance scene. After dinner at Café Charbon, be sure to check out their sister bar, Nouveau Casino, next door for fantastic live electronic and experimental music.

Both sophisticated and vintage, Le Bar du Marché is a prime café to linger and people watch for an entire afternoon. This Parisian hotspot attracts a diverse clientele representative of the “bobo” sensation, a mixture of bohemian and bourgeoisie, through its old-city atmosphere and its great location. The simple, yet elegant, bistro fare and antique jazz posters beckon back to the times of the Golden Age, making this café a must for anyone in search of the iconic Parisian café.

Le Bar du Marche_Paris Perfect

Le Bar du Marché in Paris

La Palette provides visitors with a subtle and charming café experience with its rustic décor and menu comprised of classic French fare. Since its opening in 1905, La Palette has drawn a variety of clientele, ranging from Picasso to Harrison Ford, and continues to be popular with students from the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Although a majority of the customers are students, the crowd diversifies in the evening when young professionals venture in for an evening of cocktails and delectable cuisine. The year-round terrace also makes this café the perfect spot for warm summer evenings, where you can while away the hours with a great bottle of wine and friends.

Visiting the upscale Café de Flore has become a pilgrimage for those in the know of its bohemian history. Serving as a creative hub for French existentialists such as Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, Café de Flore is the perfect place to savor exquisite hot chocolate while soaking in its intellectual heritage. Although relatively pricey compared to most cafes, Café de Flore provides customers with an unparalleled experience through its premium location and high quality offerings. Be sure to sit on the conservatory-like patio for an elegant experience sampling aperitifs and people watching rain or shine.

 

Le Coquelicot des Abbesses
24 Rue des Abbesses, 18th arrondissement
Metro: Abbesses

Café Charbon
109 Rue Oberkampf, 11th arrondissement
Metro: Parmentier

Le Bar du Marché
75 rue du Seine, 6th arrondissement
Metro: Saint-Germain-des-Prés

La Palette
43 rue du Seine, 6th arrondissement
Metro: Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Café de Flore
172 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 6th arrondissement
Metro: Saint-Germain-des-Prés

 

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Guest post contributed by Party Eartha global media and entertainment company that features reviews, editorials, and listings of the best bars, clubs, festivals, concerts, events, and more in major cities around the world.

 

Photo Credits: Le Coquelicot des Abbesses by Bruno! and all other photos by Party Earth

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Paris Restaurant Review | Reed in the 7th Arrondissement

Thursday, May 2nd, 2013
Reed Restaurant Paris 7th Arrondissement

The warm interior of Reed Restaurant tucked away in the 7th arrondissement in Paris

Reed is a small, charming restaurant in the 7th arrondissement getting rave reviews from diners “in the know.” In business only two years, Reed is owned and operated by Catherine Reed, a Canadian from Quebec City, who was a private chef for 17 years in Switzerland and France. Catherine is, in fact, the owner, chef, greeter, and server, and will ensure you are well taken care of. The restaurant is very cozy and only accommodates about 16 diners. It has an open kitchen concept, which is perfect for her cooking class that she hosts on Wednesdays (see details below).

Reed Restaurant Review 7th

A beautiful and delicious dinner at Reed in Paris

The small menu is typically French, with Italian influences as well, and changes according to what is fresh at the market that day.  Catherine prefers small, local producers, and on an evening in February, we enjoyed creamy broccoli soup, winter salad, risotto with roast pumpkin and ham,  and beef bourguignon. Desserts were home-made as well, and so yummy…chocolate gateau, creamy raspberry pie, and apple tart tatin with vanilla ice cream.

Catherine Reed Restaurant Paris

Catherine Reed (on right) with one of our friendly reservations team members!

Catherine’s cooking classes are taught in English on Wednesdays and feature seasonal ingredients and techniques cooks can use at home. After the hands on class, students sit down to enjoy their hard work with a glass of wine … or two! Reservations are required for the class and friends can join later for the lunch. The spring menu looks delicious!

 

Spring menu 2012

Asparagus with mousseline sauce

Free range chicken with morel sauce , mashed potatoes with herbs and tangy salad

Chocolate profiterolles

Reed is located on 11 bis rue Amélie in the 7th arrondissement, jut off Rue St. Dominique and one block east of Rue Cler. Reservations are recommended for dinner and are required for the cooking class. Reed is open for dinner Tues-Friday (closed Sun & Mon). Email Catherine for reservations or more information: catherine.reed@wanadoo.fr.

Reed
11 bis rue Amélie
75007 Paris
01 45 55 88 40

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Thank you to Mary Ann Grisham for this review for the Paris Perfect Blog!

 

Image credits: Reed by freddie boy, all other photos by author

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Asparagus Soup Recipe

Monday, April 8th, 2013

Delicious asparagus soup in the springtime!

One thing we learned during our cooking lessons with acclaimed Italian chef Franco Taruschio is that Italians never waste food!  What we might normally discard, they find a home for in soups, casseroles, pies and other dishes. When we started to make his delicious asparagus lasagne, he taught us to keep the asparagus peelings to make this tasy asparagus soup. It’s perfect for the spring when the fresh asparagus starts to appear in the markets in Paris!

 

ASPARAGUS SOUP RECIPE

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lbs asparagus trimmings, chopped up including some tips for garnish (3 per person)
  • 1 leek including 2 inches of green top
  • 1 baking potato
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
  • Fresh tarragon leaves for garnish

STEPS

  1. Put the asparagus trimmings in a saucepan, add the leek, potato and stock.  Bring to boil and reduce heat, simmer partially covered for 20 minutes until vegetables are soft.
  2. Blend the soup til smooth and put in clean pan.
  3. Add cream and tarragon, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  4. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
  5. At the same time, cook the asparagus tips in lightly salted water.
  6. If the soup is too thick, add more stock.
  7. Serve with asparagus tips and a few tarragon leaves as garnish

 

Bon Appétit!

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Happy Easter – Recipe for Sautéed Lamb Noisettes

Thursday, March 28th, 2013
Lamb Noisettes Recipe from Cordon Bleu

Perfect Easter dinner recipe in Paris

Wherever you will be celebrating Easter Sunday this coming weekend, we wish you a peaceful day together with family and friends! Easter dinner in France traditionally features lamb as the main course, and we recently spotted this delicious recipe for Sautéed Lamb Noisettes, ‘Maxim’ Potatoes and Asparagus from Le Cordon Bleu. It features a lovely combination of tender lamb noisettes, the spring flavor of fresh asparagus and delicious potatoes prepared in the style of the famous Maxim’s restaurant in Paris. It’s the perfect recipe to bring a taste of French cooking to your Easter dinner table, whether you’re celebrating Easter in Paris or around your home table.  Happy Easter!

 

Sautéed Lamb Noisettes, “Maxim” Potatoes and Asparagus

Serves 4

Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:Lamb Noisettes
2 racks of lamb with 8 ribs or 1 x 1.2 kg saddle* or 8 × 60 – 80 g lamb noisettes
20 ml vegetable oil
salt, freshly ground pepper
1 rosemary sprig
1 garlic cloves, skin on

“Maxim” style potatoes
500 g baking potatoes, washed
clarified butter
salt, freshly ground pepperSauce
100 ml white wine
500 ml veal or lamb stock
1 rosemary sprig

Asparagus
1 bunch green asparagus
sea salt

Decoration
red chard leaves

Steps:

  1. Debone the lamb racks or saddle. Trim the fillets leaving a fine layer of firm white fat around the eye meat. If desired, the fat may be removed completely. Cut each fillet into 4 even pieces, to obtain 8 lamb noisettes. Secure each noisette with kitchen twine and refrigerate. The bones can be used to prepare a classic lamb stock or jus.
  2. Preheat the oven to 150?C.
  3. “Maxim” Potatoes: Peel the potatoes and slice 2 – 3 mm thick. Do not rinse or hold in water. Use the cutter to cut out 48 disks (12 per person). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange 12 disks in an overlapping symmetrical ring. Brush lightly with clarified butter. Repeat for each serving, cover with parchment paper, and place a baking sheet on top. Cook in oven for 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and parchment paper. Reduce oven heat to 120?C, and cook the potatoes until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Season.
  4. Increase the oven temperature to 180?C. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Season lamb. Place the lamb, rosemary and garlic cloves in the frying pan. Brown the noisettes on all sides, about 5 minutes. Discard rosemary, transfer lamb and garlic to a baking sheet. Roast in oven until cooked, about 5 to 10 minutes. Rest in a warm place.
  5. Sauce: Degrease the frying pan by blotting with absorbent kitchen paper. Add the white wine, reduce by two thirds. Add stock and rosemary; reduce until it coats the back of a spoon. Strain through a fine china cap sieve.
  6. Asparagus: Wash and trim asparagus spears. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and add a pinch of coarse salt. Blanch asparagus for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain.
  7. To serve: Place asparagus in the center of the plate. Place 2 lamb noisettes on either side. Carefully cut the garlic skin to expose the clove and place on the lamb. Arrange the Maxim potatoes at an angle. Spoon some sauce over the lamb and around the plate and garnish with red chard leaves.

 

Joyeuses Pâques from all of us at Paris Perfect!

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