Since we all know airplane food is rather on the gross and unfulfilling side, I was quite hungry by the time we got back to the apartment. Thankfully, there isn't a lack of food-opportunity to be found. There is a bakery, 2 corner markets, a fruit/veg market, and a butcher just within feet of the front door of his apartment building, AND a small supermarket and other foody places a few more steps away from these! I will certainly be fed while here, Mom, Dad, you n
eedn't worry.
I love the fact that everything here is usually preservative free and it's hard to find pre-packaged things, so everything is incredibly fresh and beautifully brightly colored. We walked in to the bakery and initially, I was all for the Pain au Chocolat (the States, just to be sure everyone knows, it's a chocolate croissant... or literally bread with chocolate) but then I saw the tiny quiches on display...I was totally sold. We picked up more food for my breakfast at the fruit market and went to get some juice
around the corner at the small market which is generally cheaper than either of the small corner markets. I must say, I don't think I ever tasted a more tasty spinach quiche, minus the Chevre (or goat cheese), which I happened to forget was actually goat cheese...so I picked off the musty-smelling and tasting goat cheese and ate the spinach-rich quiche...I swear, the French know how to make food! There wasn't much of the eggy "quiche" bit but loaded with spinach so it just felt oh-so-good going into my stomach!) Now obviously, after such a delectable dish and no sleep in literally 24 hours, I rationally took a 5 hour nap and felt fab. We then
went around the neighborhood to get me oriented... was shown the best butcher (didn't quite get an introduction but did get a very big smile and hearty wave but I think that was all due to them loving Brandon....We then went to find THE best butcher for rotisserie chicken. I promise photos of this said place in the very near future. It was wildly cool. I mean, chickens roasting in the wall right on the street. Not in the butchers but IN THE STREET! Crazy.
We made a delicious dinner of roast chicken, herb mashed potatoes and roast veg. Tasty first night dinner. Then I crashed.
Not much done for Friday but a delicious lunch near Brandon's work. I was able to find my way to the correct Metro (subway) station and get tickets (at first I guessed then to make sure I thought correctly, went back and changed the language to English...I was right!) and then correctly found the right direction to get to his work. All so adventurous and exciting! I love it! We ate at a new French place with insanely delicious and properly prepared steak with
potatoes au gratin. Adam, Brandon's partner and best friend, had beef tartar, which I had never had and was willing to give it a go...I mean, hey, when in Rome, eh? It wasn't all pink nor look like it was just "plopped" out from the pre-packaged stuff you buy from the supermarket, but it looked fluffy and most was brown. It was also highly seasoned with mustard (a little too much for my taste) and pickles along with other herbs and seasonings. The pickles, with it's acidic vinegary juices, cooked the beef just slightly so it wasn't like eating totally raw ground beef.
Friday night was a going away party for a co-worker and friend of Brandon and Adam whom I've met and is incredibly sweet and adorable. It was fun to experience the party and meet more of his co-workers and friends.
Saturday was a lay-about day. I did take
my camera out and took a few photos around a 2 block-ish radius. It was very enjoyable. I was practicing my little French that Brandon has taught me, along with Fiona (who's Adam's girlfriend and also French) and got to say "Hello Madam" to a proper Parisian walking
her dog. Not sure if she was too happy about it, but she mumbled something in return, I do believe it was the same as what I said. I was totally and utterly chuffed that I was able to confidently speak, elementary though it was!
Last night (Saturday) Fiona came over and brought a Raclette for, well, Raclette. I had no clue what it was, but I would possibly say it was close to Fondu. The whole concept is this. On the first and bottom layer, are removable trays where the Raclette cheese goes. Directly above on the bottom of the second/top layer is a coil that heats up, thus melting the cheese. Potatoes are cooked whole and then cracked open, like a baked potato, and when the cheese is melted, is dumped on the potato. The top layer is heated by the coils too and various deli meats are grilled on it and eaten with the potato and cheese. It was really good fun
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