Duvel

Well … but every race has loosers, no ?

In this context maybe Basashi (aka „cherry blossom meat“) ?

You know … there are those peppers from the 70‘s that cause severe distortions in time perception (and other things), so they are still ok 😉

Well done, @Tropicalsenior ! A great looking pâté for a great looking meal. I am sure your friend was delighted 🤗

Isn‘t that a skill worth inheriting … just beautiful 🤗

That is pretty much what we are using (slightly different brand). Little one prefers a preparation called pop a la gallega (Spanish: pulpo a la gallega or Galician-style octopus), for which you thaw the arms (they are already cooked) and warm them up in salt water until hot. I like to put a bit of kelp into that water as a Galician grandma’s little umami secret. Then slice in thickish (think quarter inch) slices, drizzle with really good olive oil and sprinkle some paprika powder on. Smoked paprika works great as well. Add some flaky sea salt if you need more saltiness. The arms should have a bit of a bite in the white center, while the purple outside is softer and slightly „gooey“. It‘s a taste & textural thing …

We got up late and had a late (and full) breakfast, so I assumed we would skip lunch. But after walking Montmatre and climbing up to Sacré-Cœur (and down again), little one proclaimed he was famished and was aided by my wife without hesitation. So - a few streets down the famous Moulin Rouge - a light lunch of Moules-Frites (nature, creme and Roquefort) in a busy café plus a bottle (😜) of Chablis and everyone was happy again …

Today we took the closest brasserie to our hotel - it was all I could make the others move towards to. Beer & alcohol-free cocktails to start with … Ribeye with Roquefort sauce for me … Bavette with onion gravy for my wife … And salmon tartare for the little one … Plus chocolate lava cake & vanilla icecream for the rest of the family … And a pastis for yours truly 🤗

Lunch at a nondescript Basserie in the 8th arrondissement: Grilled sandwich (wholewheat Poilâne bread - shop a few meters down the road) with goat cheese and tomato … Steak tartare (with a looooot of capers) … Childs menu: a burger - which could be ordered medium and actually arrived medium … Plus a holiday treat 🤗

No need for fancy equipment - a potato ricer will do, or you can do it old school, as in here (starts at 3:15, don’t be put off by his accent) …

Yeap, that‘s how I do it as well. The resulting „stock“ is used as a base for Spargelsuppe as well … I am a Hollandaise guy through and through. And despite my love for Schnitzel I do prefer my Spargel with a selection of hams (both raw & cooked), chopped hard boiled eggs and parsley. But I‘ll prep some next weekend when I am back home.

Or maybe … France* —- * Of course the best one comes from Badische Bergstrasse & the Palatinate, Germany. To be featured soon here …

You can start with: 250 g flour 3 eggs, beaten with 50 mL water and 5 g salt You want to use a slightly coarser flour, if available. If not, bread flour will do. Just mix the flour well into the liquids and let rest for a few minutes*. You want to have a coherent dough, that slowly flows from a wooden spoon when pulled out. A bit thicker than pancake batter. Put the batter into a potato ricer (larger holes preferred) and slowly press into hot salted water just under the boiling point. They‘ll float within 30 sec or so and are done in a minute. Regardless how they look, they will taste great … Shock in cold water, drain and sauté in butter as a side for braised meats. Or mix with an aromatic cheese and some fried onions for Käsespätzle. —- * anything from 10 min to 1 h is fine. Coarser flour requires a bit more time to hydrate.

I am presented with the challenge to motivate the rest of the family to head out again after we’ve reached the hotel after a long day of exploring Paris. Today I managed to lure them 800 m away from the hotel to reach La Manufacture, a cozy neighborhood brasserie … There was some odd Teddy bear theme going on - in the whole street actually … A Suze-Tonic for starters … interesting. Bacalhau croquettes … Deviled eggs (my wife complained how I would eat that in a restaurant, but I really felt like it) … Little one wanted octopus (of course) … And beef tartare for us … We were not alone. The fashion avant-garde had dinner at the next table … Quite full we headed home … Dessert were two Macarons in the hotel 🤗

They run the cafe & a catering service employing disabled people, both in the kitchen and in front of the house.

Lunch at Cafe Joyeux … good food with an agenda. Salmon & leek tart. This was fantastic ! Croque-monsieur … Rice & spinach salad with feta and red beets. Fresh cheese with raspberry coulus and granola. And an extra dessert from Ladurée: little one’s favorite sweets are Macarons* and I promised him the best there are. He agreed 🤗 —- * no, he isn’t spoiled - he just has good taste 😋

That’s the real deal - fantastic 🤗

I love the way the rice noodles peek out shyly between all those fresh and magnificent herbs* 🤗 —- * not to mention those shrimps !!!

It is basically an Onigiri, a filled riceball, maybe wrapped in a sheet of Nori.

Isn’t it a happy coincidence when your family’s food preferences coincide with the current food trends in Paris ? After half a day in the Louvre (Assyrian and Egyptian artifacts for me, the Spanish & French masters for my wife and the Mona Lisa for the little one) we headed straight up to Omusubi Gonbei for some … well …musubi: Spicy tuna & pickled daikon/shiso in a bento set with karaage, tamagoyaki and edamame. Excellent. Even better: their Japanese curry musubi. I need to make this at home … Less exciting: the recommended soft drink. Why I didn’t take the iced Genmaicha is seriously beyond me … Enjoyed murals and street paintings as we strolled back …

Lunch set at L’Escargot de Montorgueil (during my walkabout for the Dinner thread): Snail, gratinated with Brie. They were plump and tender, and the Brie provided ample fat to make them succulent. Bavette with duck fat-roasted (as in very slow roasted) potatoes. Meat was very nice, but the potatoes were so soft and sweet, with that lovely duck fat flavour. Could have had seconds … 🤗

Sure 🤗 … I will write up the tasting notes of the Nicolas items in the Pâtés & Terrines Cook-Off.

Nope, just in the 13th, pretty close to the business end of Rue Mouffetard. I really had to walk the whole city to collect everything 😉

Absolutely nothing - for regular beer. But the carbonation of Duvel beer is so strong that drinking straight from the bottle is not so pleasant …

Easter holidays aka a long weekend in Paris. Today a long needed break from everything: while the little one and my wife headed out for Disneyland, I decided to take a walk and pick up my dinner, themed after our current Pâtés & Terrines Cook-Off … Soooo … Some fresh goat cheese (plus quatre épice and a Duvel Triple Hop*) from La Grande Epicerie de Paris … A quarter miche from Poilâne … A Terrine de Grand Mére and a quail, foie gras & dried fruit pâté from Arnaud Nicolas … Pickles from Maille … And another local beer* from next doors supermarket … Enjoyed on our little balcony. Well deserved too … walked 23 km to assemble that dinner 😉 —- * Yes, you’ve noticed the McDonalds paper cup. It’s a story for another day, but let me assure you that a) it was pristine and b) I wasn’t in the mood to go down and pick up a proper glass. Choices …