Apr 1

A croissant, chocolate chip cookie, and savory scone from Arsicault.

I’m leading off with the photo above because I went to Arsicault. When I visit San Francisco, it has become a running theme in my comments as folks kept imploring me to go there: “You need to go to Arsicault.”

Since we don’t get croissants in Paris...just kidding!—I don’t feel compelled to get French pastries in the States. I’ve visited many other bakeries in San Francisco on previous visits but decided to keep the peace with the public, and go. Unlike bakeries in Paris where you go in, linger a bit, picking out what you want, this one isn’t quite the same experience. I was in and out before I knew it. I’ve been told the lines are normally long, and even though I’ve lived in France for a long time, I still think about the people behind me in line.

So once inside, since they only let one or two people in at a time, I made my decision quickly, and left so others could come in. The display is pretty basic: There’s a showcase lined with sheet pans of hefty croissants and pains au chocolat, as well as savory scones with bacon, and a few other pastries to choose from. The chocolate chip cookie was my favorite, and worth waiting for.

I started my trip to California in L.A. to see my family, who I don’t see often enough. I’ve made peace with not being able to do everything that I want to do when I go somewhere and see everyone that I want to see. But this was a family-forward trip and rather than running around and trying to juggle doing as much as possible, I made it a point to spend most of my time with them.

It’s also nice to go somewhere without a set itinerary and just hang out, doing what feels right to you each day. I like to just spend some time alone, too, walking around a neighborhood or a city…even though when I did that in L.A., everyone was astonished by my boldness of being a pedestrian.

Although it was early in the season, I couldn’t resist picking up these locally grown berries at the farmer’s market in San Francisco.

On my family-first trip to L.A., I never noticed it before, but my family there are professional restaurant eaters. None of them worked in the food world, but they grew up eating out, and I remember visiting when I was a kid, eating at classics like Scandia (which may have been my favorite restaurant that ever existed), Ma Maison, the original Spago, Bistro Gardens, and the Polo Lounge, which has changed, but in those days, you found yourself dining next to Dean Martin, Joan Rivers, or Gregory Peck.

On this visit, which I realized was the norm for us, each of us surveyed our menu, then we’d start an open discussion of what we wanted. But it’s always a no-judgment zone (which we could use more of if you ask me…), and you could just say you didn’t like something, and no one would try to convince you otherwise. If there was a lot of enthusiasm for a particular menu item, we might get two orders, but the idea wasn’t to stuff ourselves to the gills. We were/are curious diners, but none of us could ever be described as “foodies.” We are good eaters and aren’t analyzing, just eating.

Now I realize how natural it comes to me, and how I easily slid into the same familiar rhythm when dining out with them.

In a similar vein, when a friend took me to Friends & Family to catch up over coffee and cookies, I noticed a few of my books on the shelf and mentioned it to the clerk. A few minutes later, owner/baker Roxana Juliapat, who I remembered meeting when she worked at the also-shuttered Campanile, came out to say hi and chat. Afterward, my friend remarked how naturally we fell into conversation, but Roxana and I have friends in common, both of us love to bake, and she’s very nice. So it was easy. That’s one reason I love being a baker: I get to meet so many other bakers along the way, and it’s a pleasure easing into a discussion about the craft (or business) of baking with them.

amateurgourmet

A post shared by Adam Roberts (@amateurgourmet)

It was also fun catching up with Adam Roberts, who invited me to dinner with his other half/filmmaker, Craig, and friends Ryan and Jonathon, the latter of whom I was trying to compete with to see if I could rock the same plunging neckline he could. (Admission: I think he won that challenge.) In addition to the delicious lasagna and lemon meringue pie that Adam prepared, being L.A., the conversation turned to The Industry, and I got an earful of some of the background dealings of the Hollywood crowd. Now if only we could get the proposed TV series of my memoirs off the ground, I’d fit right in — and wouldn’t have to resort to lowering my neckline to get attention.

Is It Safe to Come to Paris?

[Video/Breaking News: Paris Trash Collectors Strike, Suspended]

It’s nearly spring and that means…visitors! I have seven sets of visitors coming this month. It’s wonderful to see friends, although it’s a challenge to keep track of all the dates and negotiate which restaurants to go to. I used to want people to do some research before coming since we often go to the kinds of restaurants that may not be so interesting for visitors. But on my California trip, I found myself responding when local pals asked me where I wanted to eat with what I usually hear: “I don’t know. You decide!” So I need to dive into my Favorite Paris Restaurants list this month and pick out a variety of places to go with out-of-towners, although there may be an opening for a live-in concierge chez nous to manage all the reservations.

Favorite Paris Pastry & Chocolate Shops

As many know, France is in full-on strike mode due to mandated pension reforms. Outside of France (and even within), television and newspaper images focus on vandalism and disruption, which gives travelers pause, and many have asked me: “Is it safe to visit France?”

To those of us who live in France, strikes are normal. For some reason, I’ve always lived in the epicenter for demonstrations, first in the Bastille, where many of the protests take place. Then, after I moved near Place de République, the demonstrations shifted to there. Now that I’m between République and Place de la Nation, guess where the demonstration routes are now?

To be honest, though, if you are a block or two away, you’d hardly notice any different to daily life, except for the back up of cars due to street closures. People are going to the bakeries, taking their kids out for a stroll, and sitting in cafés.

One of the biggest challenges is transit disruptions. Those can be annoying for locals and travelers, so if you’re planning to visit, you may want to avoid relying on train travel, or you may need to make a detour on your route if taking public transit in Paris due to a strike or demonstration. If you want to stick with your itinerary, be prepared to be flexible in case you need to change plans. Thankfully, if you’re staying in Paris, the city is walkable, and if a métro is shut down, you can walk. If you take a taxi, you may find yourself in a traffic jam, which can be costly with the meter running. (Many people just pay and hop out.)

If visiting Paris at the moment, I’d plan things that are within walking distance of where you are staying during the days when there are transit strikes, which are always announced in advance. The hotel staff can advise you when those are taking place, or you can visit the websites I list below.

Locals, such as Olivier from Earful Tower and Heather from Secrets of Paris, address the “Is Paris safe?” question in their respective social media posts. Remember, these are protests, not riots. Generally speaking, protests don’t affect tourists or bystanders; a majority of the protesters in France are there to march and protest. Destruction, which happens in the U.S. at protests as well (and elsewhere), is usually caused by casseurs (“breakers” or looters) in France, whose goal is to vandalize.

You can easily avoid the protest sites, especially if you are staying in areas like the 6th, the Marais, or residential neighborhoods, as marches happen along the major boulevards in areas such as the Bastille, République, and Nation. As someone who has lived in those three areas during my 20 years in Paris, I’ve never felt or seen any danger to bystanders.

However, it’s a good idea to avoid places where demonstrations are taking place if you might feel uncomfortable (and yes, sometimes the police come in with tear gas), so if you see a protest, you can make a detour and head elsewhere. Do not take pictures of people or situations unless you are sure the subjects wouldn’t mind being photographed. When in doubt — don’t take a picture.

(Years ago there were some guests in Paris, and I told them not to take pictures of people without asking. One took a picture of someone on the métro anyways, and the guy walked over and grabbed the camera out of his hand, shouting at him about taking his picture. So when I say don’t do it…don’t do it.)

The major downside of strikes to most is the disruptions in transportation. The RATP (the local transit in Paris, which offers real-time traffic disruption information), the website Paris Aéroport (which has official information for CDG/Roissy and Orly airports), and the SNCF website (for the French train system) post strike dates and disruptions. In the English version of those websites, you may need to do a little digging to find updated strike dates and disruptions, which are more prominently noted on the French version of the websites. You can also check C’est La Grève, which lists the strikes in France by date.

My tip if you’re coming during this period is to consider hiring a driver in advance to get you to and from the airport. The airports do have designated taxi stands where it’s easy to get a cab, but if you’re worried, consider having a car ready and waiting for you upon arrival for your peace of mind, although taxis are usually available at the stands. G7 is the best of the local taxi companies if you want to order one in advance, and taxi fares to and from the airport are fixed by law. Most taxi companies and airport transfer services track flight information, and they’ll be informed of any delays.

Never, ever take a taxi from someone who approaches you at the airport (one couple was charged €247 for the €55 trip from an unregistered cab driver), and avoid booking through websites that resemble “official” websites even if they look like they are official websites. (There should be a disclaimer at the bottom of the page, or check the About page.) Visit the official Paris Aéroport website for official information and links.

Although fares are fixed, add-ons are extra, including inside the terminal pick-up, additional passengers, and a small fee for each piece of luggage will be added to the final total. There are sometimes additional costs for extended waiting times, so check on those as well.

This map shows current official prices for taxi fares to and from CDG/Roissy airport. (Subject to change.)

Nowadays, I don’t recommend using ride-sharing apps like Uber from the airport as the price (and reliability) can vary, and it’s tricky finding their pick-up spots at the airport, which sometimes require going to another level or a parking area outside of the terminal. Drivers often call passengers (in French) to explain their whereabouts and how to get to them. It’s easier and roughly the same price to use an official taxi.

[Notes: Sometimes cab drivers will tell you their credit card machine isn’t working properly, asking you to pay in cash. It’s always good to carry some cash with you, but by law, they must take credit cards. When in doubt, ask before you get in to confirm with the driver that they can take your credit card. Amex isn’t widely accepted in Europe, so specify if that’s what you wish to use.

A common question about using cabs involves tipping: The tip is always included in France as people in the service industry make a living wage, as everyone else, and are not dependent on tips for their income, as some are in the States. But if you feel the driver to or from the airport has been nice and helpful, you can round the price up to the nearest euro, or tip €2-€5, or 5-10%, showing the most gratitude if they help with luggage, etc.]

So if you have a trip already planned, unless you feel like it’d be a good idea to postpone it — only you can assess your own personal comfort level — I wouldn’t worry too much about visiting. Just be flexible, and expect that you might find unexpected closures at museums and other institutions, and transit disruptions.

But c’est la vie…and for those who want to live like a local, consider this your chance to live like un vrai Parisien!

-dl

[UPDATE: I just received an alert that the French Aviation Authority has asked airlines to reduce their flight schedules through April 2nd due to a general strike planned up to that date, although Air France has stated they plan to operate all long-haul flights, as well as flights to and from Roissy/CDG airport. There is also a general strike called for April 6th.]

Links I’m Liking

Felicity Cloake cracks the code of homemade Pastels de Nata. (The Guardian)

Toblerone bars must remove the Matterhorn from packaging as they no longer qualify as Swiss. (ExplorersWeb)

The new shapes, sizes, looks, and tastes of croissants. (NYT, unlocked)

More on why the monks put a stopper on making Chartreuse…even though they just built a brand-new distillery in 2018. (The Times, possible paywall)

(While I’m partial to the original, if you can’t get it, two American-made herbal liqueurs are Verte Herbal Bitters and Centerbe, which I haven’t tried. Another excellent herbal liqueur is Dolin Genepy from France, and Forthave in Brooklyn makes one, called Yellow.)

On the subject of cocktails, I’m looking forward to Michael Ruhlman’s enticing new book on cocktail ratios. (Amazon/Bookshop)

Use your Sodastream to keep salad greens fresh. (Cook’s Illustrated)

Amateur Gourmet posts the recipe for the yummy Swiss Chard, Hazelnut & Gruyère lasagna he made for me in L.A. (Amateur Gourmet)

Video of the Notre Dame Cathedral gargoyles coming back to life, as the restoration nears completion. (EuroNews)

Why your toaster will eventually fail. (Wirecutter, possible paywall)

Stellar collection of extremely rare French cooking books went on the block at Christie’s. They’re listed here…with post-auction prices. (Christie’s)

Recipes for Spring!

If you’re lucky enough to get ail des ours (wild garlic), you need to make this Wild garlic pesto. I don’t mean to be so pushy, but it really is one of my very favorite things in spring. Got ramps? Those work too!

My Summer Fruit Tart with Frangipane will make anyone look like an accomplished home baker, and the layer of almond cream not only boosts and complements the fruit flavor but also prevents a soggy crust. It’s a triple win, in one neat slice.

Want to go more rustic? No tart pan? Go rogue with this Summer Fruit Galette baked on a sheet pan. Feel free to swap out the apricots and cherries with nectarines, plums, peaches, and berries. (Because everyone deserves a slice of spring or summer, while it has a laundry list of ingredients, this gluten-free galette dough from Bojon Gourmet looks very good.)

Having a lot of berries is one of my favorite luxuries in life. And when I’ve got a good mix of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc., I mix ’em up in this ultra-deluxe Mixed Berry Shortcake. And as Elijah Kelley sang in Hairspray, the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice…

…this blacker berry tart is an all-black berry beauty that’ll have you dancing with joy, too. (Okay, that may be a stretch. But this dance number is one of my favorites in the film, and it gave me a chance to watch it again.)

I love blueberries, and ever since the birds ate each and every blueberry I ever tried to grow as a kid, I now buy them and make this Blueberry Buckle soaked with Lemon syrup. Or try my classic Blueberry Cobbler or this Blueberry Muffin Cake, which works just as well for petit déjeuner (breakfast) as it does after dinner, or for le snack.

I don’t think there’s a better way to eat cherries than just popping them in your mouth, especially when they’re very cold, very ripe, and very dark and delicious. To keep the season going, I make this Cherry Compote to preserve the harvest. They’re so good spooned over ice cream, yogurt, or fresh goat cheese, and — yes — they freeze magnificently.

When plums and rhubarb come into season at the same time, it doesn’t get any better than this Rhubarb Plum Crisp, where two tangy fruits come together and beg to be served with an icy-cold scoop of classic Vanilla Ice Cream. (Or go off-piste with Fresh Ginger-White Chocolate Ice Cream, or Cinnamon Ice Cream instead.) I first had this delightful dessert in Ireland, and by the luck of the Irish, I came home with the recipe.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt is easy to churn up, and while I love it with other fruits and berries of the season, if you want to take things in a savory direction, Tara O’Brady’s perky Pickled Strawberries spooned over the top fit that bill.