AAAHHH Paris, City of Lights, City of Love, City of a million
good things to eat.  I've been there more than once, and always find something new, something different, and
something good to eat.  As with all urban centers, this is a confluence of French culture, multi-ethnic cultures,
and that continental flair that  makes it so appealing to American travelers.  Each time I go back, it does get less
Parisian than the time before as, like here in New York City, varied groups from all over the world are settling in
and bringing their folkways and foods.  However, it will always be Paris, and therefore, extremely French. 
Translated, that means laid back bistros, haute temples of the highest degree of dining, street food steeped in
centuries of Gallic tradition, and food tastings from around the globe.  Cafe' culture is something which I find
even more appetizing than the food itself.  No rushing from the table, languishing for hours over a strong coffee,
a paper, or maybe a treat...  I find the most "Parisian" spot for me to be the heart of the city, Notre Dame Cathedral.
After everyone went to sleep one night, I went out for a walk and spent time, don't really know how long, just staring
at that scene you see above.  Students, lovers, strangers, old, young, dogs and cats...all milling about the large
square infront of the ancient Cathedral.  Makes you hungry for travel doesn't it?? 

     Well, the City of Paris will make you hungry for food as well.  I love to stroll the streets and sample things
as I go along.  I do my homework before I go to any city or region and try to stick with those items which are
specialities that I can't get at home.  But, kids being kids, with a little bit of Pulp Fiction rolled in...check out:
   Not what you were hoping for on this stroll thru Paris??
Let's continue....Vive la crepe...one of France's many "fast food" gifts to the world.  Unfortunately many
versions we all have eaten are too thick, dry, doughy, or just plain nasty.  A popular street food, it's perfect
for walking and eating at the same time...multitasking!!  I stopped at a Creperie next to the Church of Ste.
Paul and ordered the most common version,  Crepe au jambon et fromage..filled with a sliced of boiled
ham and shredded Gruyere' cheese.  This was in the section of Paris known as the Marais, and the
Creperie was opposite the Metro Station.  Real Parisian stuff...

    Note the checkered table cloth and the cool crepe maker.
Jars of Marmelades and Preserves behind him...these are the highlights of traveling for me...the little details...

 And here is your blog writer, in an embarassingly unflattering self
pic, however, you get to see the ham and cheese crepe, folded up for ease of eating and walking...In the back-
ground you can see some of the facade of the Baroque Church of St.Paul-St.Louis, completed in 1641.  Does
that make the crepe taste better?  Yes, yes it does.

   I'm not engaging into a debate
about what country has the best breakfast,...um...hello...they all do...but, when in Paris, eat like a Parisian ( at least
my idea of what a Parisian would eat for a more substantial breakfast).  That means, some cured meats, fresh
fruits, the ubiquitous baguette, some fresh squeezed o.j. , some soft ripe cheese, and coffee.  Just a question
here for those who live or have lived in Europe...why is the fresh squeezed Orange juice one of the cheapest
drinks to buy, and in America, where we grow tons of Oranges, the fresh item is so expensive...??  Send me
your comments please.  I walked out of our hotel on Ile St-Louis and went to the local market and made these
purchases. I can still smell that peach...and the sausage was porky, peppery, and garlicky.  The bread,  can't
describe the crispness of the crust...paired it all up with a nice goat cheese with fresh herbs.  Try this for a
leisurely weekend breakfast some day. 
    Our stroll takes us to the snack bar
here in the Eiffel Tower...this sandwich is possibly the most popular of street styled snacks in Paris, it is the
Croque Monsieur...white bread, toasted, a touch of dijon mustard on the inside, a slice of ham, a slice of
Gruyere...then topped with a Bechamel ( flour, butter, and milk cream sauce) sauce with grated Gruyere,
then broiled to crispy, brown perfection.  Also, pommes frites, or, French Fries.  Certainly, this particular
one was not the best ever, we were in a tourist spot, but who cares...It was our first meal in France after
our flight from JFK, and the kids wanted to hit the Eiffel Tower, tout suite....

    Locally grown beefsteak tomatoes in a vegetable
market on Ile St-Louis, Paris.

  A poultry shop window full of a French
Specialty , Poulet de Bresse, a special breed of bird highly prized in the culinista world...and here they sell them
just like everyday  chickens.....more reasons to love Paris.

    No street stroll through this awesome city would be complete without stopping for a bowl of  Soupe a l'oignon
gratinee, or French Onion Soup, that bulwark of the Parisian bistros, and of global bistro cuisine.  This was a
version we sampled at La Chaumiere en l'ile overlooking the Seine and the rear of Notre Dame on Ile St-Louis.
Onion soup is either off the chart, or a salt lick with nasty waxy cheese...this was off the chart...for real...a winey
buttery beef broth with lots of sweet caramelized onions, crunchy crouton of good French bread..and a gratineed
topping of Gruyere...

  Parfait!!