A Month in Paris
Apr 4th, 2012 | 08:24 AM
#41
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 463
Likes: 0
What a wonderful report. I love your photos. You must be really enjoying yourselves ♥
I'm going to look into one of those canal rides for our trip. I think it'd be very fun (and a nice break from all the walking we'll be doing)! Thank you so much for sharing.
I'm going to look into one of those canal rides for our trip. I think it'd be very fun (and a nice break from all the walking we'll be doing)! Thank you so much for sharing.
Apr 4th, 2012 | 10:48 AM
#43
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 24,040
Likes: 6
As an ancestral <i>Lorrain</i> I will answer your blog question about quiche vs tart. A quiche is a traditional Lorraine dish made with <i>lardons</i> (chopped bacon), cream and eggs. If there are any other ingredients, it is not a quiche! End of story, so the place where you ate was correct and respectful in calling something with other ingredients a tart (actually it is a <i>tarte salée</i> = savory tart).
However, the term 'quiche' has been extended with no respect for tradition, both in France and throughout the world, to describe just about any savory tart. Last Friday, we had some employees leaving my office and on Thursday afternoon, my boss said he was going to buy some quiches as the main food item. I warned him against it immediately since we have a number of Muslim employees. He said "I wasn't going to get any quiches containing pork -- I am planning on buying a spinach and goat cheese quiche, a salmon and onion quiche and a courgette quiche."
I replied "those are not quiches" and walked away. He was perplexed.
That night he sent me an email saying, "you were right" and attached a link defining quiches, which made it clear that other savory tarts are often called quiches "abusively" and that the only authentic quiche is a quiche Lorraine.
Having been vindicated, I ate those other tarts with gusto, as they were excellent.
However, the term 'quiche' has been extended with no respect for tradition, both in France and throughout the world, to describe just about any savory tart. Last Friday, we had some employees leaving my office and on Thursday afternoon, my boss said he was going to buy some quiches as the main food item. I warned him against it immediately since we have a number of Muslim employees. He said "I wasn't going to get any quiches containing pork -- I am planning on buying a spinach and goat cheese quiche, a salmon and onion quiche and a courgette quiche."
I replied "those are not quiches" and walked away. He was perplexed.
That night he sent me an email saying, "you were right" and attached a link defining quiches, which made it clear that other savory tarts are often called quiches "abusively" and that the only authentic quiche is a quiche Lorraine.
Having been vindicated, I ate those other tarts with gusto, as they were excellent.
Apr 4th, 2012 | 11:27 AM
#44
Original Poster
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
HA, thanks Kerouac! This is especially good for me to know, as I don't eat pork. However, I think that while the restaurant may have been respectful in calling this a tart, they were disrespectful with what they called a quiche, as it definitely contained tuna, and not pork.....So I wonder what they think the difference is!
Lantana - the canal cruises do look nice, although I've only ever taken the ones on the Seine. However you should know there are a bunch of locks and they do take some time getting through, so it's more of a slow cruise...
Lantana - the canal cruises do look nice, although I've only ever taken the ones on the Seine. However you should know there are a bunch of locks and they do take some time getting through, so it's more of a slow cruise...
Apr 5th, 2012 | 10:24 AM
#47
Original Poster
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement to keep writing!
Here are some thoughts (and my 100th blog post): http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/0...le-things.html
Here are some thoughts (and my 100th blog post): http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/0...le-things.html
Apr 5th, 2012 | 12:19 PM
#51
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 31,188
Likes: 0
Enjoyed the photos and am still happily jealous! The bread, radishes and butter are a combo in Jacques Pepin's fast food cook book. Slice french bread, butter the bread, arrange very thin slices of radishes in a flower-like design and salt it.
Apr 5th, 2012 | 12:25 PM
#52
Original Poster
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
We LOVE Jacques Pepin..I wonder if that is where my husband first go the idea for the radishes - they are his favorite thing with bread and butter. Here we have discovered the amazing salted butters to go with them!
Apr 5th, 2012 | 02:32 PM
#53
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,366
Likes: 0
From your blog: "And seeing everyone walk around with baguettes under their arms makes me happy."
During our stay in Paris last year, we began to notice that it was very rare to see an untasted baguette being carried. Just too tempting. We were certainly amenable to following that practice!
During our stay in Paris last year, we began to notice that it was very rare to see an untasted baguette being carried. Just too tempting. We were certainly amenable to following that practice!
Apr 5th, 2012 | 08:06 PM
#56
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 344
Likes: 0
annhig--my sarcasm didn't translate well. When I said "here", I meant in front of my computer following along on sharbear's trip. 
I did wander around Canal St. Martin once--in February--so didn't get to experience the vibe I imagine exists in the warmer weather with lots of people around enjoying the cafes and people watching on the waterfront setting.
Tip of the baguette: le quignon? or le crouton? I've seen both, not sure which is right.
I did wander around Canal St. Martin once--in February--so didn't get to experience the vibe I imagine exists in the warmer weather with lots of people around enjoying the cafes and people watching on the waterfront setting.Tip of the baguette: le quignon? or le crouton? I've seen both, not sure which is right.
