Apartment cooking in Paris
 

We have rented a Paris apartment for a week, planning to use the Paris Pass by day and cook dinners chez nous. We hear grocery stores in Paris are great, but any specific tips on what to prepare in a tiny kitchen that won't take two hours? Is it true that vin ordinaire in Paris is extraordinary enough?

So the plan is to save on breakfast and dinner so we can try out some wonderful bistros for lunch. Any ideas on that one?

Thanks!

You'll first need to see how the kitchen is equipped before making any final plans (pots and pans available, what kind of stove, oven or not, cutlery, etc.).

Pasta is usually an easy choice. Or anything you can do stovetop in a frying pan like stir fries. Also you can use shops with prepared foods and not cook everything from scratch yourself (still saves money) like getting a roasted chicken to-go and make a salad or boil some new potatoes on your own. Breakfasts are easy. Quiche from a bakery and make a fruit salad. Cereal, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, etc.

I have never found vin ordinaire to be extraordinary :-)

Steve, there are many places in Paris where you can find ready cooked dishes which you will only need to warm up or just keep warm depending on when you buy them. Roast chickens, potatoes, a salad and bread, plus some lovely cheese and you're away [plus that wine of course].

Without knowing where you are going to be at lunchtime every day it's a little hard to come up with ideas about places to eat but many restaurants will offer a "plat du jour" or even a "prix fixe" menu which are usually good value and offer the best that the restaurant has on that day.

we tend to have breakfast out too - coffee and a croissant in a cafe is often little more than it would have cost in the apartment when you take account of the cost of buying the ground coffee, milk, sugar, butter, jam....we've found petit dejeuner for as little as €3 but admittedly not in central Paris!

What time of year?

If I made lunch my main meal in Paris, I would be content with a green salad of some sort, bread, perhaps some fruit and cheese or charcuterie. And wine, of course!

The apartment I rent in Paris is really well equipped for cooking nearly anything. That said, I generally keep it simple because I have too many places I want to eat.

Within a block of "my" apartment are a boucherie, boullangerie, patersserie, cheese shop, wine cave, chocolate maker and a couple of small produce/grocers. I've honestly never been to a "grocery store".

Check out "Hungry For Paris". It will help you figure out where and what you want to eat.

I think Indyhiker has overlooked the economics and good-ness of eating a lunch at a great restaurant which will be luscious--and less expensive than dinner.
I would shop at the local store for one of those wonderful roast chickens and the potatoes and onions in the bottom of the roaster.
Just go to the street market--get some paella they will have cooking. Get a baguette and cheese.
As for the Paris Pass--not a good buy.
You can get very adequate wines at the supermarche.

Adding--don't spend your time cooking in Paris--pick it up and enjoy.

French "table wine" isn't extraordinary except maybe to very cheap wine you buy in the US from some other countries (including US IMO). It depends on your wine palate, there are laws and what was formerly labeled table wine isn't as good as other stuff, of course (I presume that's what you mean by "vin ordinaire", you don't see that on any French wine bottle, that isn't a wine classification). Wine is a good bargain in France. I don't tend to drink expensive wine in US, so I am satisfied with a 5-10 euro bottle in France. They now label "table wine" as simply "vin de France". That is the lowest level of 3 classes. Those simplest wines are cheap and often come from the south of France. They don't carry a varietal designation or vintage.

If you don't know how to cook already, you aren't going to become a cook suddenly, and would already know what to cook, how long it takes, and menus that you like. YOu can buy prepared foods/takeout, etc in big Paris grocery stores just like in the US, if you like, makes it easier if you aren't an experienced cook (ie, roast chicken, definitely pastries/breads).

To simplify cooking in a tiny apartment, you need to visit a Picard frozen food supermarket. The things available are often quite amazing.

@Gretchen. I'm not sure I understand what I've overlooked. My answer--regarding a salad, bread and cheese for dinner--was based in the assumption that the OP was hoping to make lunch his main meal of the day and would presumably need/want a lighter dinner to compensate.

+1 for Picard. It is NOT frozen food like we have in US. Between Picard and local outdoor markets with lots of prepared food to go and cheese, fruit, baguette etc you are good to go. While many apartments have a burner or 2 cooktop and microwave, you may not find an oven or a huge amount of cook wear.

You will save euros by eating in, you don't need to "ccok" in do save. The cost of meat/protein in Paris is high at supermarkets.

If you like yogurt, be sure to try: La Fermiere Yogurt; it is amazing and you get some neat ceramic pots to take home as souvenirs!

http://thedailycure.com/2010/09/02/w...rt-or-the-pot/

(indyhiker, re-read how you worded your sentence. it's not clear whether you meant that salad to BE your lunch, or for dinner after a large lunch. you can read it either way.)

suze - I thought the same thing. It was only when i read indyhiker's 2nd post that I understood what he/she meant.

I wouldn't be buying frozen meals in Paris - but prepared ones - as you do in any gourmet shop in the US.

They may already be hot or maybe chilled and you just have to reheat in a microwave or over depending on what they are.

When we don;t feel like going out or ordering in we sometimes stop in Zabars or whatever and get some really nice cold poached salmon, or even a whole chicken for 2 meals, a couple of veggie side dishes that nuke in about 3 inutes and a salad. Hardly more than buying raw materials in the market when it's only for 1 or 2 people.

The same is easily done in a lot of places in Paris. Have whoever you are renting the apt from give you the name of a local place - and tell you what stuff they are providing in the kitchen. (Many do not have ovens)

Firstly, the Paris Pass is a very overpriced service which consists of nothing that cannot be otherwise purchased separately at far lower cost. You should reconsider making such a purchase.

Secondly, if someone wants to rent an apartment to be able to cook and take advantage of the wonderful markets and what they have to offer, I find that admirable. If however, you simply want the kitchen as a place to quickly assemble something for dinner, then Picard would be a worthwhile solution. There are also a number of locations, called traiteurs, which sell ready to eat selections. Even the food sections of Monoprix sells ready made items.

Lastly, <i>vin ordinaire</i> is not the least be extraordinary, but it could be quite satisfactory if your taste buds are pleased by inexpensive wines that you find. For a week, you could stop by Carrefour or Franprix or Monoprix and see what boxed wines are available. Reds at approximately 20€ per 3 liters can be acceptable and could be all you need for a week. Effectively, the wine choices are endless.

I give Picard a vote and we loved the markets, everything was so fresh. We are on the go all day and so tired by night that it is nice to come back to the apartment for a meal and bottle of wine plus kicking off the shoes. We are big lunch eaters and do breakfast and mostly dinner in. I love shopping for different items to eat. I am on vacation so just take out or something easy. I know many don't agree but we like doing it this way. If I have an apartment then we take advantage of it, if not we eat out all our meals.

I cannot eat 3 restaurant meals a day so snacking in the apartment works for us. The agency we rent from supplies coffee and a run to the boulangerie in the morning takes care of breakfast. If we have a big meal at lunchtime, which we often do, bread, cheese, fruit, olives and wine are dinner.

I have mostly used prepared foods when I have wanted to eat in an apartment in Paris. However, one thing I love to do there is buy duck breast (magret) at a market or at a butcher and cook it on the stovetop in a pan, rare like a steak. So easy and so much better than what I can get at home.

To locate a Picard near you, go to http://magasins.picard.fr/ and put your postal code in the search box. That will bring up a list of all the locations in that arrondissement and show them on a map.

Suze, thanks for backup. I agree with Indyhiker, as clarified!! LOL
We don't eat 3 restaurant meals, even staying in hotels--croissant and coffee, sandwich at the traiteur for lunch sitting in a park perhaps, and dinner. Or big lunch and small dinner.
But for a week in Paris, I'd not be doing any 2 hour cooking!! Do love the idea of the magret however.

To the OP: what do you usually cook at home that doesn't take two hours? I would just follow the same principle, assuming, as others have said, the kitchen is equipped for the type of cooking you're comfortable with - easy to find out beforehand.

I love cooking, in general, but it takes on another dimension for me when traveling. I love the shopping, the interacting with the merchants, using products I may not have at home. Not to mention using another kitchen - be it the challenge of a small one, different appliances, or the absolutely lovely copper pots one kitchen was outfitted with.

I've never spent two hours cooking in Paris. I keep it simple: pasta, as someone else mentioned, omelettes, and one dish that has become my Paris specialty, which sounds a lot like Nikki's prep in terms of ease. Veal chops from the boucherie, cut for you from the meat hanging in the window (not shrink-wrapped in the refrigerated section). Salt, pepper, dried herb of choice (we use rosemary). Sear in pan until done. Remove from pan. Pour in a couple glugs of white wine. Deglaze. Finish with a pat of butter, s&p to taste and pour over chops. Serve with steamed haricots verts and a hunk of crusty bread. Easy peasy and not even close to one hour, let alone two.

Are most items at Picard designed to be heated in the microwave? We're staying in an apartment for the first time, but I don't think we'll have an oven.

The items at Picard are of all sorts. Some are frozen items which you must assemble with others to make a meal, some are raw items for a full dish, some are cooked items that only need reheating. You really have to see a Picard store to understand it all, but of course you can browse their website to get an idea of what they sell.

You do have to be careful with the Picard products, not all can be microwaved; some require oven.

When I'm in an apartment I don't try to cook like I would at home, even simple things.

Mostly I just 'assemble' meals as others have mentioned, using local bakeries, street markets, deli-style shops, places with prepared foods, grocery stores.

I have a couple go-to dishes like pasta salad or 'greek' salad that are easy to prepare and have on hand, adding additional ingredients different days.

I agree w David Lebovitz, take a roll of heavy duty aluminum foil from USA. You can roast anything on a flat pan covered w foil for easy cleanup in the oven using a little olive oil and salt. We roasted filets of various fish with olive oil, olives, diced potatoes and red peppers ( or zucchini) for about 15 min and called it dinner. Same method for boneless chicken breasts but cooked a bit longer. We tried Picard but found the products dismal.

The rotisseried chickens and potatoes sold at the markets are wonderful. But the fromageries also sell pate, cheese and great olives. We particularily liked La Maison Guyard, 42 rue de Verneuil, 75007 across from Eric Kayser boulangerie.

Bon apetit!

They sell aluminum foil in Paris, n'est pas?

The aluminum foil available in Paris is nothing like the aluminum foil sold in the US. The French varied is very thin and does not hold its shape. Have you actually purchased and used aluminum foil purchased in Paris DebitNM?

I have and I can't say that it was all that different than what I have at home. Perhaps not as thick as heavy duty, but I managed ok. I sure wouldn't give up room but more importantly weight in my luggage for foil.

I am speechless at the idea of people bringing aluminum foil from the US to Paris so they can reheat frozen food there if they can't microwave it.

It is true that frozen and microwaved food is now what you are most likely to get in Paris restaurants, so I guess why not, but I will just note that it this is fairly recent, and not very long ago people would have been appalled at this approach to eating in Paris.

It really doesn't take two hours to sauté or gratin fresh mushrooms from the market, to make a salad, to cook an omelet. It takes less than 20 minutes to steam mussels in wine.

What a pity, really, that people visiting Paris have convinced themselves frozen food is better than fresh.

I agree with sandralist - to a point.

Though it wouldn't take any time at all to cook fresh food bought at a market (or anywhere else), it would take time to shop around and find what you wanted, then wash and prepare it. That could definitely take much more time than many visitors are apparently willing to spend.

I despise Picard - and yes, I have tried many types of food sold there. I just think it's a shame to use this as a main food source in Paris.

I haven't used foil in years - parchment paper works just as well, and is sturdy enough for any job. It can also be used in the microwave, if you happen to believe in those things.

If you're going to bring aluminum foil from home, you might as well bring along some food, while you're at it...

Is it really a chore to go to markets in Paris? I had thought it was rather fun.

I really see absolutely nothing wrong with going to Paris and doing nothing but sightseeing great sights and shopping for clothes or what have you, and never set foot near anyplace that sells fresh food. But the OP is asking what to cook cheaply and quickly for dinner so surely they are already committed to some kind of shopping and meal preparation. If they are staying in an apartment surely they can ask the landlord what is the best nearest market as easily as where they can go to buy frozen food and aluminum foil.

It takes a few minutes to pan fry or poach a fish. The fishmonger will give it to you cleaned. It takes a few moments to wipe off mushrooms and chop them, and only minutes to sauté them in butter and wine and fresh herbs and put them over toast. You don't need to wash a French egg before you crack it. You can take sausage out of the paper the butcher wrapped it in and put in a hot pan or, for other types of French sausage, hot water, and -- voila -- 10 minutes later you have dinner (having sliced tomatoes to eat with them in in the meantime). Or rinse off a pound of green haricot beans if that's what's in the market, steam them for 10 minutes and serve them with tuna fish and a bit of chopped onion over dressed lettuce. Eat it with great French bread.

In recent years a proliferation of American cooking shows and absurd restaurant dishes have somehow persuaded Americans that every meal should be a different elaborate recipe that calls for 9 different hard to find ingredients. But you can have a great meal made of one or two ingredients, seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked in less than 20 minutes, and served with ample bread and butter. You really don't need to be much of a cook to do this.

I asked the OP what time of year they are traveling because shopping local markets and cooking seasonally is a time saver.

I don't see where anyone suggested Picard as a "main food source" for the OP - it was merely offered as one of many, many options.

I'd agree with what the above posters say.
I don't think I'd venture into a Picard, though nothing wrong with it. My preference is to go for the fresh stuff.

SteveHarvester:

- If you don't normally cook at home, I wouldn't bother planning to do so with only a week in Paris. You'll find plenty of good food (cooked, uncooked or with little prep required) to bring home to the apartment for a ready-to-eat meal.

- If you can cook or feel that you must, go for the simple, fresh stuff. Stuff that's quick, easy, won't take more than 30 minutes to prepare or leave you with a sizeable mess to clean or dispose of. Don't want to waste time when you could be doing other things in Paris.

A few tips if you plan to use the kitchen :

- If you are buying fresh food, buy just enough (butter, milk, eggs, etc.) to last your stay, as well as fruit and veg to last one or two meals. There's the temptation to buy more than you need because we eat with our eyes, and because of the prepackaged quantities and sizes. Ask if smaller quantities are available to purchase (like 6 eggs if you don't need 12). You'll appreciate this on your last day. Bread for example, is often sold in small (and large) fresh-baked sticks twice a day (demi-ficelle, demi-baguette), so you can get smaller quantities as you need. You'll smell it and see the line-ups in the morning and early evening.

- Your apt may stock some staples (sugar, seasonings). If not, avoid buying anything that you'll end up leaving and cluttering in your host's fridge or cupboards. The cabinets are likely very small and you'll find previous tenants have already done the same. I carry a few small sachets of seasoning or spices in case I need them. They weigh nothing nor take up any room.

- Definitely visit the street markets, supermarkets, bakeries, patisseries, fish and cheese shops. You'll see them everywhere. You won't leave empty handed.

- There's a decent wine for every taste, and even more decent cheese in every grocery store you go to.

I would not miss a visit to a street market on any trip to Paris--often more than once--and we don't use an apartment. A street market is a window into living in Paris.
And I suggested getting the "take out" from one of them. The one in pl. MOnge had the most gorgeous platter of paella steaming on the burner I have ever seen--outside of the one I make!!

The aluminum foil suggestion is indeed ridiculous, invented someone who failed to see that there are different thicknesses available in the supermarkets. I myself usually use the thin version which is great for wrapping up leftovers or sandwiches. For cooking, you use the thick stuff.

Why do I picture the OP scanning this thread, shaking his head, and walking away from the computer?

Everyone is just making suggestions that they think may be helpful to the question asked. Except for the bringing your own tinfoil idea, I think people are pretty much right on the money.