Oh God, UHT Milk in Paris?? I thought this was the cafe capital of the world ? How awful !

Just drinnk it black!

Luisah, I said the same thing about the hotel man...What a hunk!

<<I said the same thing about the hotel man...What a hunk!>>

Indeed! I think I'd spend some time asking directions and hanging out in the lobby. Imagine the French accent.

avalon and Luisah,

My friend Monica and I met the hunky hotel man and he is even better looking in person and extremely nice. Definitely worth spending time asking directions and hanging out in the lobby.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed Mr. Hotel Owner Hotness on the hotel website. I wondered if he actually looked as good as advertised.

"Oh God, UHT Milk in Paris?? I thought this was the cafe capital of the world ? How awful !"

The only difference with UHT milk is that it is heated
( pasteurized) at a higher temperature than regular milk, which extends it's shelf life. Same is true for organic milk btw, which also has a much longer shelf life. Any difference in taste has to do with the effects of heating
( carmelization) not because of any additives in the milk.

<<Mr. Hotel Owner Hotness>>

LOL. LouisaH wrote that she met him and he's even better looking than his photo.

Tony might need to watch out if he's traveling with wife or girl friend.

"LouisaH wrote that she met him and he's even better looking than his photo."

Could be a reason to stop renting apartments and try a hotel.
Ann Marie

They sell UHT milk in one store I shop regularly at, and it is the only kind they sell of nonfat milke, so I've had to buy it sometimes. It does taste differently, and sure, it is because of the heat rather than additives, but I don't think it matters why. It doesn't taste the same, I don't like it at all. It doesn't taste as fresh somehow and is more of a burnt or sweet flavor, which is why I suppose I don't like it as I don't like sweet things that much, and never put sugar in my coffee.

I wouldn't think it would be that noticeable in coffee, though, but it is when putting in on cereal or just drinking it.

Luisah and amwosu, you're both exactly right!
This is much more interesting than UHT milk discussion. Just drink espresso.

Wow. This thread veers in yet another direction.

I was liking it more when the gals were talking about your hotel's hottie owner. ;-)

amwosu, I agree. Let's see if we can get things back on track.

<<Could be a reason to stop renting apartments and try a hotel.
Ann Marie>>

YES! I'd forgotten until this comment, but one year in Paris the young manager of my hotel looked like Matt Damon and had a wonderful sense of humor. My friend and spent a lot of time talking in the lobby talking to him and when I left he gave me a hug and kiss -- on the cheek, but still ...

Hi Luisah - Thank you for tipping us off about the sublime ONION SOUP at Brasserie Balzar! I made a point of going there 3 trips ago because I had just "Paris To The Moon".....well I was heavily influenced. OK good food, but boy was it HOT even in early October. Thank goodness I scored a table near the entrance and was relieved by a bit of a breeze. I never tried the onion soup but my DH adores a good broth so I will try and get him there this 2010 trip.
I have seen the onion soup at Au Pied Cochon which is supposedly fantastic but the 6"deep pile of cheese on top put me off. Are you supposed to eat that as well?

<<I have seen the onion soup at Au Pied Cochon which is supposedly fantastic but the 6"deep pile of cheese on top put me off. Are you supposed to eat that as well?>>

Where is Au Pied Cochon? I ate at a similar sounding restaurant in Les Halles years ago when I was young and out most of the night. Occasionally, we'd end up at Les Halles for soup in the early morning when the farmers were arriving with their produce. But I thought Les Halles was done and gone long ago.

I love cheese so don't mind having a lot in the soup. However, if memory serves, a lot of that inches-thick top is bread. I really don't remember how much cheese was on the soup at Balzar, just that it was delicious and had been recommended by a co-worker as "to die for."

When my sister and husband went to Paris a couple of years ago a Boston friend gave them the names of a French couple to call. They did, and the couple took them to Brasserie Balzar for dinner. Don't know if they had the onion soup though.

Au Pied de Cochon is on rue Coquillière in the 1ème. It's the same institution that was around when Les Halles existed, but not sure if it's in the same location. Yes, you eat the cheese on top, but there's a thick slice of bread underneath, so it's not all cheese. Each mouthful should be a combination of broth, bread, and cheese.

One of the only things I miss since going pescetarian is French onion soup! I make my own veggie version which is good but I doubt there is a vegetarian version in Paris...
Ann Marie

Au pied: Still located in its original location. I love the onion soup.
Hotels that say courtyard; often that refers to the airshaft.
One room I had overlooked the shaft decorated as a garden.