And now I'm back..
Matcha green tea chocolate with black and white sesame seeds
After 5 days in Paris I need to recover a little bit. The wine, the food, the speaking French. It's hard work people.
I wasn't sure what to expect about going back. I had lived there for a year and a half and I wasn't sure if going back was going to make me a bit sad.
I mean, I wasn't going there as a tourist, I was going back to a place that I called home for 18 months, a place where I still have friends. Good friends.
And well, it's Paris for heaven's sake.
But when I got there, it kind of felt as though I'd never left. I sat in the back of the taxi on my way to my friend's house and everything looked the same, familiar. It still felt like my Paris.
I did all the things I intended--the Salon des Saveurs , a falafel at L'As du Falafel, a stop at Mariage Frères for some new tea. We had a homecooked mexican feast one night with one too many margaritas, and a schlep out in the rain in our heels another night for a fabulous dinner at Spring.
But the most perfect of all was spending one rainy day in my pj's on my friend's couch with endless cups of coffee, chatting about nothing in particular, in an apartment full of windows and a fabulous view of Paris from all directions.
My suitcase was a bit heavier when I left of course. I added three new teas to my overflowing collection, a bottle each of pistachio oil, pine nut oil and pumpkin seed oil, a jar of sundried cherry tomato paste from Italy, a bar of Sadaharu Aoki matcha green tea chocolate and some fresh Bouteillan olives from Provence.
It was a good trip.
I have to admit, I did feel a bit sad to leave, but Paris and I, we still have our thing.
And I'll be back there in July so I can't really complain, right?
Stuff and more stuff that I love..
*********************
Mille et Une Huiles
-these oils taste so true to their flavours they knock my socks off.
Spring
28, rue de la Tour d'Auvergne
75009 PARIS
T 01 45 96 05 72
m° Notre-Dame de Lorette
Labels: chocolate, mariage freres, Paris, Paris restaurants, sweet stuff, tea
posted by Michèle at 4:30 AM
20 Comments:
Silly girl!
You came to Paris and had Japanese matcha-flavored chocolate, Chinese tea, Italian tomatoes, Mexican margaritas and carnitas (which were killer...), Sicilian pistachio oil, and dinner at a restaurant with an American chef?
Thanks goodness I showed up. At least you spent some time with something vraiment Parisian.
David, that made me laugh out loud! Too funny. And yes, thank god you were there to keep me on the straight and narrow. I think you were even wearing orange socks weren't you! So French darling, so very French.
I'm about to go back to Edinburgh for a week in early June, and I'm feeling about anxious the whole affair, too. I spent seven wonderful years there, and although I've been extremely happy about moving back home to Estonia (seven months ago:), I still get all fuzzy and warm when thinking about Edinburg:)
And Paris, oh Paris. When I arrived there for a first time in my life (exactly a year ago, on May 17th:), I was determined to pay a visit to L'As du Falafel, as per David's blog's recommendation. Rather sillily, however, we decided to that on Saturday, when it was obviously closed. It's on my next Paris trip's itinerary..
Welcome Back! I'm glad that you had such a nice time. All the great "omiyage" (souvenirs)! :)
Sounds like a fantastic getaway. Glad to hear it ... but we'll all be selfish and say that we're happy to have you back and writing!
You're back! And you brought us chocolate! How thoughtful:-)
I'm glad you and Paris still have your thing. I'm in San Francisco this week and feeling sad that I think I've fallen out of love with my city (how is this possible?). That new leafy green city to the north seems to have my heart at the moment.
But definitely ditto on Tara--glad you're back to posting!
Pille, the first time I made my way to L'As du Falafel, I made the same mistake. It's a right of passage I think ;) Definitely go next time you are in Paris, it's so worth it! And I hope your trip back to Edinburgh goes well too, Im sure it will. It tugs at the heartstrings though doesn't it!
K&S, thanks! And yes, I did bring back some very worthy souvenirs. Im just hoping they last me long enough until my next trip.
Tara, it was definitely a great trip. And one day you and I will take on Paris together, yes? I'm holding you to it my friend.
Tea, I hear you--I had the same thing with Paris when I first moved away, (at least I convinced myself of that in order to make it easier to leave) but absense always makes the heart grow fonder. Im sure San Francisco will earn your affections again in no time. But Im glad to hear that you are enjoying Seattle!
Michele, I've been reading your London posts since you resuscitated your blog a couple of months ago, but not sure if I've left a comment yet. Welcome back. It's good to take a break every now and then, isn't it? I have to thank you for linking to Spring and the chef's blog. I spent the better part of an hour I didn't have reading his blog from start to finish. It's fun for me to read of another chef's struggles and delays opening his restaurant. I wish Spring was on my radar when I was in Paris last month. Would've loved to have eaten there!! I'll search your archives to see if you've written about the restaurant before.
Welcome back!
A greentea chocolate and a wine.
What a good combination!
sounds like you had a fabulous time! and OMG - green tea chocolate?!!! i didn't even think that stuff existed in real life except in my dreams :)
Brett, it definitely was good to take a break--I even surprised myself with how much I missed it. I'm glad you enjoyed the chef's blog--I hadn't written about Spring before by the way but it was a great experience and I will definitely go back. I highly recommend giving it a try next time you are in Paris. If you want any more info let me know, I'd be happy to oblige.
Catalyst, so true!
Chris, ha! So you're one of the ones who dreams of chocolate too huh ;)
...um did we take the metro home last night?
pear brandy, 10am...all right then
hey it's noon, no alcohol yet today
it tastes like horse...yeah, I get barn
Oh, you lucky girl. Falafel, margaritas, and matcha chocolate - as David says, it may not be French, but it sure sounds good!
So what'd you bring me? ;)
oooh, i'm *always* dreaming of chocolate but i'm more a green tea freak so that little bar of heaven that you picked up is my idea of *the* ultimate comfort food.
i guess that's another reason for me to go to paris eh? :)
What a fun trip back to France!
Paz
Alisa, holy flashback ;)
Melissa, well I did get french tea, french olives, and french oil, so that counts. And didn't I tell you I brought you back a whole box of Herme macarons but I had to eat them because I didn't want them to go stale...hee hee hee oops!
Chris, I hear you! And yes, you should definitely make a trip to Paris--you can even buy matcha green tea powder at Mariage Freres for using in desserts and stuff. Sounds right up your alley!
Paz, yes, it was so much fun. Thank goodness its a short train ride from London!
Oooh... I didn't know you were blogging again until it was pointed out by David. It's lovely to hear about London - I just wish I'd seen your posts before my trip there two weeks ago, as I never quite knew where to eat. I did make it to the Borough Market - fabulous. Just fabulous.
I've been reading your lovely blog for a while and thought it was about time I complimented you on the excellent writing and wonderful photography. I am so pleased you are now writing about London - I really enjoy following your gastronomic travels.
Paige, well Im glad you made it to the Borough market, it is one of my favourite places! I do intend to post about more of my favourite places to eat--there are so many in London!
Jane, thank you very much--the compliments are greatly appreciated. Although I'm feeling a bit embarrassed because my good camera is broken so I've been using a small point and shoot the last few months and am not feeling as pleased about my photos these days! But I thank you for the encouraging words and here's hoping I get a new camera soon ;)
Okay, so I'm a little bit late - gah! - to see this, but I have to pipe up anyway. I was so glad to see your shout-out for Mille et Une Huiles, because I used to work for them at the Marche Bastille! (They don't seem to have a stand there anymore, sadly.) Their oils are so, so lovely... xo!
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