NewsletterOctober 2015

Paris After the Rain

Turns out a walk on the Champs de Mars isn't easy to plan when you can't control the weather! France in the fall is always iffy, it could just as easily be rain as sun. But I sure wasn't prepared for the downpour that started almost as my walk was about to begin. But not all was lost as I was able to meet Susan and Tom who kindly invited me to their apartment in Montmartre to dry off. The photo above is from their window. How's that for a view to wake up to?? Once the rain stopped we took a short walk and saw one of the last windmills in Montmartre and the man in the wall - Le Passe-Muraille. Before the rain I had a chance to visit Place des États-Unis, about a 15 minute walk from the Eiffel Tower.
Not to give up, I'll be leading another walk. This time in Beaune where we'll discover the once American camp and university that was created near the end of WWI. Most people know Beaune for its wine, but it also has some hidden history that we will discover! Walk will be on Saturday 24th at 3pm. We'll meet up at the once camp, it's outside the town center. This neighborhood is now residential with some antique shops.
Please RSVP: .

La Rentrée

End of summer vacation is La Rentrée in France and back to school or work. Meaning that Jan & Jeff started again. In September we talked about:
Making Apple Juice & Picking Mushrooms - #28
Inheritance, Rainy Day in Paris & Pumpkin to Pumpkin Pie - #27
Beef Wellington, Garden Harvest & Tous au Restaurant - #26
Cheese Competition, Cultural Differences & Walk on the Champs de mars - #25
You can see a videos of apple juice being made, Pumpkin Pie cooking and photos from the mushroom picking.

On the Web

Ecole des Trois Ponts: Residential French and cooking institute in Loire region, near Roanne.
Avignon Blues Festival: October 15-17, 2015.
Best of Provence & the French Alps Tour: See two of the most beautiful regions of France in one tour. From majestic mountains to crystal clear lakes, you will come to love the breathtaking alpine views.
Estate Planning: There has been a change in EU rules. It used to be that inheritance rules were determined by your country of domicile. Now, within the EU, you may choose the country of nationality. October 26th 6:30 pm, Reid Hall, 4 Rue de Chevreuse, 75006 Paris
Expat Insider 2015: What the Expat community thinks about France.

Fall Reading

Le French Oven: The companion to French Comfort Food, Le French Oven showcases authentic, tantalizing French recipes that can be created in the cocotte-the French version of a Dutch oven-in all of its sizes and shapes, from mini to large. Using various techniques such as braising, stewing, roasting, baking, stovetop, and frying, Le French Oven will teach how to create appetizers, soups, main courses, desserts, and more.
My Paris Market Cookbook: A Culinary Tour of French Flavors and Seasonal Recipes Based on Emily Dilling’s popular blog, parispaysanne.com, My Paris Market Cookbook: A Culinary Tour of French Flavors and Seasonal Recipes takes readers on a tour of Paris’s growing artisanal and craft food scene. Visits to markets with local farmers, coffee roasters, and craft brewers in the city offer insight into the exciting development of local food movements in the city of lights and its surrounding region. Complete with seasonal recipes inspired by local products, farmers, chefs, restaurants, and cafés, My Paris Market Cookbook brings the experience of shopping for, and cooking with, fresh locally grown products into readers’ homes and kitchens.
Bistronomy: Recipes from the Best New Paris Bistros: French food reimagined by a new generation of chefs.There is a new movement afoot in Paris. Young chefs have turned their backs on stuffiness and are creating an experience that is more fun and a lot less formal. In tiny independent bistros mostly on the outskirts of the city, they are turning out fantastically inventive food that bypasses many of the old sauces and relies instead on the vibrancy of responsibly sourced ingredients.
How the French Think: An Affectionate Portrait of an Intellectual People: Why are the French such an exceptional nation? Why do they think they are so exceptional? The French take pride in the fact that their history and culture have decisively shaped the values and ideals of the modern world. French ideas are no less distinct in their form: while French thought is abstract, stylish and often opaque, it has always been bold and creative, and driven by the relentless pursuit of innovation.
My Paris Dream: An Education in Style, Slang, and Seduction in the Great City on the Seine: As a young woman, Kate Betts nursed a dream of striking out on her own in a faraway place and becoming a glamorous foreign correspondent. After college—and not without trepidation—she took off for Paris, renting a room in the apartment of a young BCBG (bon chic, bon genre) family and throwing herself into the local culture. She was determined to master French slang, style, and savoir faire, and to find a job that would give her a reason to stay.

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