Food Post

Kind of obligatory, don't you think? France is known for its cuisine, and here I am, depriving you all of the most important topic of all: food. Now, for the first five days of my time in Paris, I was quite nauseous most of the time. "how awful!" you should think, "that she may not enjoy the wonder that is French cuisine!" Don't you worry, I am quite back to my normal ways, which, as you know, are consuming more than the average beast. (And I certainly saved a few euro in those days.)

To my dismay, the IES program only provides students in homestays with three meals a week, plus a continental breakfast. This means that for the other 14 meals, we are on our own. Now unless you are positively rolling in cash, it is simply not possible to eat out 14 times a week. A more realistic number would be two. Four-five other times, you can grab a baguette sandwich or panini from a boulangerie in between 2-4 euroes which is a pretty sweet deal. The rest of the time, you're on your own. (For the record, however, Mme is a fantastic cook. So far she has made us pork curry, omelettes, crepes, gratin, and salads. Dinner is always, always followed by cheese.)

For the first 10 days of study abroad, this meant I was munching on leftover airplane food (not as gross as it sounds--things like crackers and almonds I had packed from Seattle), and a box of satsumas I had purchased and chocolate pudding. So basically I was eating chocolate and satsumas. No wonder my skin reminds me of my days as a preteen. Anyway, I am getting the hang of eating cheaply. Tonight I bought a bagfull of mangoes from a street vendor (3 for 2 euroes) and a package of bowtie pasta (only the best) and some questionable pasta sauce. And earl grey tea. This should last me through the week? We'll see.

Now when I am not scrimping and saving, I am blowing my money on important things like macarons. Today Kiley and I spent the afternoon like real ladies--at tea at Laduree (St. Germain-des-Pres location). Laduree is a famous Parisian patisserie founded way back in 1862. It is full of women in furs and American sorority sisters. You'd think it would be the last place I would want to be but you are oh so wrong. I am amoureuse des macarons. One time my good friend Lara and I even tried to bake them! But they looked more like tiny pancakes than anything else. I ordered a pot of Earl Grey tea and four mini macarons: raspberry, chocolate, violet-cassis (by far the most divine), and pistachio. I actually ordered orange blossom instead of pistachio but the service in Paris blows so I got stuck with pistachio.

The other especially notable culinary experience I had was of a more humble nature. Starved in the Marais, and unwilling to wait in a 40 minute line for what is rumored to be Paris' best falafel, I opted for a bagel from the first Jewish bakery I saw. I ordered a bagel with salmon cream cheese. I got this:

It was exquisite. I wolfed the entire thing down, savored the tiny pickles tucked into the center hole, and proceeded to cradle my belly for the next hour or so. I cannot wait to return and try the challah, falafel, pizzas, babka, and baklava. If I ever branch out from this bagel, that is.