Food & Wine
Paris Bistros: Diners Beware
PARIS, France–A few years ago, my husband and I started on a quest for the perfect bistro in Paris, something that I felt obliged to test for both my guests as well as myself. My research project began after having several great meals at L’AffriolĂ© on the rue Malar in the 7th district in Paris,…
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A Different Spin on Teaching French Cuisine On a bustling commercial street in central Paris, there is an oasis of tranquillity, elegance and warmth, in the home of chef and teacher Laetitia de Matharel. In near perfect English, she has been running for the past two years a private and unique cooking class for both…
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Places I Love For A Quiet Pot of Tea Are you a tea drinker? Do you long for that cosy place where you can savor a cup of the finest brew with a pastry at the end of a day of shopping or museum-hopping with children at your side? Then you will be happy to…
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Eating Out in Paris: High, Middle and Low
PARIS, France–I am very sorry to tell you this, but it is now easier than ever to get a bad meal in France, particularly in Paris. I didn’t believe other expert food connoisseurs, but the evidence has rolled in, and I am afraid they are right. My latest terrible meal was in the top floor…
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The First Rule of French Art de Vivre: Appreciating the Smallest Things In Life
Last weekend, my husband and I headed out at 9:30 am to the Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville opposite City Hall to purchase a new espresso coffee machine. Being French, with less disposable income, he had done a thorough market review on the Internet and in the print media, before deciding to do his comparison…
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Eating Well While Staying Slim in France
Many people who visit Paris wonder how the average French person manages to staying slim when surrounded by so many tempting pastries, breads, chocolates and wines, not to mention outstanding bistros and gastronomic palaces. The short answer is simple: they don’t eat the stuff on a regular basis the way Americans tend to wolf down…
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Julia Won The Battles But Lost the Food Wars
Reading Noel Riley Fitch’s outstanding biography of Julia Child, “Appetite for Life”, I felt like I had been invited to a feast that I wished would never end. Julia Child–amateur cook, author, TV star and all-around educator–was both a larger than life personality and a mystery to many people, even those closest to her. Still we can thank…
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“Julie and Julia”–Today’s French Kitchen Is No Movie
As a long-time fan of Julia Child and of Meryl Streep (who once was a student in my Aunt Norma’s acting class at the Yale School of Drama), I couldn’t resist seeing and loving Nora Ephron’s movie “Julie and Julia.” Not only did I identify with Julia Child’s enthusiasm and enjoyment of France, I loved…
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Paris in a Basket: A City of Mouthwatering Food Markets
 One of the major reasons why Paris may be the world’s most irresistible city is that it has the most mouth-watering food stores and open-air markets to be found anywhere. Whether you want to have a picnic of simple, whole-grain bread and cheese made from raw milk, or feast on such fine takeout fare as…
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