Paris Supermarket Souvenirs

Ellise Pierce, otherwise known to foodies as the Cowgirl Chef , is a Texan transplanted in Paris.  Although she hasn’t given up her love for cowboy boots and Tex-Mex cooking, she also writes lovingly about the cuisine and quirks of her adopted home town. 

Her recent post, Paris Supermarket Souvenirs, unearthes the culinary treasures that can be found in a typical Parisian supermarket.  (She refers to her own neighborhood store as “the stinky stinky Franprix.”  And yes, she still shops there.)  No Fauchon, Hediard or La Grande Epicerie for this gal.  Just eleven must buy items that a) make great gifts for folks back home and b) you should try out yourself, that is, if you haven’t already discovered these classics.

Ellise’s list includes:

1. Mousse-worthy chocolate
2. Drinking and baking chocolate
3. Sea salt
4. Piment d’Espelette
5. Nut oils
6.  Tuna in olive oil
7.  Sugar
8. Real French mustard
9. Lentilles du Puy
10. Powdered veal stock
11. Speculoos paste

For all the details (including pictures with brand names), go to Ellise’s blog.   Bon shopping y’all.

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Everything You Need to Know About Home Baking In Paris

So you’ve arrived in Paris with your mom’s famous pound cake recipe or your best friend’s secret formula for chocolate chip cookies, and the first time out, it’s a flop.  The cake sags, your cookies run, the taste is off.  What the heck?!   You’ve learned the hard way that the flour, the butter, the eggs are all just a little bit different here and it’s wreaking havoc with your time-honored favorites.

David Lebovitz, former pastry chef at Berkeley’s famous Chez Panisse, cookbook author extraordinaire, and Paris blogger to the rescue!  David’s blog is chockful of great recipes and funny tales about being an American in Paris and he’s also got great tips for understanding French ingredients and what to look for when you’re trying to recreate your North American baked goods on French soil.

David’s work is copyrighted so I can’t reproduce it here but follow these links and be sure to bookmark them when you get there.  Hands down, he’s got the clearest advice on flours, sugars, and other essentials plus tips on where to find both the best quality ingredients in Paris and those everyday items (like buttermilk or molasses) that may not be on the shelves in your local supermarket.

Ingredients for American Baking in Paris (France)

French Sugars

More on French flours and French butters from Practically Edible, a Web-based food encyclopedia.