Days Of Wine And Roses....And Ash

A pilot once said to me, "You can drop a flight attendant anywhere in the world and before you know it they have found food and the best places to eat." I agree. My crew and I had adjusted to the uncertainties before us as we turned around and arrived back at our Rive Gauche hotel in Paris. The Icelandic volcano cloud had canceled our flight, but not dampened our spirits. I had planned on making a spread for my crew on our flight back to Boston, but now we were back in the hotel. Within half an hour we met in our hotel's crew room as I made sandwiches of French ham, comté cheese, arugula and Dijon mustard. We had grapes, quiches and a couscous salad. Everyone contributed treats they had intended to take home.Baguettes and more cheese appeared as we discussed going shopping to buy clothes and necessities for our potential extended stay. The next 3 days were abuzz with activity. Since the following day was Sunday, a few of us went to street flea markets where I bought a few small treasures, and saw many more. This Sunday was special to a few of us. It was Mother's Day. We all went out to dinner that evening at Parnasse 138, on boulevard du Montparnasse. It is a traditional French bistro with many, many choices to choose from. I started with a goat cheese and lardons salad followed by roast lamb.Those are garlic cloves on top of my lamb...mmmmm. For dessert, a white chocolate and berry tiramisu was the perfect finish. Right before dessert, our captain bought roses for all of the mothers on our trip who were missing Mother's Day at home.***feel the love*** The next day some of us went to the outskirts of Paris to a small charming town, Ville de Suresnes. It was a cloudy day, but the Eiffel Tower can be faintly seen from this town on a hill. The World War American Cemetery and Memorial sits proudly at the top. I want to come back to this town another time to explore further. Back in Paris, it seemed like around every corner was a reminder of the volcano. Maybe it was a little of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, but a reminder for our extended stay in this city of light was always there. We were never sure from day to day when the ash cloud would clear and we would return home. On our 5th night in Paris a few of us opted for a quiet light dinner in a small private pocket room in the hotel. Dessert time! Did I really have to have another Chocolate Lava Cake??? Well, why not....ashes to ashes....let the lava flow!

It finally was time to leave our tony Rive Gauche address. The next day after yet another delay, we were cleared for our departure to Boston. My white Mother's Day rose had a comfy first class seat for the long flight ;-) Our flight plan was an extra 2 1/2 hours as we flew over Iceland, north of the volcano. I've flown along the coast of Greenland before, but never directly over it. The view was breathtaking. Hours later the coast of Massachusetts was in sight, and our long awaited landing into Boston was imminent. My rose and I, along with many happy memories made it home at long last!

Dinner At L'Epouvantail, Paris....And Turn Around!

Leaving Ô Chateau's wine tasting we were more than ready for dinner. Coming up from the wine cave, the light seemed a little bright even in the gloaming of the evening. Hopping on the metro at the Louvre-Rivoli stop, it was a quick, but busy ride to the Marais on this Friday evening in Paris. We arrived just as some of our friends were walking up and others were seated for our 8pm reservation. I have been coming to L'Epouvantail for years and watched the transition from owner to owner. Along with the updated traditional menu there is a young, fresh and engaging vibe here now. At each table a chair with green chipped paint sits beside the updated, sleek wooden chairs as a tribute to the previous decor. I like that...a reverence to the past. We ordered wine...(Yikes!)..since our other friends were ready for their first glass. While catching up on each others day's activities, we ordered our food. With each passing course, from the amuse-bouche, crisped asparagus with proscuitto and shaved Parmesan to the duck with Dauphinois potatoes, we all laughed and talked. Would you like dessert? But, of course!! And like the foreshadowing in a good mystery book, I ordered the Molten Lava Cake. A spoon dipped into the warm cake allowed the chocolate lava to ooze onto the plate meeting the vanilla crème anglaise. There were no dark volcanic plumes here, just puffs of delight. Other desserts came and went. We paid our bill and headed back to the hotel for a good night's sleep before our flight home the next day. While we slept lava flowed, the volcanic ash cloud built and shifted all along the coast of France. We caught wind of the precarious situation as our luggage was loaded for our ride to the airport the next morning. Just before arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport, our driver got a call to turn around and go back! Some of us smiled, some stiffened knowing it could be a long delay before returning to loved ones, and others thought of their Mother's Day plans the next day and awaiting children. But there was no choice. We had to make the best of it and hey, we were in Paris :-)

To be continued.....

L'Epouvantail
6, rue Jarente, Marais
01 40 29 03 03
metro: St. Paul

Wine Tasting At Ô-Chateau, Paris

We were looking for clarity and legs....first impression and taste....a nice open aroma, and of course, balance. We began with a crisp glass of Champagne in this 17th century cave that was once the cellars of Louis the XV. The lively glass of bubbles tickled our noses as the evening began to unfold during our Ô-Chateau, "Tour de France" wine tasting. We were given a list of the selected wines that were being tasted and a blue ballpoint pen to jot down notes. I had also brought along a book for my observations. Going around the table, we all introduced ourselves. The limestone cellar was filled with people from all over, sitting around tables set up in a U-shape, eager for what was to come. My friend, Doug who had made the arrangements for the evening, just sat and took it all in while our host, Olivier bounced around the room as he kept us entertained and informed. Baskets of bread chosen as the best bread fit for the French President, were dotted around the tables. Generous Champagne seconds were offered. Then a white Loire Sancerre was poured, that was described as being "fresh, smiley and fruity, borderline flirtatious." After swirling it in the glass, like a lusty youth we checked for age and length of legs. Taking a sip we perceived the grapefruit and pear flavor with it's mineral and acidic fresh taste. Ahhhh...nice....make notes, perfect for fish on a warm summer evening. Next came a Burgundy Chablis which was described as having "tamed minerality, gentle balance and tender texture---yummy." And that it was, as well as being lemony and buttery. Please pass the President's bread...I need to soak this all in!! After visiting Champagne, Loire, and Burgundy, we moved on to the Southwest for a Fronton. Conversations at the tables became more animated with each pour. Olivier kept us smiling with his anecdotes and colorful descriptions of the wines. He described the Fronton as having a "Delightfully silky texture---charming berries and vanilla-a lollipop wine." Our next stop was in Bordeaux with a Haut Medoc. Envision "a sunny day---old convertible cruising slowly through the vines, and having a taste of cassis and tannin." Swirl, look, smell, taste.....soak in the sunshine and dream of roast duck or grilled beef to accompany it. Hop back into the convertible and head to the Rhone. There we had a "sensual and voluptuous" Côtes du Rhône Village. It was fruity, spicy and peppery with a hint of black olives. This was the final stop on our "Tour de France" tasting. Olivier passed out a cheat sheet just in case our memories became a little impaired ;-) Just click on the photo to enlarge.

As we were leaving, some lingered and sat and talked. We stopped and chatted with a few people and met a lovely mother and daughter who were also from Boston. The daughter, Alex is now living in Budapest and has a blog, Adventures in the Pest. We exchanged websites to view as this wide world just gets smaller and smaller.

I followed Doug up the steps as we made our way to meet our friends for dinner in the Marais at a favorite restaurant, L'Epouvantail. We had no idea the Icelandic volcanic plume was shifting towards France and would be extending our stay. To be continued.......

Ô-Chateau
Les Caves du Paradis-Royal Cellar
52 rue de l'arbe sec
Paris - 1st arrdt.
+33 (0) 1 44 73 97 80
http://www.o-chateau.com

Volcation...Up In Smoke

Photograph by Marco Fulle, Barcroft/Fame Pictures

When I left Boston for Paris last Thursday, I was scheduled to return on Saturday. All of that went up in smoke. The volcanic plume from the Icelandic volcano extended all down the Atlantic from Iceland, disrupting a lot of European travel. My departure was canceled day after day. I just returned late last night from my Paris "volcation" and leave in a few short hours to return. Just like Jimmy Buffett lamented, "I don't know where I'm a gonna go when the volcano blows!" I may not come back on Friday as planned, but will have more stories to share if I don't. During our 6 day trip we had frustrations, laughs, tears, love, fine dining, shopping, exploring and lots of bonding. On my first day I attended a wonderful Tour de France wine tasting at Ô Chateau and will be sharing that experience soon. I was without a computer during my time in Paris and could only make quick 2 minute visits to 2 shared computers in our crew room. The line was usually 6 deep as everyone tried to make contact and also to find out if the next flight was canceled. I am now not only way far behind on my blog postings, I am behind on checking in on my favorite blogs as well. And don't know when I can catch up. Breathe....now I have to finish laundry, packing and recharging all of my batteries!

A toute a l'heure!!

Take a peek at photographer, Marco Fulle's dramatic photos from National Geographic, here.

Water, Water Everywhere...and a Nice Dip

After almost 2 weeks straight working and trying to make up lost time due to the volcano flight cancellations, I came home from London Saturday to a "boil water order." A water main break affecting 2 million households has left us boiling our water for the last 4 days. At least it is water and not oil that is spewing out of the ground. I've spent a lot of time looking for bottled water and found it in dribs and drabs, mostly sparkling water. Untreated water is coming out of our taps and it is all a little confusing. The officials say it is OK to shower with it, but to use hand sanitizer after washing your hands in it. So what kind of ick is in the shower water?? There is a slight fishy smell (ewww!) Dishes have to be washed in boiled water or use disposable plates and utensils. It pays to be creative with one dish meals without ingredients that have to be washed....kind of like camping at home. I had some mascarpone cheese in the refrigerator and organic chives in the garden I could use to make an appetizer. I chopped some of the chives and infused them in olive oil overnight. Using some French bread to make crostini, it all came together with little prep and very little water. It goes great with a sparkling water/juice spritzer, or whatever floats your boat. Cheers!


Mascarpone and Chive Dip

4 ounces mascarpone cheese
3 ounces extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon snipped chives
1 teaspoon pink peppercorns
sea salt to taste

Combine the chives in the olive oil and infuse overnight. When ready to serve, place the mascarpone cheese on a serving plate or shallow bowl and drizzle the chive infused olive oil over it. Top with pink peppercorns and lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with crostini, sliced French bread or crackers.
Crostini

French bread slices, 1/4 inch thick
extra virgin olive for brushing
sea salt

Put the French bread slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and brush with olive oil to coat on one side. Put in a preheated 400 degree oven and toast until golden brown. Lightly sprinkle with sea salt.

Store in an airtight container.

Mascarpone and Chive Dip recipe, click here.

Black and White

It was a day of contrasts. Black and white. My longtime friend, Jane was working a flight from Miami to Paris and we were meeting on our layover. I hadn't even left operations to get on the plane when my phone rang. It was Jane saying there were terrible storms in the southern Florida area and she was going to be late leaving Miami. We had planned on meeting the next day for a full afternoon and evening in Paris together. I didn't know just how late she'd be until we approached Paris and one of the pilots told me the Miami flight was 3 hours late :-(( Soooo, I was on my own for the afternoon. The temperature was that perfect balance of warmth without tipping to uncomfortable. The kind of warmth that brings gentle breezes into the evening, but still making a jacket unnecessary. I walked to Montparnasse and met my friend, Rick and we had fun catching up on the last few weeks as we watched the cafe's comings and goings. Before I knew it, it was time to head back to the hotel and meet up with Jane who was waiting in the hotel lobby. After big hugs and smiles we went out to catch the rest of the afternoon with a walk through Luxembourg Gardens. We were happy for this day.We weren't the only ones enjoying the park on this perfect, late spring afternoon.We meandered through the gardens, watching the children chase each other and sail their boats on the pond. Leaving the tranquility of the gardens, we walked and talked our way through streets and passages, and in and out of shops. The sun started to settle as the Latin Quarter lit up. The street candy vendors stay open late, but a chocolate shop locked it's doors with a firm bolt as we decided to go back in and spring for an 8 euro bag of cocoa. We wanted it even more then...and we're still talking about it and how we'd use it! Hmmm...dust truffles...mocha lattes...hot cocoa...chocolate cake???? Problems, Problems. Walking along, we had planned on having dinner at a bistro on a cobblestone street with a few restaurants on it. Checking out the prix fixte menus of several restaurants, we gave each other a big look of "yes!" by the Boeuf Bourguignon posted on one of menus. Without reservations, we felt we were lucky to get a table and were asked to wait a few minutes in a cozy waiting area of this 17th century building. The ambience was warm, but the greeting was as cold and fragmented as the ancient rooms. We eventually were led up stone steps to a small table for 2 by a winding stairway. The low beamed ceiling and glowing fireplace added a sense of conviviality that contrasted to the slow service that seemed more of a bother than a pleasure. The appetizers were interesting in concept but not followed through in flavor. We both had the Boeuf Bourguignon, and thought it was just mediocre with it's thick sauce. I did like the way it was served with gnocchi in the small iron pot, though. We chatted away during our ultimate girl's night out. We had 3 choices for dessert and our Île Flottante and Creme Brulee were delicious and a nice finish to this 4 hour dinner. As we were paying our long awaited check I was wondering if that was a new chef I saw scurrying from table to table. Yikes!! I don't think we'll be back.