Sunday Sights; Eiffel Tower

Sunday Morning we braved the metro, it was very simple and we listened to a man playing his trumpet for a bit of change! On our way to Paris' most beloved sight of the Eiffel Tower. It was magnificent! We entered from the south and walked up through the grand gardens, with people having picnics, walking dogs and hanging out. The closer we got, we realized the structure is absolutely huge! We decided not to go up, as the top floor was closed and the lines were tremendously long, so we wandered around the perimeter, enjoyed a beautiful garden with a waterfall and soaked up the sun!

Lunch was at a small cafe several blocks south of the tower, on a lively street with a market and throngs of people! I was in the mood for pasta, but you can imagine my surprise when my "Carbonara" was delivered to the table! What to do? I stirred it up and ate it! In the wise words of my 15 year old daughter, Jamie, "MOM, they are probably from a farm!"

The carbonara was delicious, and I forgot about the raw egg as soon as I had a sip of the Sauvignon Blanc sitting to my left!

Don't you want to try this at home?!?!?!

Chateaux at Amboise

What an amazing structure the Chateaux was! Located on the Loire River, it was a grand sight! This was the first time visiting a castle for me and what an adventure. It was easy to imagine a princess standing on a balcony overlooking the river! The church holds the supposed remains of Leonardo da Vinci, apparently he was quite involved in Amboise and lived in another chateaux nearby. The formal gardens were spectacular, as was simple things like decorative floor tiles and ironwork on the doors! We really enjoyed our morning here...think I could get away with formal gardens in Macon? Maybe just a formal kitchen garden? I'm working up the plans as we speak!

Our train back to Paris was delayed a bit, so supper was a challenge...until Jamie and I went to the grocery!

We picked up the freshest eggs, haricot verts, lardons (almost like chopped bacon), Poilane bread and potatoes. We had some cheese, butter and herbs. Viola! 15 minutes and one of the best meals! A bottle of Chenin Blanc from Amboise (AOC Touraine) and we were settled in for the night! It was a beautiful day full of history, warm sunshine, great food and french culture!

Pizza with Terrior

French pizza? These folks are giving the Italians a run for the money! We chose this restaurant on the advice of our friend, Sandra, and what fun we had! The restaurant is family owned and operated and offered at least 30 pizzas and a slew of other great things! For a prie fixe of entree, plat & dessert, I chose a pork pate for my entree and it arrived with a small side of salad and cornichons. I chose my pizza with a light mustard sauce, mozzarella, ham, camembert and apples. For dessert...Creme Brulee! YES! A local Gamay wine rounded out the dinner! Casual and fabulous, just what we needed to relax and enjoy ourselves!

John needed an anchovie fix, so he ordered his with olives, capers and anchovies...lovely fillets and beautiful balanced flavor...with Chocolate Mousse for dessert!
The girls (Julia and Jamie) both chose 4 Fromages pizzas, sorbet and creme brulee, respectively for desserts.

We about fell off our charis when dessert arrived...they were huge! We did find the ability to finish them, however!

After a final view of the castle from our bedroom window...it was a day to treasure and remember! I fell asleep dreaming of kings...

Amboise

Got a little behind with the blogs...This post should be 09 April 2010. The 9am train to Amboise left about 1pm instead and we were off to the Loire Valley! A beautiful 2 hour train ride through the countryside was a welcome chance to chill and talk and snack with each other. I was disappointed to have missed the morning farmers market in Amboise, but oh well. Our friend Sandra graciously helped us get all of our train and hotel reservations for Amboise and we are excited!

We could see the Chateaux from the train, and began walking across the river! It was a beautiful day and Amboise is like a little fairytale city with it's winding cobblestone streets and old, slate roof homes! Absolutely charming!

Le Blason was an interesting place to stay (I'll put up a seperate post about it!) and we were in the heart of the old city with lots to do!

After a stop for coffee, we visited a wine seller cut into the Chateaux that represented 9 local wine makers and a goat cheese producer about 3km away! The wines of this region tend to be Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Gamay. Absolutely fantastic and we took a few bottles with us! Some were a fresher style and others aged in oak for a bit heartier body!

The cheese was phenomonal! The large one was fresh goat with ash and Roquefort cultures added, yet not allowed to age blue. Sweet, creamy with a bit of saltiness and fresh, fresh taste! The small "crottin" was also covered in ash, and more dense because of a longer aging, yet that sweet milk flavor just poured through. So nice!

Tonight; pizza and desserts!

Birthday Supper

Whoops...we are moving at the speed of light in Paris to experience many things and ensure everyone sleeps well! I forgot to show you photos of my birthday supper. We decided on a tiny bistro in the Marais, about 25 seats and a lovely Prie Fixe menu and wine list called Le Petite Curieux. Our French is pretty shabby, but we could discern most of the foods on the menu, but not necessarily how they were prepared....hmmm, interesting! Our waitress/hostess knew very little english.

I went with the foie gras as an "entree" (appetizer) and got 2 half inch thick slices with tiny piles of salt and pepper. Indescribable and melt in your mouth! You have got to love a country that eats as much foie gras as France!

My "plat" was Tartare de Boeuf...Beef Tartare prepared with cornichons, capers and onions, lightly held together with a delicate mustard sauce! It was absolutely perfect! Add some tiny fresh potatoes brushed with butter, and a mixture of greens with vinaigrette, VIOLA!

John, Gina and Jamie had a duck confit with a sort of North African flair of warm spices and potatoes all wrapped in phyllo...so good! The chef made Julia a special plate of all vegetables with an aioli sauce...it was fresh and delicious as well!

A nice, young Cabernet Franc was the perfect wine pairing for these dishes!

We had stopped at the boulangerie earlier and picked up my birthday cake! Opera cake and Tarte Limon...we are full, but theres always room for dessert and coffee!

It was a special birthday to be in France with all of the family...I feel very grateful.

Making due ...

On Friday, our original 9am train from Paris to Amboise was cancelled and we were across town from the apartment...so we made the best of 5 hours, by walking across the street to Paris' Musuem of Natural History and Zoo! We meandered thru the grand gardens and visited the zoo. The zoo was an interesting blend of leopards, snakes, birds, etc...and a huge donkey! The donkey didn't say a word until a group of preschoolers came over and then he went nuts! It was adorable! The whole time was chill and natural and beautiful with trees and flowers in bloom.

At Gare d'Austerlitz we finally started the journey to Amboise. I had never had the opportunity to purchase a train ticket that didn't guarantee you a seat (?!?!?!) so it was a bit chaotic boarding the trains.

On to Amboise!

E Dehillerin...my new favorite place!