If you want to explore Paris by mouth, you won’t have any trouble. In every neighborhood you’ll find pastry shops (pâstisserie), tea houses (salon de thé), restaurants and traditional brasseries, which are restaurants with simple fixed menus and are usually open every day. You won’t ever have problems finding food in Paris; you will have problems choosing just what to eat—don’t worry, I’m here to help.
A trip to Paris would not be complete without a true tastings of French pastries.
3 Pastries You Have to Eat in Paris
Croissant
Macaron
Èclair
Not all croissants, macarons and éclairs are the same. Trust me; in Paris, quality counts. You’ve probably spent a lot of money to get to Paris, spend that extra few euros for an euphoric gastronomical experience, and not some frozen pastry found in the nearest cafe to your hotel that will leave you unsatisfied.
The king of macarons. I could ramble on for hours about the melt-in-your-mouth texture, exotic and harmonic blend of flavors, or that “ah hah” moment you experience when you take your first bite of a true French macaron. Important note: do not try to buy macarons and bring them home for family as presents. Macarons should be bought and eaten. At the maximum you can eat them after 1 day. They told me they would last for up to 4 days, but I can’t repeat this enough: the texture changes and it simply isn’t the same experience when you eat them fresh.
A large menu of sweet and savory items. This tea house bustles with local Parisians. The winner for me was their caramel éclair and croissant. If you go to their location in Place Des Vosges, you have a small lovely park to stroll through where you will see locals walking their dogs. I also ate a delicious croissant here, but it disappeared in my belly before I could take a photo!
Locations: 25 place des Vosges 75003 – Paris and
Hours: Open daily, 7:30 to midnight
Locations: 4 place du Trocadéro 75016 – Paris
Hours: Open daily, 7am to 11:30pm Monday to Friday and 7:30am to 11:30pm Saturday and Sunday
Paris is extremely easy to get around by metro, but I would highly recommend getting lost meandering the small side streets. You’ll find a plethora of boutiques, art galleries and markets to peruse. Speaking of markets, I would highly suggest that for lunch you grab some French cheese, a baguette and, weather permitting, head to one of the numerous parks to enjoy a picnic. This way you can save money and space for dinner. Check out this guide to food markets in Paris.
France is notorious for their amazing chefs, and now I understand why. These masterminds turn a meal, something we eat by necessity, into an exciting taste adventure. Paris is a true foodie paradise.
This modern French restaurant tests the limits with interesting flavor combinations, textures and presentation. Exquisite gourmet food is served in an exotic, unstuffy and colorful atmosphere. The service is fantastic and most of the waiters speak English.
Location: (Near the Louvre) 12-14 Rue du Marché Saint-Honoré, 75001
One of few gourmet historic restaurants that are open at lunch on Sunday. Not only can you say that you’ve eaten in a restaurant where President Obama and Michelle Obama dined, but you will also be greeted and served by the friendliest staff in Paris. Delicious traditional French fare.
Location: (Near the Eiffel Tower) 129 rue Saint-Dominique 75007 Paris
On Tripadvisor the restaurant has almost 4 stars, but if you want to experience an exquisite gastronomical experience, I wouldn’t suggest this place. The food is way overpriced, and the plating is absurd (mashed potatoes served in a cup with a fork…what the…?). The winning element of this restaurant is their large rooftop dining room enclosed by windows. If you don’t mind paying an arm and a leg for mediocre food, the atmosphere is spectacular and it’s a fun one-time experience. This restaurant seemed like a place right out of the book, 50 Shades of Grey. For people who like to dance, it also turns into a club later on at night.
Location: 1 Rue du Pont Neuf, 75001 Paris, France
Hours: Sunday – Thursday 12:00 pm – 2:00 am Fri – Sat 12:00 pm – 3:00 am
Eating out in Paris is a must, but if you are a true foodie, you probably want to learn how to make some of your favorite pastries, breads and dishes at home. In this case, I definitely recommend signing up for a cooking class at Le Cuisine.
You can learn how to make croissants, macarons, baguettes, èclairs, among many other dishes, or even go on a guidedmarket tour. I took their croissant class and couldn’t have been more satisfied. (Even if I still have yet to make the croissants at home and Mr. Italicano constantly asks me when I will!)
Want more information to help plan your vacation in Paris? Take a look at these websites.
Finding daily balance is something that I struggle with and am constantly trying to improve upon. On a great day, I eat healthy meals, exercise, drink plenty of water, finish all of my work tasks, read something enjoyable, read something educational, do something creative, connect with friends and family, do something kind for someone else and cuddle up next to Mr. Italicano. On these days, life is good and the day is full. I feel great both mentally and physically, and I spend time with the people I love.
On a bad day, I do only one or none of these things. Not necessarily because I don’t want to, but, because I don’t think I have enough time to. I find excuses why I don’t have time to exercise. I dedicate every second to work and ignore the people around me. (Poor, Mr. Italicano.) Or, I don’t fuel my body with the right sources of energy. On these days I feel drained, grumpy, and unmotivated. Go figure.
I know that in order to achieve this goal of striving for balance each day I need to simply be mindful of my actions. I need to remind myself what makes me feel good and combat that inner urge that relentlessly wants to make excuses. How about you? Do you struggle with finding daily balance, as well? Or, what are your secrets you use to achieve equilibrium throughout your day?
I’m not a good baker; I have a hard time following recipes where I have to have precise measurements and follow instructions. My first baking flop was when I was 8 or 9 and I made brownies using a box mix. There were three ingredients required: an egg, oil and the mix. I forgot the oil. The result was disastrous; my oldest brother Cliff still teases me about it to this day. Embarrassing? Absolutely.
Flash forward 22 years later, and I’m still not a good baker. Certainly I won’t mess up a three ingredient recipe, but throughout the last year of blogging, I have definitely had a lot of baking disasters (photos to come). Baking is chemistry. Things don’t work if you put in too little of one ingredient or not enough of another.
I like to experiment and create: a pinch of this, a dash of that. Unless I am writing a recipe for the blog, I don’t use measurements. It becomes a 100% engaging sensory process. I tried to recreate this same sensation with baking and gave it a go by inventing a whole wheat crust; let’s just say, I haven’t yet learned enough about the nitty-gritty elements of baking chemistry—my crust was absolutely inedible! Really, it was bad. I ate the filling but since I used 100% whole wheat flour and reduced the amount of butter to try to make it healthier, it turned out to be a flavorless hard rock. (If someone knows a good book or website on baking 101 or baking chemistry, leave a comment below.)
I really wanted to make this rustic swiss chard, feta and gorgonzola tart for a dinner party. So, to help me with my baking dilemma, I headed over to Food52, one of my favorite cooking blogs, for some advice on a whole wheat rustic tart crust. The recipe I found uses whole wheat and half all-purpose flour as well as a good portion of butter. I adapted this recipe ever so slightly and was impressed by the results: a delicious flaky buttery crust.
The thing I like about rustic tarts is that their imperfections are what make them simply beautiful. The crust is higher in one spot, the filling overflows in another, there are cracks or maybe uneven brown spots on the surface. All of these little flaws create a simple, rustic masterpiece; like life itself.
If you want to make a sweet tart with fruit, just add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar to the dough or sprinkle some sugar on top of the dough after you’ve added the egg wash. And, you? Have you ever had some baking disasters?
This rustic Swiss chard, feta and gorgonzola tart is the perfect thing to make when you want to slow down for a moment and make something with your hands.
1.10 ounces(730G) Swiss chard (or spinach), stems removed from the leaves
1 block (200g) Feta
20 walnut halves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Handful of gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles
1 egg, beaten
Instructions
For the crust:
Chop up your butter, place it on a plate and stick it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
In a medium bowl mix together the flours and salt. Dump in the cold butter and toss with
the flour so it’s covered. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter, two knives or using a
snapping motion with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly and is the size of peas.
Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together as a ball. Pat the ball into a flat disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or even overnight.
For the filling:
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the Swiss chard stems. Cook for about 5
minutes then add the leaves and cook for another 3 minutes or until wilted and soft.
Drain well and place in a large bowl. Let cool then chop.
For the assembly:
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Flour your rolling pin and roll the dough into a circle on a piece of parchment paper or silicon mat. The sides might be irregular; that’s okay, imperfections are beautiful. Slide the parchment paper or silicon mat with the rolled out dough onto a cookie sheet.
Crumble the feta into the bowl with the Swiss chard and add the walnuts, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir until everything is evenly combined. Pour the filling into the center of the dough, leaving about a 1 inch border. Fold the edges towards the center.
Sprinkle the gorgonzola or blue cheese on top.
Brush the crust with egg wash and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden.
Remove from the oven and let the rustic tart sit for 5 minutes before cutting into slices.
In America, we look forward to a relaxing Sunday brunch either eaten in a nearby restaurant :: ristorante or in our pyjamas at home. Although my family is quite fond of many of the typical brunch items: poached eggs,scrambled eggs, muffins, coffee bread, apple or pear crisp, our favorite food to eat for Sunday brunch are pancakes.
As a child, each Sunday I would always wake up to the smell of bacon frying in a skillet and I would see my dad with a spatula in hand flipping giant pan-sized pancakes. The size and thickness of pancakes are a personal choice. For a thick fluffy :: soffice pancake, go lighter on the liquids; for a thin moist pancake, the batter should be quite runny. If the batter sits for awhile, it will start to become more dense, which you can easily thin out again with a splash of water or milk.
There are a variety of pancake toppings; here are some of my favorite:
You can also make savory zucchini and pesto pancakes or even a fancy pancake cake.The options are truly endless. What are your favorite flavor combinations? Leave a comment below!
Say goodbye to box mixes. These homemade whole wheat buttermilk pancakes are a cinch to make and will be perfect for your next Sunday brunch!
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
1 cup milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar or lemon juice)
1 cup (125g) whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
2 tsp (8g) sugar
1 tsp (4g) baking powder
½ tsp (3g) baking soda
½ tsp (3g) salt
1 egg
2 tbsp melted butter
butter for greasing the pan, as needed
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the milk and vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.
In a medium sized bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
Add the the melted butter and egg to the milk and vinegar mixture and mix well. Combine the two mixtures and stir until just combined, lumps are fine. For a thin pancake, the batter should run off the spoon. If it is too thick add a splash of milk. (O leave it as is if you prefer a thick pancake.)
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a small knob of butter rotating the skillet so that it covers the bottom. Using a ¼ cup (59ml) measuring cup or ice cream scoop, measure out the batter and pour it in the skillet. Depending on your pan size, you’ll be able to fit 2-3 pancakes at a time.When lots of bubbles form on the top use a spatula to peek underneath. If the bottom is golden brown flip the pancake. Do not press down on the pancake with the spatula. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
Add another small knob of butter and repeat these steps until you have cooked all nine pancakes.
Serve the pancakes with with maple syrup, honey, fruit or whipped cream.
If there is one thing you must know when you travel throughout Italy, it’s this: you don’t eat “Italian food”, you eat “regional Italian food”. Of course in big cities, you’ll find slightly more variety, but if you head to the Italian countryside, expect to find traditional recipes that are specific to that region, and even sometimes specific to that town. In Italy you can easily find different “traditional regional recipes” made within a 5km radius, or sometimes they even have completely different names for the same dish. There are 20 regions in Italy, but today we will be talking about Emilia-Romagna, the so-called “food valley” ::“valle del cibo.”
Never heard of Emilia-Romagna? No worries, neither had I before moving here in 2009. Emilia-Romagna is the region directly north of Tuscany :: Toscana. Although, you may still need to look at the map, you’re probably already quite familiar with some of its most famous products: Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Parma Prosciutto and Balsamic Vinegar from Modena.
Emilia-Romagna isn’t nicknamed “the food valley” for no reason. Beyond the legendary products listed above, there are the celebrated recipes that you may have already tried, and if you haven’t, put them on your list:
Spinach or Pumpkin Tortelli: Homemade pasta stuffed with spinach or pumpkin.
Oh, the list could go on…. The only way to really get a good idea of the food world in Emilia-Romagna is to come to the region and do 3 things:
1. Head to a trattoria, which is an informal restaurant (often family owned) where the prices are cheap and the recipes are traditional, like what you will find cooked in homes nearby.
3. Get your hands in the flour and take some Italian cooking courses :: corsi di cucina.
If you’re not able to catch the next flight for the “bella paese”, use this blog and other online sources to find recipes from Emilia-Romagna that you can make in your own home. The beauty of food is that your taste buds ::le papille gustative can travel without leaving home.
If you are able to make it here someday, and would like to enhance your knowledge on how Parmigiano Reggiano, Parma prosciutto, balsamic vinegarand traditional regional recipes are made, I suggest that you contact Reggio Lingua, a language school in Reggio Emilia that organizes Italian language classes, home stays, unique agriturismo accommodations, cooking classes and cultural activities like visits to cheese and balsamic vinegar factories or city tours.
*This post is not sponsored by Reggio Lingua. I attended their Italian language classes for 3 years and highly recommend their language and cultural services.
A trip to Paris would not be complete without a true tastings of French pastries.
A gorgeous sit down tea house that has a large menu of sweet and savory options. Drink tea or coffee in China cups and feel French.
The king of macarons. I could ramble on for hours about the melt-in-your-mouth texture, exotic and harmonic blend of flavors, or that “ah hah” moment you experience when you take your first bite of a true French macaron. Important note: do not try to buy macarons and bring them home for family as presents. Macarons should be bought and eaten. At the maximum you can eat them after 1 day. They told me they would last for up to 4 days, but I can’t repeat this enough: the texture changes and it simply isn’t the same experience when you eat them fresh.
A large menu of sweet and savory items. This tea house bustles with local Parisians. The winner for me was their caramel éclair and croissant. If you go to their location in Place Des Vosges, you have a small lovely park to stroll through where you will see locals walking their dogs. I also ate a delicious croissant here, but it disappeared in my belly before I could take a photo!
Paris is extremely easy to get around by metro, but I would highly recommend getting lost meandering the small side streets. You’ll find a plethora of boutiques, art galleries and markets to peruse. Speaking of markets, I would highly suggest that for lunch you grab some French cheese, a baguette and, weather permitting, head to one of the numerous parks to enjoy a picnic. This way you can save money and space for dinner. Check out this guide to food markets in Paris. 
France is notorious for their amazing chefs, and now I understand why. These masterminds turn a meal, something we eat by necessity, into an exciting taste adventure. Paris is a true foodie paradise.
This modern French restaurant tests the limits with interesting flavor combinations, textures and presentation. Exquisite gourmet food is served in an exotic, unstuffy and colorful atmosphere. The service is fantastic and most of the waiters speak English.
One of few gourmet historic restaurants that are open at lunch on Sunday. Not only can you say that you’ve eaten in a restaurant where President Obama and Michelle Obama dined, but you will also be greeted and served by the friendliest staff in Paris. Delicious traditional French fare.
On Tripadvisor the restaurant has almost 4 stars, but if you want to experience an exquisite gastronomical experience, I wouldn’t suggest this place. The food is way overpriced, and the plating is absurd (mashed potatoes served in a cup with a fork…what the…?). The winning element of this restaurant is their large rooftop dining room enclosed by windows. If you don’t mind paying an arm and a leg for mediocre food, the atmosphere is spectacular and it’s a fun one-time experience. This restaurant seemed like a place right out of the book, 50 Shades of Grey. For people who like to dance, it also turns into a club later on at night.
You can learn how to make croissants, macarons, baguettes, èclairs, among many other dishes, or even go on a guided market tour. I took their croissant class and couldn’t have been more satisfied. (Even if I still have yet to make the croissants at home and Mr. Italicano constantly asks me when I will!)
Flash forward 22 years later, and I’m still not a good baker. Certainly I won’t mess up a three ingredient recipe, but throughout the last year of blogging, I have definitely had a lot of baking disasters (photos to come). Baking is chemistry. Things don’t work if you put in too little of one ingredient or not enough of another.
In America, we look forward to a relaxing Sunday brunch either eaten in a nearby restaurant :: ristorante or in our pyjamas at home. Although my family is quite fond of many of the typical brunch items: 
