I went to Paris with my sister and niece for my sister’s BIG birthday (which shall remain secret) and had a terrific time. Hit every museum and saw Mona twice. During peak season, I highly recommend visiting the museums during their evening hours as it allows you to actually get close to the Mona Lisa, and other works of art, and not feel like a salmon swimming up stream. Many close at 9:45 and it’s well worth leaving those that do until the end of the day. So, what did I like the most about my trip? I would have to say the look on my sister’s face when she saw pieces of art she had been dreaming of seeing for 30 years. I can appreciate masterpieces, but she felt masterpieces to the point where some moved her to tears. That was an affirmation of passion and it was moving to see someone so affected by something they love.
As far as the food goes, I like French food but I don’t LOVE French food. We ate at Jules Verne, the Michelin starred restaurant at the top of the Eiffel Tower that offered a five course meal that was great, surrounded by lots of hype. My favorite meals were the daily cheese, charcuterie, bread and red wine-fests that made all the miles of walking worth while. At Laurent Dubois, on the Left Bank, we purchased Comte’, small production chevres, goat cheeses and Camemberts. At Charcuterie st Germain next door, we bought a whole salami before heading down the street to buy my new favorite red wine, Saint-Aubin Pitangerets, cru 2011. These became staples in our apartment refrigerator where we re-grouped around 3 every afternoon to eat and relax…
But what I really loved were the packets of hot pepper oil we got with our pizza one night. Instead of the ubiquitous packets of red pepper flakes you get in the States, these packets of oil were a little bit of heaven. Once home, that was the first thing I wanted to make. Called Olio Santo (holy or sainted oil), I heated my best olive oil, added cayenne pepper oil and red pepper flakes, brought the pot to a simmer and then turned off the heat and let cool completely.
I brushed my Pepper Jack rolls with the oil before baking, added a little to my jalapeno mayonnaise, basically it went on everything I made for three or four days. I used the fresh rolls for pulled pork sandwiches that I served with the condiment options of pickled onions, jalapeno mayo, chimichurri and french fried onions. Not quite a French meal, but the hot Olio Santo inspired me…what can I say?
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