Paris By Mouth Food Tours

 Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? Too much French bread, fromage or caramels?
Everything is balanced on a tour with Paris By Mouth led by Phyllis Flick to Marche Bastille and le Marais.

 First stop - buy some baguette de tradition for our fromage later.

 I've painted this corner boulangerie many times...a favorite.

 Once inside the bustling marche Bastille, Phyllis took us to la creme de la creme of purveyors. If you see a long line join the queue.

 I didn't know all French food must indicate it's place of origin. The mark of AOC (controled appelation of origin) is sign of quality. Eggs are marked with a numbered system 0-3 (0 is organic, 1 is free-range, 3 is battery caged hens). Chickens with a red seal/'label rouge' on them are prefered.

We found a park nearby and wolfed down the best Roquefort ever. It just happens to be the right season at the moment for chevre too, so do get over here PDQ!

 A marinated rotisserie chicken from David Lebovitz' chicken lady was demolished in a flash.

 Salt demos from the Maitre de Sel de Guerande had us enhaling various flavored salt.

 Phyllis showed us the best place for mushrooms...

 And fresh produce.

 Post-marche we wended our way through many alley-ways in the Marais I've never visited. As we walked Phyllis pointed out restaurants worth a future visit.
You can also find Phyllis on her blog Paris Notebook.

 Meert was one destination on rue Elzevir for vintage sweets.

 Alice would be quite content here.

 Meert is famous for their unpronouncable Gaufres de Lille.

 But I ate with my eyes the pretty berry cakes in the window.

 On to a 'horizontal' tasting of Gerard Mulot and Dalloyau  macarons chocolat.

 The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was a visit to superb chocolatier Jacques Genin - 133, rue de Turenne 75003

 Very grand and spacious for a Paris shop.

 The pastries are exquisite

 And made throughout the day Phyllis explained. Freshness is key. The best eclair I've ever tasted. Much more chocolate than sugar.

 I forgot to mention our stop in covered marche des Enfant Rouges for an olive tasting at Premiere Presson Provence. I browsed doggies...

 I've seen this Paris Respire map many times but never understood it shows streets in the Marais closed off to traffic on Sundays.

 If you go walkies your shoes should match your tot's outfit!

The final piece de resistance was this mango caramel from Jacques Genin - probably the BEST caramel on the planet. Words can't describe how our tastebuds were educated on Paris by Mouth's Tour. You'll have to try it out for yourself PBers.

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Paris By Mouth Food Tours

Yesterday I had the pleasure of joining Paris By Mouth Food Tours to Montmartre. A little word to the wise - take the bus, do not take the Metro to Abbesses unless you love 100+ stairs.

Paris By Mouth is a terrific up-to-date website for Foodies on Paris - a don't miss daily read. Meg Zimbeck was our astute guide from PBM.

First stop bien sur was this year's best baguette winner.

Meg explains in detail what constitutes the best baguette. A hunk of bread will never taste the same.

We're joined by Barbara Austen, former pastry chef, for more details on texture, construction, flavours, ingredients. I scribble madly notes. If only I could read my hand-writing.

Meg shows us the difference between a plain baguette and a baguette traditional (the prize winner now adorns the President's table). The price difference between la creme de la creme and l'ordinaire is a mere 15 centimes. The French government decides these things tu sait.

On to the next course - charcuterie and another prize winner for their boudin noir/blood sausage (which we do not sample Dieu merci!).

Red meat isn't on my menu these days but you have to be flexible when traveling.

Meg and Barbara set up a mini picnic dans la rue for tasting. That baguette came in handy.

La fromagerie is next.

Chevre/goat cheese is my favorite. These are quite aged. We taste frais/fresh and unpasturized chevre.

The cheese seller is a beau mec/cute guy...miam

On to the park nearby to sample and discuss fromage at length. I must admit I buy French cheese at the super marche, never a fromagerie - shame on me. That evening I am brave and buy chevre frais with figue inside from a fromagerie.

On to dessert.
And rue des Martyr's newest most fashionable patisserie - reknown Sebastien Gaudard.

You can tell from his website this is going to be an elegant experience. Chef Gaudard came out while we invaded his shop. He chastised one of us not to touch anything (and correctly so). 
*Jamais/never help yourself in a Paris shop to the merchandise, especially in a patisserie.
l'interdit! I did not have the nerve to take a photo.

Les patisseries were lush. Meg picked 3 and I bought another 3. Can you ever have too much dessert?

Meg, always well-equipped, divies up in the street, the 1st taste - an Alsacian mini kugel - very light and delicate - the outer crust crunchie and caramelized.

Puit d'amour, Paris Brest + une dacquoise à l'amande (ou à la noisette  - meringue-esque - all exceptional.

And the rhum Baba.

Chef Sebastien Gaudard's adorable Jack Russell, 'Hot Dog' at Selby/Colette. Wouldn't he look handsome painted  in front of Gaudard's new shop 22, rue des Martrys?

Don't miss Paris By Mouth's Food tours.

You won't need lunch and your tastebuds won't forget the experience.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad