France Food and Drink
Paris is as famous for food as it is for fashion. Gastronomic treats include foie gras, cold meats from the charcuterie, cheese, and wine. Certain streets are so overflowing with food shops that you can put together a picnic for 20 in no time: try the Rue Montorgueil. The Rue Rambuteau, running on each side of the Pompidou Center, has a marvelous row of fish stores, cheese delicatessens, and stores selling prepared foods.
There is a huge range of breads and pastries in France’s capital. The baguette is often translated as “French bread”; a bâtard is similar but thicker, while a ficelle is thinner. A fougasse is a crusty, flat loaf made from baguette dough, often filled with onions, cheese, herbs, or spices. Since most French bread contains no fat it goes stale quickly: the sooner you eat it, the better. The French would never eat day-old bread so be sure to be up in time to make it to the bakery for breakfast!
Croissants can be bought ordinaire or au beurre – the latter is flakier and more buttery. Pain au chocolat is a chocolate-filled pastry eaten for breakfast and chausson aux pommes is filled with apples. There are also pear, plum, and rhubarb variations. A pain aux raisins is a bread-like wheel filled with custard and raisins. Poilâne sells perhaps the only bread in Paris known by the name of its baker (the late Lionel, brother of Max) and his hearty whole wheat loaves are tremendously popular, with freshly-baked loaves being jetted around the world to satisfy the cravings of certain movie stars. There are always big lines on the weekend and at around 4pm when a fresh batch comes out of the oven.
Many think Ganachaud bakes the best bread in Paris. Thirty different kinds, including ingredients such as walnuts and fruit, are made in the old-fashioned ovens.
Although Les Panetons is part of a larger chain, it is one of the best of its kind with a broad range of breads.
Favorites here include five-grain bread, sesame rolls, and mouchoir aux pommes, a variation on the traditional chausson.
It is very important to remember that every Parisian has a favorite neighbourhood bakery, so when you are buying bread locally simply go for the shop with the longest lines.
Many of the Jewish delicatessens have the best ryes and the only pumpernickels in town. One of the best known is Sacha Finkelsztajn.
Le Moulin de la Vierge uses a wood fire to bake organic breads and rich pound cakes. Boulangerie
de l’Ouest is second only to Max Poilâne in the Montparnasse area with baguettes, fougasses, cakes, and pastries. J. L. Poujauran is known for his black-olive bread and nut-and-raisin wholegrain breads. Pierre Hermé is to cakes what Chanel is to fashion, while Ladurée macaroons are legendary.
CHOCOLATE
Like all food in France, chocolate is to be savored. Christian Constant’s low-sugar creations are made with pure cocoa and are known to connoisseurs. Dalloyau makes all types of chocolate and is not too expensive (it’s also known for its pâtisserie and cold meats). Fauchon is world famous for its luxury food products. Its chocolates are excellent, as is the pâtisserie.
Lenôtre makes classic truffles and pralines. Robert Linxe at La Maison du Chocolat is constantly inventing fresh, rich chocolates with mouth-watering exotic ingredients. Richart boasts beautifully presented and hugely-expensive chocolates, which are usually coated with dark chocolate or liqueur-filled.
Debauve & Gallais are best known for their wonderful and delicious glacé chestnut treats (marron glacés).
CHARCUTERIE AND FOIE GRAS
Charcuteries often sell cheese, snails, truffles, smoked salmon, caviar, and wine as well as cold meats.
Fauchon has a good grocery, as does the department store Le Bon Marché. Hédiard is a luxury shop similar to Fauchon, and Maison de la Truffe sells foie gras and sausages as well as truffles.
For Beluga caviar, Georgian tea, and Russian vodka go to Petrossian.
The Lyon and Auvergne regions of France are the best known for their charcuterie. Examples can be bought from Chrétienne Jean-Jacques. Aux Vrais Produits d’Auvergne has a number of outlets where you can stock up on dried and fresh sausages and delicious
Cantal cheese (rather like cheddar). Pou is a sparklingly clean and popular shop selling pâté en croute (pâté baked in pastry), boudins (black and white puddings), Lyonnais sausages, ham, and foie gras. Just off the Champs-Elysées, Vignon has superb foie gras and Lyonnais sausages as well as popular prepared foods. Together with truffles and caviar, foie gras is the ultimate in gourmet food. The quality (and price) depends upon the percentage of liver used.
Though most specialty food shops sell foie gras, you can be sure of quality at Comtesse du Barry, which has six outlets in Paris. Divay is relatively inexpensive and will ship overseas. Labeyrie has a range of beautifully packaged foie gras suitable for giving as presents.
CHEESE
Although Camembert is undoubtedly a favorite, there is an overwhelming range of cheeses available.
A friendly fromager will help you choose. Marie-Anne Cantin is one of the leading figures in the fight to protect traditional production methods, and her fine cheeses are available from the store that she inherited from her father. Some say that Alléosse is the best cheese delicatessen in Paris –the façade may be in need of renovation, but all the cheeses are made according to traditional methods.
Crèmerie Quatrehomme sells farm-made cheeses, many of which are in danger of becoming extinct; these include a rare and delicious truffle Brie (when in season).
Le Jardin Fromager is one of the best shops in Paris for all types of cheese – the chèvre (goat’s cheese) is particularly good, and outside on the sidewalk the daily specials are offered at remarkably reasonable prices. Barthelemy in the Rue de Grenelle has a truly exceptional Roquefort.
Androuet is a Parisian institution with several branches across the city. Try a pungent Munster or a really ripe Brie. A charming cheese store on the bustling Rue Montorgeuil market street, La
Fermette, offers a dazzling array of dairy products, which the helpful and friendly staff will happily encase in plastic for the journey home. This is imperative when bringing cheese through customs, so don’t forget to ask your fromager to wrap it for you. Well-heeled locals line in the street to buy oozing livarot and sharp chèvre from La Fromagerie d’Auteuil. WINE the chain store which has
practically cornered the everyday drinking market is Nicolas – there’s a branch in every neighborhood with a range of wines to suit all pockets. As a rule, the sales-people are knowledgeable and helpful. Try the charming
Legrand Filles et Fils for a carefully chosen selection. Caves Taillevent on the Rue du Faubourg-
St-Honoré is worth a sightseeing tour. It is an enormous, overwhelming cellar with some of the
most expensive wine. Cave Péret on the Rue Daguerre has a vast selection of wines and can offer personal advice to help you with your purchase. The beautiful Ryst-Dupeyron, in the St-
Germain quarter, displays whiskies, wines, ports, and Monsieur Ryst’s own Armagnac. He will even personalize a bottle for that special occasion.
Other great wine stores include Lavinia which is the largest in Europe, and Renaud Michel at Nation, whose small boutique is well stocked and well connected.
The staff in Les Caves Augé are also very knowledgeable and friendly.
CHAMPAGNE
Fabulous fizz can be found at most wine stores, but some know their bubbles better than others. The Nicolas chain, mentioned above, frequently has great offers on well-known brands, so this is
a good place to come and stock up on your favorite famous bubbly. La Cave des
Martyrs on the Rue Martyrs is a friendly and well-stocked wine store with charming staff to help you with your selection. The Repaire du Bacchus on the Rue d’Auteuil is a good place to go for
hard-to-find vintages. The sommelier here is very knowledgeable and able to provide excellent alternative advice if your preferred brand is out of stock. Legrand Filles et Fils, on the Rue de la
Banque, is one of the few shops in Paris to stock Salon, a rare high-end champagne.
They also sell champagne by Jacques Selosse which is little-known but well-loved by champagne connoisseurs. Les Caves du Panthéon on the Rue Saint Jacques, is a small, but, lovely wine store, which has a particularly interesting selection of champagnes.
Close by is Ex Cellar France, a corner wine-store, which is distinguished both by its charming and helpful staff and also by its frequent deals on champagne. The climate-controlled section of Hédiard at Place de la Madelaine is a good place to find rare, fine sparkling wines. Caprices de l’Instant is a fashionable wine store, which stocks good quality champagne including bottles by some lesser-known producers. A stroll along the Boulevard St-Germain can be enhanced with a visit to La Maison du Millésimes, a wonderful store carrying excellent vintages of household-name champagnes.
OYSTERS
The ultimate aphrodisac for some, a slippery sea creature for others, there is no doubt that the once humble oyster can cause heated debate. In Paris, the argument tends to be over the best place to purchase these creatures, with every seafood fan worth his platter claiming a favorite spot; and it is, of course, important to get it right. A deciding factor for some is the grace with which your fish seller will agree to open them for you. In general, a polite request will be honored, although sometimes you may have to wait a while before being presented with a platter perfect for a picnic.
The fish seller on the Rue Cler market street, La Sablaise, has an excellent reputation as does the
Poissonnerie du Dôme in the city’s 14th arrondissement.
Over in the traditionally rough-and-ready area around the Rue Oberkampf, you can find excellent oysters at the Poissonerie Lacroix. If you prefer to eat your oysters on the spot then head to an huitrerie (oyster shop) such as L’Ecume Saint-Honoré near chic Rue St-Honoré, where you can tuck into your oysters and a wide range of other shellfish straight away at the few tables tucked into the corner of the store.
DIRECTORY
Renaud Michel
12 Pl de la Nation 75012.
Tel 01 43 07 98 93.
Ryst-Dupeyron
79 Rue du Bac 75007.
Tel 01 45 48 80 93.
CHAMPAGNE
Caprices de l’Instant
12 Rue Jacques Coeur75004.
Tel 01 40 27 89 00.
La Cave des Martyrs
39 Rue des Martyrs 75009.
Tel 01 40 16 80 27.
Les Caves du Panthéon
174 Rue St Jacques 75005.
Tel 01 46 33 90 35.
Ex Cellar France
25 Rue des Ecoles 75005.
Tel 01 43 26 99 43.
Hédiard
21 Place de la Madeleine
75008.
Tel 01 43 12 88 88.
La Maison de Millésimes
137 Boulevard St-Germain 75006.
F4. Tel 01 40 46 80 01.
Repaire du Bacchus
1 Rue de Maistre 75018.
Tel 01 46 06 80 84.
OYSTERS
L’Ecume Saint-Honoré
6 Rue du Marché St-Honoré 75001.
D1. Tel 01 42 61 93 87.
Poissonnerie du Dôme
4 Rue Delambre 75014.
Tel 01 43 35 23 95.
Poissonnerie Lacroix
44 Rue Oberkampf
75011.
Tel 01 47 00 93 13.
La Sablaise
28 Rue Cler 75007.
Tel 01 45 51 61 78.
BREAD AND CAKES
Boulangerie de l’Ouest
4 Pl Constantin Brancusi 75014.
Tel 01 43 21 76 18.
Ganachaud
226 Rue des Pyrénées
75020.
Tel 01 43 58 42 62.
J L Poujauran
20 Rue Jean-Nicot 75007.
Tel 01 43 17 35 20.
Max Poilâne
87 Rue Brancion 75015.
Tel 01 48 28 45 90.
Le Moulin de la Vierge
105 Rue Vercingétorix
75014.
Tel 01 45 43 09 84.
One of several branches.
Les Panetons
113 Rue Mouffetard
75005.
Tel 01 47 07 12 08.
Pierre Hermé
72 Rue Bonaparte 75006.
Tel 01 43 54 47 77.
Poilâne
8 Rue du Cherche-Midi
75006.
Tel 01 45 48 42 59.
Sacha Finkelsztajn
27 Rue des Rosiers 75004.
Tel 01 42 72 78 91.
www.laboutiquejaune.fr
CHOCOLATE
Christian Constant
37 Rue d’Assas 75006.
Tel 01 53 63 15 15.
Dalloyau
101 Rue du Faubourg-
St-Honoré 75008.
Tel 01 42 99 90 00.
Debauve & Gallais
30 Rue des Saints-Pères
75007.
Tel 01 45 48 54 67.
One of two branches.
Fauchon
26 Pl de la Madeleine 75008.
Tel 01 70 39 38 00.
www.fauchon.com
Lenôtre
36 Ave de la Motte
Picquet 75007.
F4. Tel 01 45 55 71 25.
One of several branches.
La Maison du Chocolat
225 Rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré 75008.
Tel 01 42 27 39 44.
Richart
258 Blvd St-Germain 75007.
Tel 01 45 55 66 00.
CHARCUTERIE AND FOIE GRAS
Chrétienne Jean-Jacques
58 Rue des Martyrs
75009.
Tel 01 48 78 96 45.
Comtesse du Barry
1 Rue de Sèvres 75006.
Tel 01 45 48 32 04.
www.comtessedubarry.com
One of several branches.
Divay
4 Rue Bayen 75017.
Tel 01 43 80 16 97.
Fauchon
26 Pl de la Madeleine
75008.
Tel 01 70 39 38 00.
Hédiard
21 Pl de la Madeleine
75008.
Tel 01 43 12 88 88.
Labeyrie
11 Rue d’Auteuil 75016.
Tel 01 42 24 17 62.
Maison de la Truffe
19 Pl de la Madeleine
75008.
Tel 01 42 65 53 22.
Petrossian
18 Blvd Latour-Maubourg 75007.
Tel 01 44 11 32 22.
Pou
16 Ave des Ternes 75017.
Tel 01 43 80 19 24.
Vignon
14 Rue Marbeuf 75008.
Tel 01 47 20 24 26.
CHEESE Alléosse
13 Rue Poncelet 75017.
Tel 01 46 22 50 45.
Androuët
134 Rue Mouffetard
75005. Map 17 B1.
Tel 01 45 87 85 05.
www.androuet.com
Barthelemy
51 Rue de Grenelle
75007.
Tel 01 45 48 56 75.
Crèmerie
Quatrehomme
62 Rue de Sèvres 75007.
Tel 01 47 34 33 45.
La Fermette
86 Rue Montorgeuil
75002.
Tel 01 42 36 70 96.
La Fromagerie d’Auteuil
58 Rue d’Auteuil 75016.
Tel 01 45 25 07 10.
Le Jardin Fromager
53 Rue Oberkampf
75011.
Tel 01 48 05 19 96.
Marie-Anne Cantin
12 Rue du Champ-de-Mars 75007.
Tel 01 45 50 43 94.
WINE
Les Caves Augé
116 Blvd Haussman 75008.
Tel 01 45 22 16 97.
Cave Péret
6 Rue Daguerre 75014.
Tel 01 43 22 08 64.
Caves Taillevent
199 Rue du Faubourg-
St-Honoré 75008.
Tel 01 45 61 14 09.
Nicolas
35 Blvd Malesherbes 75008.
Tel 01 42 65 00 85.
www.nicolas.com
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