Fabulous Foods

There are, naturally, all the delicious foods in France you’d expect. Those foods are great. But this list isn’t for those foods. This is a list of the foods I eat often, and is, in a way, what I’d ask for if I wanted a care package from France (are you listening Sarkozy? You’re not doing so hot in France, maybe you should start greasing the wheels with the Americans… Namely me…). This is how France does Mac and Cheese. If France were okay with the whole powdered cheese sauce.

Baguettes – Obviously. But did you know how many things you can put on a baguette? Nutella, honey, and cheese are obvious. You can also stick hot dogs in them, which is currently how I’m manging my baguettes. I suggest it. But very rarely do I even make it home with a full baguette, usually I end up ripping off the end and digging in on my way home. Ashamedly, I’ve eaten entire baguettes this way while out running errands. So a piece of advice – buy your baguette last.

Crepes – Specifically from Crepes-a-go-go (Kristie just got a craving somewhere in the greater NY area – sorry!). This stand has been around since like the 70s, and they know how to do crepes right. Fabulously right, since they have everything from coconut to whipped cream to nutella to jams to fruits… Since most stands have just nutella and sugar, this rocks my world. It’s awesome. There’s also a “OH SO BRITISH” Crepe (that’s how the sign says it) that I want to try with steak hache and ketchup… Maybe for lunch tomorrow…

Beignets – These are probably right under crepes as far as “well known French food” goes, but they’re awesome. They’re super fluffy donuts filled with chocolate or caramel. The ones at Paul are by far the best, although they go fast, and I have no idea how many times I’ve walked in, looked at the empty beignet tray, and walked right back out.

Lavender Honey – A guy at the market sold this to me by yelling “Goutez! Goutez!” And naturally I’m not going to turn down a free taste of something. Lavender honey is white in color and has the texture of clover honey that’s gotten slightly crystallized. Not all the way, crunchy, needs to be put in the microwave crystallized, juuuuust enough to feel even better than normal honey on the tongue. And it goes wonderfully in tea. Wonderfully.

Chevre Aux Herbes de Provence – Goat cheese covered in herbes de Provence (I absolutely ADORE that “goat cheese” is just “goat” in French); this is my favorite type by far, although the salempempa is good, just spicy for a cheese.

Espresso – I do like espresso, although I much prefer my morning coffee (solely because you can’t sip an espresso and stare straight ahead while you slowly wake up; you have to like… DRINK IT AND WAKE UP; far too intense for 7 AM); but the espresso I’m referring to here is the espresso and other espresso drinks sold from the vending machines at the Fac. Café vanille is the voted-on favorite, although I personally go classic espresso. All of this deliciousness for 50 centimes, and it’s close enough to your four-hour class to make it during your smoke break (which is admittedly longer than any American class would even consider breaking for; even better is how angry the students get if deprived of their breaks. Or rather, almost deprived. If a professor forgets, students will always, politely, but with a tinge of warning, remind him. They’d go on strike if you took away their break, but then again, half-way through a four-hour class, so would I).

Pizza Capri pizza – 1.80 for a fourth of a pizza keeps me coming back; but Pizza Capri is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted. Thinner crust, like a Memphis Pizza Café pizza except not overly crunchy (which is my major beef with thin-crusted pizza; it’s like eating a cracker), but as greasy as any Papa John’s you’ve had. It’s SO GOOD. And if you splurge the extra sixty cents and get chorizo (it’s pepperoni!) it gets even more greasy and fabulous. Oh man.

Steak Hache – hash-e like café I just can’t find the accent aigu without my computer automatically doing it – This is basically a baguette with ketchup, hamburger meat, and French fries on top. It’s delicious. Like, for real, beyond acceptably delicious.

Kebabs – Kebab stands need to come to the US ASAP. As does the tradition of putting fries on sandwiches.

Hot Toddies (French style, or, without the tea) – Yeah, these both exist in the States and aren’t particularly French, since I always thought of them as British. But since they seem to be the required French prescription for any throat ailment, one of which I’ve been stuck with for the last month and a half, and since I started drinking them here, I’m going to count them. Also, I want to evangelize a little – they’re awesome. Apparently, you're supposed to mix in tea, but you don't really need to - hot water, the juice of an entire lemon, a shot of rum, and a whole lot of (lavender) honey. I don't even know if it's got all the delicious, bacteria-killing properties it's reported to, but it does soothe the throat and put you right to sleep.

And MAN those steak haches are good.