Hello friends! Today I am finally dealing with internet fast enough for another blog post (I hope anyways). The weather has been a little nicer here this past week--less rain--and because of this I was able to go out and take some more pictures of beautiful La Rochelle!
It's so pretty during the day, but at night many lights line the walkways and streets, creating a beautiful glow. It really is breathtaking, my pictures don't do it justice.
Okay, I think that's enough pictures of the views for now. I do want to get into what the post is really about, the food! But don't worry, I have plenty more where those pictures came from.
I have quite a few for you, of some of the best things I've eaten so far here in France. I hope there will be many more posts like these to come, with all the sandwiches, panini, crêpes, and of course sweets I can eat! Hopefully you aren't reading this while you are hungry. I know how that goes.
I have quite a few for you, of some of the best things I've eaten so far here in France. I hope there will be many more posts like these to come, with all the sandwiches, panini, crêpes, and of course sweets I can eat! Hopefully you aren't reading this while you are hungry. I know how that goes.
Sandwiches! Already some of my favorites. They're just always so simple yet so delicious. I think the sandwich is seriously underrated people. Pictured here on the left: a Croque Monsieur. These beautiful lunches are usually made of bread, cheese, and ham all melted together (it's like a French grilled cheese!). This particular one is an Italian version of the common dish. That means tomato, mozzarella, basil, and ham. So in a way, it's a bruschetta/grilled cheese masterpiece that's topped with a light pesto and of course, beautifully plated as is the French way. It was certainly amazing!
On the right is your traditional French sandwich made from a fresh baguette. It's essentially a chicken salad sandwich, another of my favorites. Not always easy to bite into I can assure you, but totally worth it regardless.
And here is another favorite of the French: afternoon coffee and crêpes! It's very typical around here for most restaurants to be closed to regular food service between 2:00 or 3:00pm until 7:00pm when they open for dinner. During this time, they serve coffee and crêpes for those who pass through. Since coffee is not my usual favorite, I have enjoyed many delicious servings of hot chocolate: called here chocolat chaud or my personal favorite, the chocolat viennois which includes whipped cream!
On the right is your traditional French sandwich made from a fresh baguette. It's essentially a chicken salad sandwich, another of my favorites. Not always easy to bite into I can assure you, but totally worth it regardless.
And here is another favorite of the French: afternoon coffee and crêpes! It's very typical around here for most restaurants to be closed to regular food service between 2:00 or 3:00pm until 7:00pm when they open for dinner. During this time, they serve coffee and crêpes for those who pass through. Since coffee is not my usual favorite, I have enjoyed many delicious servings of hot chocolate: called here chocolat chaud or my personal favorite, the chocolat viennois which includes whipped cream!
And of course, I couldn't make a post about my first encounters with famous French gastronomy without mentioning the crêpes. The beautiful, fantastic, and ever common French crêpe. Usually they're eaten as a sweet snack or on the go. This one pictured is beurre sucre, (butter and sugar) but I can assure you I've eaten my fair share of Nutella crêpes. It may be near impossible to find peanut butter here but the Nutella flows like water.
The crêpe is similar in flavor but much more common than this beauty that I totally indulged in yesterday:
The crêpe is similar in flavor but much more common than this beauty that I totally indulged in yesterday:
The gaufre or waffle was smothered in thick chocolate and whipped cream and I regret nothing about it. Who comes to France to lose weight? Not me.
Mom and Dad, if you're reading this, I have in fact eaten more vegetables than appear in this post. They're just not as decadent and mouth-watering as these beautiful things pictured.
Finally, (drumroll please) what is life in France without a little taste of macaroon? Not life in France. That's what it is.
Mom and Dad, if you're reading this, I have in fact eaten more vegetables than appear in this post. They're just not as decadent and mouth-watering as these beautiful things pictured.
Finally, (drumroll please) what is life in France without a little taste of macaroon? Not life in France. That's what it is.
So many amazing colors and flavors. I'll have to get back to you on my favorites of these. There will be plenty more than what's pictured here that's for sure!
As one last picture to post before I close this blog entry, I want to show you something that was the first thing that hit me as an example of what people always say about French food: it is an art. I found this just walking around in the streets one day, in some artist gallery window.
As one last picture to post before I close this blog entry, I want to show you something that was the first thing that hit me as an example of what people always say about French food: it is an art. I found this just walking around in the streets one day, in some artist gallery window.
THAT, is a mannequin entirely dressed in chocolate macaroons. I've never seen anything like it! It's an interesting concept for sure. And a delicious one at that!