Paris Journal 2012 – Barbara Joy Cooley Home: barbarajoycooley.com
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Savoring the end of the peace and quiet of August in Paris, we decided to with a brisk walk up to the rue Saint Charles and follow it toward the base of the Eiffel Tower, instead of walking up the trendy, busy rue du Commerce to the other end of the Champ de Mars. It was a good plan, because the streets along this route were calm. Meanwhile, the peace and quiet of hurricane season continues in our home back in southwest Florida. In the best possible case for Sanibel, tropical storm Isaac was pushed farther west, but not so far that Sanibel won’t get rain. Sanibel needs rain. After five years of drought, many people there don’t even know what it is supposed to look like with proper water levels. I look forward to seeing the pond in our back yard, looking its best, as it does when it is full. I’m only sorry that I do not get to watch these rainstorms. Tropical thunderstorms are the best. That said, I must say now that I am very concerned for New Orleans. The tropical storm will no doubt be a hurricane by the time it reaches that lovely, colorful city. Let’s pray that it is only a category 1, and that it quickly dissipates when it is no longer over water. When the French first established New Orleans, in what is now the French Quarter, they chose relatively higher ground. Smart. But as we all know, the surrounding area is low, and as the city grew, it grew to be more vulnerable to the real danger posed by hurricanes, which is storm surge. Pray for New Orleans. May the surge be small. It occurs to me that the French influence on the cuisine of New Orleans is mostly Provençal – from the south of France, much more than the north. My main course at the Café du Commerce last night, as compared to the main course I had at La Frégate four weeks ago, on July 29, is a good illustration. At La Frégate, I ordered the blanquette de veau, which was an extremely tender chunk of veal cooked slowly, and served with a creamy mushroom sauce. Very northern, I think. A similar tender chunk of veal, cooked slowly and with a tomato-wine-herb sauce, a tendron de veau, was Provençal in style, and reminded me of creole cooking. That’s what I had at Café du Commerce last night. Tom ordered the pastilla de canard au miel et aux épices douces, pommes nouvelles this time, and it was especially good. Although it is technically a Moroccan dish, I think it is often served in southern cities like Marseille. Because of its spices and emphasis on pastry, I could imagine this dish also being served in New Orleans. We both ordered baba au rhum for dessert. We’d been walking along the Seine for three hours, and so were hungry. On our way back, after the road along the Seine was opened back up to automobiles at 5PM, we strolled down the rue de Bac to the grand boulevard Saint Germain, and then snaked our way through the quiet and secure streets of the 7th arrondissement: rue Saint-Simon, rue de Grenelle, avenue de la Motte-Picquet. We paused to rest in a calm square behind the basilica of Sainte-Clotilde, admiring the handsome row of old apartment buildings where the restaurant Le Basilic is located. (La basilique, le basilic, get it? The French love plays on words.) We used to like Le Basilic, but it has become a bit too grungy for us. And its menu doesn’t change much. But on the rue Saint-Simon, we certainly spotted a couple of small restaurants that we’d like to try: La Ferme Saint-Simon, and L’Affable. Like Olivier Mayeras at La Gitane, the owner of La Ferme Saint-Simon, Dario Dondelli, has earned the title of maître-restaurateur. After reading about this restaurant, I wondered why Serena Williams, who has an apartment in the 7th and spends several months a year in Paris, chooses to dine at Le Thoumieux? At least, that’s what the news media claim. Serena’s apartment is on or just off of the rue Saint-Dominique, so maybe she just hasn’t ventured over to the less obvious rue Saint-Simon. The New York Times magazine on Sunday contained a long feature article about Venus and Serena Williams. I read it, although it was not that well written. The author claimed that Serena speaks French. Then I read an article about Serena’s life in the 7th arrondissement that was in a French-language sports publication. That reporter claimed that Serena does not speak French. All in the eye of the beholder, I guess. Or in the ear of the hearer. Whatever. Of course, Serena competes in tennis tournaments in France, but I think the real reason she has an apartment in Paris is that she adores the fashion world. And I think she loves to shop. She has her own line of shoes and handbags, you know. She also has a clothing line called “Aneres ,” her name spelled backward. I suppose with these business interests, she can perhaps write off her Paris apartment as a business expense? I bet she goes to all the important fashion shows in Paris.The Aneres company, however, is based back in my home state of Florida. |
Silvery bird door handle on the
gallery called Siecle, at 24 rue de Bac.
Door hardware on the rue de Bac, 7th arrondissement.
Tendron de veau, Provençal style: special of the day at the Café du Commerce.
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