...what le heck!

 When I lived  in Paris I adored eating at the little Bistros on Boulevard Saint-Germain-des-Pres, Les Deux Margots and Cafe de Flore were particular favorites...... after wards we would meander through the street markets overflowing with fresh produce, endless varieties of cheeses, incredible homemade baked goods, and by the way, the flowers were insane!!!

Oh fine. I never lived in Paris, truth be told I have never even been there (sob!) oh, how I long to say those words..."when I was in Paris." I am, however, an avid armchair traveler [though I have been to Europe twice] and I have devoured Mastering the Art of French Cooking from cover to cover......until then I will be content to swoon and get starry eyed while traveling via my laptop or pseudo planning trips in my mind to soothe my wanderlust. Maybe not quite, but you know.

So, having said all that I had a little bistro experience at home. French onion soup and blueberry clafoutis. This French onion soup is a little on the sweet side, using Vadilia onions that have been caramelized for 40 minutes, but the combination of the garlicky croutons and the Gruyere cheese push it over the edge. This is such a beauty, so elegant, so frou frou.

J'Adore clafoutis! Clafoutis (cla-foo-tee) is sort of a French pancake that is baked. The texture is dense but strangely light and airy. Slightly reminiscent of a custard that got all dressed up in pearls. Traditionally studded with cherries, but all I had were blueberries, well, there it is.This is amazing as a dessert, but if you really want to be delighted, serve it up for breakfast. What le heck!

French (Vidalia) Onion Soup

(go here for recipe)

blueberry clafoutis

(go here for recipe)

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?