Further down the street, we come across butchers offering all forms of fowl with ducks, geese, pheasants and chickens among the choices.  Outside the butcher shop, succulent rows of chicken slowly turn in the rotisserie oven  The irresistible smell of finely seasoned roasting chicken draws hungry crowds toward the oven like bears to honey. 

Aah, the French and their morning bread.  Beginning at four or five in the morning, the lines begins to form at bakeries across Paris.  As the sun rises on the horizon, the lines often stretch across the block.  By 7am, many of the popular selections are aready sold out.  This boulangerie in particular stocks reinforcements on the weekends by also selling bread out of trailers parked in the alley beside the bakery.  Inside the bakery, one can choose from amazingly flaky and light croissants, both buttered and not, pain au chocolates that often disappear before taking two steps out of the store.  Baugettes with a crispy crust and bubbly interior perfectly proofed to give the proper texture. 

As we come to the end of our culinary journey across Monaco and France, it seems fitting to close with a seafood feast with delicacies from the French coast.  The oysters from Normandy are smaller than the Gulf of Mexico variety commonly found in Texas.  With a lighter flavor and a savory burst, the oysters seem much saltier than their cousins across the sea.  The shrimp are astonishingly fresh with a burst of sweetness with every bite.  All in all, a definitely satisfying end to the journey.  Paris is indeed one of the culinary epicenters of the world and with each return  voyage, I find more that amazes and humbles me at the same time. 

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment 2.0!