Paris Food Shopping - Gourmet article

STAFF PICK: TRAVEL
Gourmet staffer Erica Reynolds reminisces on her weekly jaunts to a Parisian outdoor market.

When I lived at 71 rue de Lyon, in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, I would wake up on Sunday mornings – a day when mainstream commerce shuts down – and stroll with a friend through Place de la Bastille towards the Marche to buy groceries for the week. Choosing from the best artichokes, cauliflower, rotisserie chickens, pastries, cheeses, strawberries, yogurts, and even honey, I would count out Euros in my change purse and head over, wicker basket in hand, to stock up on seasonal goodies.

It is dangerous to shop on an empty stomach first thing on a Sunday morning. To tide myself over, I’d pick up a croissant aux amandes at the local patisserie– the best ones are moist and with a high ratio of almond paste to bread, which is not at all browned - and with adequate almond slivers piled on top. Balancing my basket and pastry, I’d walk up the Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, eyeing the stands to see what looked appealing.

Sometimes, instead of a croissant, I’d opt for a quick Lebanese bread-like snack made with green paste from thyme called “zatr”, and a lemon-yougurt sauce called “lebneh,” heated on a rounded steel skillet at the stands. The thin dough of the bread, seasoned with thyme as well, would be warm with air pockets, and wouldn’t weigh heavily in my stomach.

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Entering the Boulevard, my attention would first be drawn to the pinkish-white fraises (strawberries). Even when perfectly ripe, they are slightly whiter at the base than American ones, and a bit smaller in scale. They come from Morocco, as do bananas and citrus. One can’t necessarily tell from looking at them whether they are ripe or not, so you just have to try them.

Next stop would be the dairy stands where I would choose a sweet, liquid yougurt, sold in glass bottles with a foil covering the top. It tasted almost like a smoothie – and is perfect for dipping the strawberries in. Greek yogurt, unsweetened, with fresh dates that have their own crystallized sugars is another satisfying snack I’d buy. A Camembert or an aged comte, a hard cheese to snack on was also a common purchase. It goes with most wine and isn’t too heavily perfumed.

Fresh farm eggs and a whole poulet (chicken), roasted in an herbed butter on rotisserie stands were my most important purchases. To sustain myself throughout the week, I’d carve off certain parts of the bird, applying dabs of French “moutarde” later in the week as the bird dried out – but it would usually last all week. Once, I experimented with buying a rabbit, but regretted it shortly after. The only way to develop your own taste is to be daring!

Lastly, (as the French take their salad at the end of a meal, to help with the digestive process), I would buy my vegetables - several courgettes, some endives, and some butter lettuce, along with tomatoes and an onion. Chopped onions, courgettes, and tomatoes, parsley, and orzo, along with a salad dressing made from Maggi were an easy meal to prepare.

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Although I tried to mimic the other Frenchwomen out and about, who were preparing to cook for a large family, I usually just went by what pleased my fancy at the moment – and often picked up something indulgent as a can of foie gras or a prepared jar of cassoulet – as either is the perfect addition to bring to a friend’s dinner party.

Walk several blocks towards the Marais to the wine store NYSA on rue Bourg Tibourg for an excellent but affordably priced selection of wines as they pertain to foods (paired with salmon, cassoulet, foie gras). Be sure to pick up a bottle opener similar to “The Rabbit” which retails in the US for $110. You can find it for under 30 Euros at the stands.

For more information on NYSA, visit www.nysa.fr