To Market to Market

On three of our days in Paris we went each morning to cheese, meat, and fish markets, the greengrocer, and boulangerie where Madame Bullwinkel carefully selected ingredients for our lunch menu of the day. We then proceeded to her apartment, the Paris location of Chez Madelaine, and cooked together.

Each day we sampled at least three kinds of cheese between the main course - le plat, and dessert. Though the task of choosing which of the hundreds of beautiful cheeses to try seemed daunting, Madelaine made thoughtful selections and every one we tasted seemed better than the last.










On the first day, our first course was one of the most delicious combinations of foods NDL has ever tasted - Roasted Fresh Fig and Goat Cheese Salad.














Le plat that day was the same dish served at the first meal that Julie Child had upon arrival in France - the quintessentially French fish preparation that made Meryl Streep/Julia Child swoon in ecstasy, and of which the real Julia said, "The whole experience was an opening up of the soul and spirit for me. I was hooked, and for life, as it turned out." Sole Meuniere with ratatouille expertly executed by Madelaine produced similarly appreciative sighs from our little group of - not theatrically trained, but very enthusiastic budding gourmands.






Lovely little Reine de Reinette apples were the foundation for a beautiful Paris Market Apple Cake for dessert.




And, not wanting to miss a single chance to experience la cuisine française, we still managed to go to a restaurant for supper that evening at La Pomponette, just down the street from our hotel, where we enjoyed the salade de fromage and a fine vin blanc.




We know. Impressive dedication to "having it all" wouldn't you say?