It’s Spectacularly Difficult to Sound So Effortless – Tuesday, 13 October

WHAT A BARGAIN! I got a 10 euro ticket to sit up in the stratosphere at the new Philharmonie de Paris for a concert by the spectacular Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig and clarinetist Martin Fröst under the direction of Riccardo Chailly. I was seated in one of the “clouds” behind the orchestra, so got a good view of the Maestro, of Fröst’s rear end (nice!) and of the musicians & their music. 

This is one of the world’s greatest orchestras, and they performed just brilliantly in big dramatic moments as well as in subtle intensely quiet moments; in the large ensemble and in smaller chamber-size ensembles; as an accompanist for the soloist and as the main deal. Their balance was perfect, their phrasing fluid, the solo lines SPOT ON and natural (yaaay horns! [and all the other principals]) – they made it sound easy (which it is anything but – especially the first horn’s treacherous theme in Til Eulenspiegel sounded as effortless as falling off a log).  Wow, just wow.

We got Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Strauss’ Death & Transfiguration, Metamorphosen and Til Eulenspiegel. After his concerto Martin Fröst played an encore by Poulenc filled with “fireworks” – I didn’t catch the name of it, but there was a recurring theme that sounded a little like the opening theme of Til Eulenspiegel. If any of my clarinet-playing friends know what this is, give me a shout!

I was pretty much eye level with
the center "cloud"

At last Thursday’s concert of the Orchestre de Paris I noticed muddiness and balance problems in my 28-euro seat over in one of the side “clouds.” Of course, that was a different (lower tier) orchestra and conductor, so it probably wasn’t an acoustical problem! In any case, I can assure you that I’ll happily buy a ticket for Porte 5A, seat C167 again!

Happy camper at
intermission

The concert started at 8:30. It ended at 11:00. Good thing I didn’t need to sleep or anything before heading off to the airport early Wednesday morning!

The Hall almost looks like an
alien spaceship at night!

http://philharmoniedeparis.fr/en

It Would Have Been Uplifting if I Could Have Only Found the Lift! – Tuesday, 13 October

Funky/fun chairs at
le Balcon

The Philharmonie de Paris opened a resto called "le Balcon"on the top floor of their new concert hall last month. It has fairly uncomplicated food offerings, but I wanted to give it a try – I like the idea of getting to a concert early and being able to have a sit-down dinner (not just finger food at the bar) without having to leave the facility. 

A recital hall I found while
wandering around the
Philharmonie looking for
the external elevator

Unfortunately, as with all buildings designed by Jean Nouvel (including the new Guthrie), signage is hideously insufficient. I couldn’t find any signage for the elevator to take me to the resto. And there were no visible staff members to help.  I knew that it was possible to enter via the concert hall lobbies, but the outside doors were still locked when I arrived for my 7:00 reservation.  So I called the restaurant and asked how to get in. The directions they gave me took me almost all the way around the building on surfaces that were still lacking trim and the decorative pavers (and, in a few places, contained non-trivial cracks – yikes!), and they didn’t lead to elevators up to the top floor. Grrrr. And brrrrr (it was getting pretty cold and windy). So I went back to the main entrance and just waited till they opened the doors. 

Having little time left to eat, I just ordered the fish & chips. Fish not bad, chips soggy, tartar sauce delicious, wine (a white Bordeaux) decent.

I would like to try it again – it’s a comfortable spot, has great views, and the décor is funky (including irregularly-shaped tables that mimic the tiles on the building). But first I need to get there in the daytime so that I can find the dang outside-the-hall elevator!

Customer “Service” – Tuesday, 13 October

This afternoon I wanted to pick up just a couple things at a terrific little knitting/beading/ribbon/handcraft store called la Droguerie, located in the heart of les Halles, just across from the huge Église Saint-Eustache. So-called “customer service” in France can be exasperating, and I felt the brunt of it today. Even Frenchwomen were rolling their eyes and making sounds of frustration! Shop employees will often chat with each other or with a friend who stops by, or work on something not time-critical (such as winding hanks of yarn into balls here), or serve customers who interrupt them rather than those who have been waiting in a queue. Today I wandered the store a bit, picked out the two things I wanted, and stood in line for – I kid you not – at least 30 minutes before an employee waited on me. My actual transaction took 2 minutes.

But while I was standing there, I got a chance to look at some very clever necklaces that were made with simple plastic and enameled beads. I thought you might enjoy a look!

Do check out the shop when you’re in town. Customer service is not always so bad, and if you like handcrafts you’ll be in heaven even just browsing! 

http://www.ladroguerie.com/boutiques/paris/

Nothing Exotic in the Ingredients, but My Oh My! – Monday, 12 October

My final class at Le Cordon Bleu this trip was #20 (of 30) in the superior cuisine series. Chef Moine was a bit more talkative than he was last Tuesday, and seemed to be having a better day overall! And as before, his food was fabulous.

The first course was a crab “Charlotte.” Crab meat was cooked in a court-bouillon (basically a clear stock made with aromatic vegetables, herbs, peppercorns, water and wine) and then cooled. Asparagus spears were blanched then shocked. Fresh tomatoes were cooked with shallots and olive oil, seasoned, and puréed. A vinaigrette was made with reduced orange, lemon and lime juices and olive oil. The asparagus spears were used to line individual ring molds, then the crab was layered alternately with diced asparagus stems and the vinaigrette. The plate was decorated with the pureed tomatoes. The result: wonderful intense, distinct and harmonious flavors and textures!

The seared scallops in the main course were almost secondary to all of the accompaniments! Even the scallop “beards” (which are normally discarded) were used in a stuffing for pureed potatoes – the beards were cleaned multiple times (they are very sandy), then cooked with thyme and bay leaf and diced. A duxelles was made with white mushrooms, tarragon, and chives, then the beards were added to it. Fresh breadcrumbs, Parmesan and butter were combined for a gratin topping. A carrot butter sauce was made by reducing carrot juice and orange juice almost to a paste, and then whisking in butter, lemon juice and grated ginger. Potatoes were cooked and mashed with a lot of butter, then piped into about the bottom third of oiled individual ring molds, then pressed up the sides of the molds to make a cavity in the center, into which the scallop beard / mushroom duxelles was spooned. A thin layer of the gratin was sprinkled on top, then they were baked until brown on top and warm throughout.  Holy moley!

Dessert was lemon three ways. A “jelly” was made by boiling lemon juice, basil, lemongrass, lemon zest, sugar, and water, then straining it, then using agar agar (alternatively, gelatin) to jelly it, then poured into a sheet pan and refrigerated until set. A lemon cream was made like an “Anglaise” with lemon juice, eggs, sugar and butter, using Xanthan gum as a thickening agent.  Some lemons were scooped out and the shell and "lid" were frosted by cooking in water. lemon juice and sugar. Another lemon was cut into thin slices, which were dried in the oven.  Another wowzer!!!

French techniques for turning every-day ingredients into spectacular creations constitute an art form that never ceases to amaze and inspire me. I learn something new every time I attend a class at Le Cordon Bleu. Although I don’t cook like this at home on a regular basis (!), I do use some of the techniques.  And knowledge of the craft behind the art form certainly does help me pay attention to and appreciate the food that is set before me in great restaurants everywhere.

LCB classes are accessible to the average cook (they are taught in French but everything is translated), and they’re a hecuva deal (45 euros for 2.5 hours of instruction by a world-class chef, with a small serving of each course to taste). They also offer day-long workshops on a variety of topics (one of my all-time favorites was a foie gras workshop several years ago!). And they post recipes/techniques on their website and Facebook page.  Check them out!  http://cordonbleu.edu/index.cfm?fa=FrontEndMod.HomePage&&setlangid=1

Loire Lore – Monday, 12 October

When I arrived at Le Cordon Bleu this afternoon for my 3rd and 4th classes this trip, they offered me a free class! I wasn’t sure why (although I am a pretty vocal promoter of their offerings!) – perhaps someone reported on the slightly surly behavior of the Chef at my October 6 class – but in any case my day was full on Tuesday (and I was leaving on Wednesday) so I couldn’t take advantage of it. Nice gesture, though!

The afternoon class was #20 (of 30) in the intermediate cuisine series. The theme was the cuisine, wines and products of the Loire Valley region, one known for a large variety of freshwater fish and an abundance of vegetables and fruits.

The first course was thin slices of a quickly cured (in salt and sugar, 1-3 hours) and then lightly smoked seabass with a salad of spinach, red chard, green beans and sautéed oyster mushrooms. I learned a countertop smoking technique that I just gotta try soon! Chef Fabrice Bruto put sawdust, wood chips, rosemary and thick ribbons of lemon zest in a big rectangular stainless steel vat that had a tight-fitting cover. He placed a footed rectangular cooling rack on the bottom, then lit the sawdust/chips with a torch, then placed the cured fish on top of the rack, then lidded it. He checked it a few times over the next 20-30 minutes, relighting the sawdust/chips if necessary. Wow! Tasty!

The main course was rabbit tenderloin stuffed with duxelles, rabbit leg/thigh meat and prunes (macerated in a sparkling white wine), and served with roasted goat-cheese-filled potatoes and an intensely flavored creamy sauce made with all the rabbit trimmings. Absolutely fabulous! Chef started with a whole rabbit, and every part of it (except for the head and lungs) was used somewhere in this course, so the preparation took quite a while and my notes ran to three pages!

Dessert was deep-fried choux fritters filled with an orange cream (prepared like a pastry cream) and served with a reduction of orange juice and Cointreau (the preferred orange liqueur here, partially because André Cointreau is the President and CEO of Le Cordon Bleu!).  Deeeeelicious.

Students snapping photos at the end of class

“Deep and Wide” Musical Resources at ACP – Sunday, 11 October

Just about every Sunday afternoon you can attend a free chamber music concert in the lovely warm (and acoustically decent) theater of The American Church in Paris. Local and touring professional musicians perform, and the fine concerts are always enjoyable (as well as being a great deal!). Most stores and many restos are closed on Sunday afternoons/evenings, so if you’re looking for something to do, consider these!

Today the concert was in the sanctuary and the performers were all parishioners of the church – wow, what deep and broad resources they have there! The choir, handbell choir, four pianists, five fabulous sopranos, two organists, an 11-voice vocal ensemble, a clarinetist and a flautist all performed a widely varied, highly skilled and deeply moving program of classic, contemporary and even show-tune music. All they were missing was a hornist!

It turns out that Laurana Mitchelmore, the woman I spoke with after the morning service who I thought was “an accompanist,” turns out to be “THE accompanist” of the choir and multiple other ensembles. And she had told Fred Gramann, the church’s music/choir director & organist, and several of the other musicians about me – I wasn’t exactly a celebrity, but they all welcomed me warmly after the concert. I was delighted to speak with Mr. Gramann to tell him that I have enjoyed his organ performance and musical leadership for decades (as far as I can remember, he has been there just about every time I’ve visited in the last 30 years). The clarinetist was originally from Stillwater, went to Concordia Moorhead, and then continued her studies at the Manhattan School of Music; she has lived in Paris for many years and teaches clarinet there. Small world!

Here are some snaps of the program (click on any photo to see a larger version). See what I mean?!? Be sure to look up what’s playin’ next time you’re in town - it's always listed on their website and in Pariscope (the weekly entertainment magazine that you can buy for 70 euro cents at every newsstand).  http://acparis.org/index.php/music-a-arts-76181/concerts-a-recitals-659

Yet Again, My Favorite Resto Reviewers Steered Me Right! – Sunday, 11 October

Since I would be heading back to the American Church in Paris for their 5:00 concert, I decided to grab lunch in the 7th arrondissement and revisit rue Cler and other favorite haunts in the quartier in the afternoon. I dug into my lists and online sources and apps, and settled on Les Fables de la Fontaine, on rue Saint-Dominique near the Eiffel Tower. And oh boy, am I glad I did!

It’s a lovely place, decorated in ivories and tans, with an exposed stone wall and big windows to the adjacent courtyard. They have about 30 seats in the main room, about a dozen in a second room, and about a dozen outside.

I know that it’s almost cliché, but I love to start with a Kir Royale. This one was beautiful to look at and perfectly balanced – just the right amount of Crème de Cassis enhanced a fine Champagne. I stretched it through my first and second courses – it actually enhanced everything quite nicely.

My first course of seared foie gras was spectacular. The fig jam with rhubarb was just astringent enough to contrast with the rich foie (although I wish the jam would have been room temperature rather than chilled), the toasted puffed rice was nice and crunchy, the smoky whipped cream with crispy pancetta was a brilliant addition, the pickled leek provided a slightly acidic, almost digestif-type quality, and just a few micro tarragon leaves (very flavorful for their size!) gave a nice punch.

My main course seabass was perfectly roasted and had a fabulously crisp and tasty skin. The fennel four ways (mashed, braised stalks, thinly-sliced raw, and foam) was clever – it provided sweet, astringent and crunchy/herbal notes as well as four lovely textures. Some broccoli rabe and a thin slice of turnip added color, flavor and crunch.

The balls of poached pear with chestnut cake, vanilla cream, caramel, pear sorbet, a thin slice of dried pear, and candied walnuts were GLORIOUS! Sometimes it seems like pears are a bit too subtle for the American palate, but done up like this – wow – I would think that anyone would be blown away!

Cute coffee service with
a crystallized sugar
swizzle stick!

Let’s hear some applause for all of the reviewers who led me to this place. Now it’s your turn to go! For  more info: http://parisbymouth.com/les-fables-de-la-fontaine/

Check out the exposed stone
wall in the background

The view from my seat

The restroom floor, walls and fixtures were black, and one wall had this wild black, grey and pearl tile!

You Can Learn All Kinds of Stuff at ACP – Sunday, 11 October

It's buzzing after the service!

My favorite Sunday morning haunt is The American Church in Paris (ACP). It’s a nondenominational Protestant church on the banks of the Seine in the 7th arrondissement, established in 1814, which draws people from all over the world whose first or second language is English – I have never seen a more racially diverse congregation anywhere. The place is always full, and there are always several first-time visitors (they ask them to stand – today there were about 15). Throughout the week they have tons of programs & meetings for various national groups and age ranges, bible studies, prayer groups, special interest groups, rehearsals for many choirs and instrumental groups, new moms’ groups, “Bloom where You Are Planted” for new Paris transplants, community service groups, etc. English-language postings for jobs and housing wanted/available can be found in two glass-enclosed bulletin boards in their courtyard - students and others flock to these regularly during the week.  It’s one happenin’ place! And they serve very good coffee after the Sunday 11:00 service!

Their lovely courtyard

The service is quasi-liturgical. Today’s sermon was given by the part-time associate pastor, who is apparently coming to the end of her term (the pastoral staff does change quite a bit due to visa and work permit regulations), so it had a bit of a “good bye” character somewhat tied to the scripture readings for the day!

Often choirs touring Europe stop at the church to sing a pre-service anthem or two and an offertory piece, but today the special music came from an 11-voice chamber choir (a subset of the regular choir), which sang Ola Gjeilo’s “Ubi Caritas” just beautifully – it was sensitive, unaffected, controlled, haunting.  The handbell choir and kids’ choir did terrific work on their anthems too!

After the service, the woman sitting in front of me turned around to say hello and ask “was that your strong alto I heard on the hymns?”  I admitted to being the bellower, and she said that I should join the choir. Believe me, I told her, I would if I lived here!  She talked a bit about the concert that would be given at 5:00, and it turns out that she’s the accompanist for one of the soloists! Her husband (who’s in the choir) joined our conversation after he put away his robe and we drifted to the topic of the MN Orchestra and my involvement with Save Our Symphony MN (bien sûr!). They knew a lot about the situation and expressed appreciation for all of the individuals whose efforts resulted in returning the Orchestra to the stage.

Later, while standing in line for coffee, I chatted with a man originally from Jamaica, who moved to London, where he met and married a French woman (who had knee surgery a few weeks ago), with whom he moved to Paris to do some type of ministry work (I wasn’t clear on the details). Amazing, the stuff you learn about people in a coffee line! He also told me that there aren’t many Protestant churches in town because property is very expensive and almost all of the church buildings are owned by the Catholic Archdiocese, but a quite substantial network of Protestant house churches exists.

So next time you’re in town on a Sunday morning, head over to ACP – you never know who you’ll meet and what you’ll learn!  http://acparis.org/

A Sunny Afternoon in Paris – Friday, 9 October

Just in case you’d like to know how to act like a genuine Parisian, here are some snaps from the les Halles area this afternoon.  C’est la vie!

Saint-Eustache with its new entrance and one of my favorite outdoor sculptures, "Écoute" restored to the plaza 

I could have sworn that all of the reconstruction was supposed to be done by 2013, but most of  it is still a mess.
And, for whatever it's worth, I liked the old design better

Me and my shadow!

Strolling, snoozing, reading, working, talking, smooching, soaking up the sun, playing, walking the baby, ....

Loud and Irritating; Loud and Fun – Friday, 9 October

Parisians generally speak quietly in public places and don’t make a commotion (unless, of course, they’re protesting something they deem unfair!). However, on a bus ride today there was one woman towards the back of the bus actually shouting into her cellphone – she seemed to be very angry with someone. Several times, another woman sitting across from me stared at the shouter and then looked over to me, rolling her eyes in the universal “can you believe that rube?” gesture. I was acceptable!

I've walked past La Tour de Montlhéry (Chez Denise) a hundred times (well, maybe not quite, but a lot, including during my very first stay in Paris in 1989 when I stayed at Hotel Tonic just a block away).  So why have I never stepped into this classic les Halles establishment before?  Face palm!

It was convivial, casual, and everyone was having a good (even loud) time – perhaps partially because they serve the house wines, poured into liter bottles from the cask resting on the bar, and you just pay for as much as you drink! Sneaky! But then it helps you digest the very meat-centric food, so they’re just doing a public service. Yup. Let’s go with that.

I went with the fruity Brouilly – uncomplicated, tasty, and cheer-inducing! I drank 1/3 liter for 10 euro.

My six escargots were not the best I've ever had, but they were clean, tasty and great for bread-dipping.

BUT, the rabbit in mustard sauce. Wow!!!!! Tender, succulent, sweet, herbal - probably the best I've had, with a creamy, stock-based, thickened sauce (actually almost a gravy) and a couple of boiled potatoes. Pure bliss. And it didn’t taste anything like chicken!  Enough for a family of five (it was either a whole rabbit or half of a large one), but I ate everything except one leg. And I managed to toss back another glass of Brouilly with it.

The espresso was decent, not great, but it did the trick.

Now I need a nap. But I need to stagger back to the apartment (several blocks away) first!

Is that Charles deGaulle over my shoulder?

P.S. Here's an entertaining piece on Chez Denise (and the Catacombs) by Anthony Bourdain:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQmMcEpNdlk

5, rue des Prouvaires in the 1st arrondissement
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chez-Denise-La-tour-Monthlery/201360169956106