n. – butcher
We saw our friend Peter who has been here for the last two months doing an internship with a famous French pastry chef. I decided he will be my inspiration for getting past the habits from home and embracing Paris for what it is - a beautiful city filled with endless discoveries, among them, the hot butcher.
There are many lovely little galleries and shops on the Ile St. Louis including of course the fromager (cheese shop) and the boucher (butcher). The proprietor of the cheese shop looks as aged as many of his products, but the butcher, one of three, looks like something off of the cover of a romance novel. Tall, dark and handsome with wavy hair and a strapping physique, I think he may be what draws most of the woman of the island to the store rather than the exquisite cuts of meat. And while I know many a "double entendre" can be drawn from that last sentence, interestingly enough the real word in French is actually "sous entendu" and either way, we're not going to go there.
As Peter and I watched from the outside with our noses pressed to the glass, my husband ordered an “onglet de veau” a special cut of veal which the butcher suggested pairing with shallots and cooking with the lid on. Peter said, if the hot butcher tells you to do something, you just do it! We did and had a lovely dinner on the eve of our trip to Hamburg.
French would be the only language I did not dabble in while in HS and college, so I can provide little help. And you know my visit to Paris was less than welcoming, so you have my sympathy. I do love the story of the hot butcher though - I can see the line of women lining up with their orders, batting their eyelashes, knowing that they haven't eaten more than a crumb and a cigarette in the last week, let along a slab of meat.
ReplyDeleteIf it makes you feel any better, LA is no day int he park for me either. I hate driving everywhere (even with my swank new Mercedes), I am shocked that they charge $11.50 for valet parking when you just spent $150pp on dinner, and what is with the overall lack of driving skills? I'm back in NYC and realize this is my home. Now I just have to get through 11 months in La La Land!
Safe travels to Hamburg and Merry Christmas!