GourmetStation can bring you French dinners delivered to remind you of Paris and a lovely dinner at a sidewalk café on Champs-Elysées. It will get you close, but if you need to get a little closer, try this web site - France Today – The Magazine of French Culture & Travel.

If you’re planning a trip, check out their calendar page where you can preview music shows, art exhibitions and more. I enjoyed best addresses; especially the hotel section where I learned about Hôtel Lutetia, a palace hotel at less than palace prices. This link will take you to their gourmet section where you can purchase mostly baked goods from companies located all across the US. If you’re the studious type, try this page where you can download a French Travel Study Guide.

A sister company France-Amérique is America’s only French-language news, culture and community publication for Francophones and Francophiles alike. Published bi-monthly, France-Amérique brings its readers news, French trends, cultural insights and insider travel. Had enough? Let’s go!

There are moments in life that one never forgets - especially when it
comes to trying French gourmet treats for the very first time.

I will always remember tasting my first French croissant.  It was in
1966, arriving in the early morning hours at Paris's Orly airport.
We had a quick half hour before we'd be catching our connecting
flight to Nice. Four huge, flakey croissants were set down on our
table.   I had never before seen a croissant which we called
'crescents' because they resembled a crescent-shaped moon.  The first
bite didn't disappoint as my mouth was treated to that delightful
combination of flakey texture, crunch and rich butteriness that makes
a good croissant stand apart from all other breakfast treats.

In the old days, croissants achieved that buttery richness with the
help of goose fat, but nowadays,  you can order your croissants at
the bakery either 'nature' or 'au beurre'.  Of course the butter
dowsed croissants are the more expensive - and the more caloric.
'Nature' or natural croissants can be equally tasty - minus the guilt
factor.  Still, a croissant should be reserved for special occasions
like Sunday breakfast.  Start making a habit of daily croissants
while visiting France and watch your trousers start to cling too
tightly.

Some other French specialties I tried before I ever left the
U.S.A.    I can never forget the first time I tried either of these
dishes:  snails, or 'escargot' and frog's legs.
A little restaurant in Telluride, Colorado, called Chez Pierre (back
in the 1970s) is where I first tried a plate of escargots in their
shells.  And although the idea of eating creatures that slide across
the ground, using their antenna for GPS seemed slightly unappetizing,
the first bite of garlic-butter drenched escargot convinced me that
the pleasure of eating snails was   the delight of a myriad of
textures hitting the tastebuds, the tongue and the teeth all in one
fell swoop.

Frog legs appeared on my plate in the USA also.  And they do taste
surprisingly like chicken.  However, when frog legs are perfectly
sauteed they have a firmness  which contrasts perfectly to the
crisply fried exterior.

Veal sweetbreads I also tried for the first time in the United States
- although nowadays you will no longer find this delicacy made from
pancreas or thyroid glands on U.S. menus (the pancreas organs have
all been snapped up by pharmaceutical companies).

Vichysoisse, a cold potato soup served in a chilled bowl, usually
decorated with chopped parsley or chives is another dish one rarely
sees on restaurant menus, but it used to be a standby for elegant New
York restaurants in the sixties and seventies (it's also a soup you
won't find in many French restaurants these days!).

All this early introduction to French cuisine should have prepared me
for even more outlandish specialties I had yet to encounter once I
had became firmly ensconced on French soil, but nothing could quite
get me in the mood for some of the more adventurous choices such as
Tete de Veau (or Calf's Head).   This was a specialty of Normandy.
Add to that Tripe a la mode de Caen or Tripe,  Pig's Jowl, Calf's
Foot, Ox Tongue, Pig's Feet, and sausages composed of everything but
the kitchen sink - and I seriously considered on some occasions
becoming a strict vegetarian.

Some of these dishes I have tried - and others I'll leave to the true
enthusiasts.  In the meantime,  croissants still remain one of my
favorite treats - and when I'm feeling particularly naughty - I'll go
all out and order my croissants  'au beurre'.

Chris Card Fuller

www.parislogue.com

"You must have spent all day preparing dinner",said our neighbor Anne
Marie.  It's approximately nine pm (which by Parisian standards would be
early) but given the fact that we're dining outside (and in Normandy),
eight or nine pm is fine for outdoor dining to maximize the hours of
daylight  (Sun sets at 9:45 in this first week of June).

And the truth is, yes, I did spend all day preparing dinner.  So, in case
you're wondering, how does an American visitor in France prepare a meal
for French guests (one of them being a French chef)?

The answer is "With much reflection!"
One of the things I've learned over the years is the famous KISS formula
(i.e. Keep it Simple Stupid). And I might add to that KIF (i.e. Keep it
Fresh).

The first couple of years in France, I tried to be a good ambassador and
serve plates that might quell the myth of the hamburger as being the
be-all and end-all of American cooking.  But in my enthusiasm to disprove
the myth, I ended up making far too much food, and too many different
recipes.  Still, friends continue to tease me about my tendency to bring
on a deluge of appetizers & hoping this first barrage might distract
guests from the fact that I am back in the kitchen juggling plates,
totally clueless.

In recent years, some new additions have made life in the "galley"
much more organized.  Here are some of the lifesavers & if you can
afford them (and more importantly, in France, if you have the space for
them):  a dishwashing machine, a second refrigerator, a crock pot (called
a mitigeuse), and Saran wrap.  If you want to buy crystal stemware, you
can buy inexpensive crystal stemware at some of the larger supermarkets
like LeClerc or Monoprix.  This stemware can actually be washed in the
dishwasher -something I would never try with more expensive crystal.

Keep it fresh:  People might excuse a chewy cut of beef, but they will
never excuse day-old bread.  The bakery is open every day in France, so
you should make sure to have a loaf of fresh bread on hand.  The baguettes
tend to dry out so quickly.  You're better off picking up a loaf
which will stay fresh till dinnertime.  Keep it in a breadbox or
wrapped in a towel.  Don't slice the bread until the last possible
moment.

RE: Meat.  Steaks in France tend to be chewy but the flavor
compensates for chewiness.  You have to really spend some time getting to
know the right butcher.  Try different cuts.  Entrecote is normally
considered to be one of the better cuts of steak.  Steak is more often
panfried here than broiled, simply because many people eat their steaks
rare.  I've recently been introduced to "la plancha", an oven-top
griddle which some of our friends use with great success. If you have any
concerns about the tenderness of steaks, opt for a roast
of pork, veal or a leg of lamb.

RE: Sauce aka gravy.  Sauces tend to be much lighter in France.  You've
probably heard about the rich butter sauces, but day-to-day cooking is
based on using the natural juices from meat which are cooked down and
served with the meat. The exception to this rule would be some regions
like Normandy where fraiche is used in abundance for every kind of
meat dish.

Tomato sauces (which are used in many American dishes) are not as
predominant in French cuisine for the simple reason that it's hard to
find a wine that goes well with tomato sauce.  In Provence where the
tomato is a basic ingredient, the local Provence makes a good
compliment.

RE: Fish. The simplicity rule is truer than ever with fish.  If you're
lucky enough to find fresh sole, don't wreck it (as I did once) by
trying to create a "dish".  Fresh sole needs very little help. The
best thing you can do with fresh sole is to lightly flour it and panfry it
in butter.  Throw in a few toasted almond slivers if you must, but not
even that is necessary. Finding fresh fish at the beginning of the week
is not always easy.  Some markets (like our local Champion branch) only
carry fresh fish on Thursday
through Sunday.

If you're vegetarian, you'll be happy to know that people are often
willing to try a new dish if it is presented in an appetizing manner.
"Crudit" or shredded raw vegetables are often seen as a starter on
restaurant menus.  At home, you can prepare a similar starter.  Or you can
slice strips of melon and serve it with a glass of Porto (especially in
the summer months).

Cous-cous or semolina (a North-African dish) is one example of a good base
for a vegetarian main course. You can include garbanzo beans and the spicy
sauce used to flavor a colorful vegetable medley.   Vegetables can also be
prepared in the earthenware tajine (which slow cooks them in the oven).

Cheeses:   Cheese shops in town tend to be overpriced (in my opinion).
The supermarket cheese departments cannot compare with the outdoor
markets.  Find a cheese stand at your closest outdoor market and develop a
good rapport with the vendor.  For your cheese platter, try to choose one
or two soft cheeses and a hard "mountain" cheese.  If you have
leftover cheese (you always do, either you can use it in the next few days
-  goat cheese can be slightly heated in the oven and served on toasts
along with salad.  Or you can put cheeses in a zip-lock bag and freeze
them for another day.

Camembert and other soft cheeses must be left out for a few hours before
serving to maximize their flavor (an authentic AOC Camembert must be lait
cru which means it's unpasteurized) And yes, there is always a
slight risk with unpasteurized cheese, in the same way that eating
chocolate mousse (made with raw egg) can be a risk.  But then, we've
been eating unpasteurized cheeses and mousse au chocolat for a number of
years with no problems.  You decide.  Always keep cheeses covered with a
net or a cheese plate cover (to keep out flies) and if the weather is
particularly hot, do not keep cheeses out to the point where they become
too runny or "trop fait".

When choosing desserts, opt for light and fluffy over two-crust pies or
buttery cakes.  Apple pie may be one of your favorites, but after
appetizers, a starter, a main course, salad and cheese, with plenty of
good wine to accompany each course, your guests will thank you for making
the dessert course light and easy-to-digest

Here are some ways to spend more time with your guests:  Try to have the
starter course prepared as much as possible before their arrival.  Arrange
the plates, saran wrap each individual plate and stack in your fridge.
You can partially cook veggies, esp potatoes and heat thoroughly just
before serving.

Have coffee measured and the coffee pot ready to turn on at the flip of a
switch.  Set coffee cups, saucers, sugar and spoons on a tray within easy
access for the end of the meal.  (This is a good time to serve any little
candies, after dinner mints  or liqueurs/brandy, etc).

Have a flower vase and a pair of scissors set beside the sink in case a
guest brings you a bouquet of flowers.  (This saves you scrambling around
cupboards looking for that flower vase that you remember seeing several
months earlier at the back of the cupboard under the kitchen sink).

Find a partner in crime "do not be afraid to delegate" but make sure
it's someone who really knows you well enough not to be horrified at the
cyclone in the kitchen.  Take advantage of your significant other's
desire to be helpful.  He or she can be your lifebuoy.  People you let
into your kitchen have already gained the key to your heart next time
you're invited to dinner at a French friend's house.  Pay attention to
who is allowed to help in the kitchen and you may have already guessed it's
more often than not, the most trusted friend of the host or hostess.

For a video on a lunch in Normandy from Fat Bell Travelers, click here.

Cheers.
Chris

ParisLogue

We have received wonderful comments and feedback from Delicious Destinations guest writers. Our goal is to have guest writers from every corner of the globe. I have been searching specifically for a guest writer from France for about two years. The search is over! Welcome, Chris Card Fuller; we welcome your French experience into our food & culture blog. By way of introduction enjoy this bio about Chris and how she came to work in and love the world of food & travel.

When I was nineteen, a palm reader at a cocktail party in Palos Verdes

Estates read my palm. She told me that even though I was helping the

hostess serve hors d'oeuvres, the kitchen wasn't really my bailiwick.

She didn't mention anything about travel and she didn't see France in

my future.

By many strange twists and turns in the path of life, I ended up spending

more and more time in France, particularly in Paris & Normandy. The palm

reader was right in guessing that I might find producing a four-course

dinner for French guests to be a daunting task, but well worth the

privilege of gaining an intimate view of day-to-day living in Paris and

the Norman countryside.

Parislogue.com came about thanks to Bootsnall.com founders Sean Keener and

Chris Heidrich who launched the site and invited me to contribute my

comments about French living.  The Bootsnall.com site for independent

travelers caught my eye back in the late late nineties as the ideal site

for sharing my travel stories with like-minded travelers.

Aside from travel stories about French life, I've also published a

number of travel articles for U.S. newspapers including the L.A. Times and

the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. My collection of travel essays titled

"The Fearful Traveler's Companion" was published in December 2005 by

iUniverse.com   A number of hair-raising encounters interspersed with

unusual food thrills included in this first collection are just a sampling

of future stories to be told. My travels have taken me from Appalachicola,

Florida to Yap in the Caroline Islands, from Timbuktu, in Mali, to Phaplu

in Nepal.

Bootsnall members are often requested to send in a photo or the name of

their first pair of hiking boots.  My first pair of hiking boots I

borrowed from my dad for a trip to Aspen, Colorado. I was sixteen years

old.  Aspen is where I first drank a "smoothie" and ate tempura

veggies.  My first introduction to snails was in a French restaurant in

Telluride, Colorado.  In other words, you don't necessarily have to be

in France to enjoy great French cuisine (but it's well worth the trip,

at least once in your lifetime).

Travel and food, for me, have always been an inseparable part of the same

great adventure.

GourmetStation tries to take you to France with our Parisian menu line. Food travel, so to speak. But let’s face it – there is no substitute for being there…for finally completing the journey as your cruise over de Gaulle Airport and take in the city from a bird’s eye view…for gently rolling into the culture and becoming French, if only for a few days.

Well, I’ve got a resource for you as you make your travel plans to Paris. And even if you don’t have a trip on the books, go anyway. Just go. I recommend you read Paris Logue religiously before departing. Chris Cardfuller will give you a comprehensive look at the city from an American’s perspective. Now there are many blogs and books on travel to France out there. But Chris has a unique perspective. She doesn’t skim the top with fluff touristy topics. She drills down to the heart of the city, it’s people, politics and much more.

I especially enjoyed the post by Chris about the 1^st 100 days of  Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidency which started on May 16^th and the practical effect on tourism with potential labor strikes. There’s also Tips & Tidbits – a fast way to get “in the know” with topics like “how many train stations are in Paris.” The answer is seven, but don’t take my word for it, read the post! (The answer is: Montparnasse, St. Lazare, Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, Gare d’Austerlitz, Gare de Lyon, and Gare de Bercy)

Travel & accommodations are also favorite subjects. I won’t spill the beans, but Chris wrote a post on places to eat in Paris. What I like about her list is that she has tried them all and they are neighborhood restaurants – the best in my opinion. Thanks Chris – for giving us a peak at Paris through your eyes and you pen. Keep up the good work!

Sun starts to shine again, flowers open up and smiles are getting back in streets! It’s spring time and it’s good time to discover new flavors. My previous recipe was a autumn one, this one is a mix of cold and warm ingredients, definitely a spring one!

Ingredients:

Mixed greens, 2 tomatoes, 3 fresh mushrooms, 6 asparagus spears, smoked duck magret, bacon  bits, goat cheese, toasted baguettes, mustard, honey, oil, wine vinegar, and of course salt & pepper.

Directions:

Place mixed greens in a bowl, slice tomatoes on top greens, add smoked duck magret sliced, slice mushrooms and asparagus onto salad, sprinkle on bacon bits. Place 3 toasted baguettes on a tray (they have several flavour on www.pierregourmet.com (I advise the natural flavor otherwise it overshape the rest of the salad flavors), slice goat cheese onto baguettes and place in oven until cheese begins to melt (even slightly burned is good). Flavor with mustard, honey, oil, wine vinegar, salt & pepper.

This isn’t the fastest spring meal to make but is worth it. It is actually really easy to eat and goes well along with a liquorous white wine (really sweet) like a Jurancon, Coteaux du Layon or a 100% Chardonnay (should be at least 3 years old).

Enjoy!

Laurent

Laurent Madeleni is currently in the US from France and has started her very own French recipe blog - French Gourmet Recipes. I find it exciting to look through the eyes of a French woman, away from home, as she craves the flavors and tastes from her native France. So what does she do? She invites some friends over and prepares her favorite French dish. Read on and enjoy Laurent's experience and recipe for Quiche.

Emotions & Passions by Laurent Madeleni:

I arrived in the US not so long ago but I already missed pleasing my mouth with cheeses flavors. So last time I cooked this Quiche, or Pie, it was 2 weeks ago, and even while I was cooking I was feeling home. A couple of friends joined, they are not French but they love gourmet food, and after 45 min they stop talking - The smells of the melted cheese were teasing our noses: the quiche was ready! Right after I started to cut the quiche in 4 slices, liberating the cheeses smells, it was time to let the flavors take control of our senses! I also suggest to serve this quiche with a lettuce salad, mixed with vinaigrette (next post I will tell you how to make a good vinaigrette!!!)

The 4 Cheeses Quiche - For the Cheese Lovers!

The quiche is always the same basis (eggs and pie shell) - In this recipe I will just change and give you advice to compose with cheeses only.

Ingredients :

4 eggs
1 cup half-&-half
½ cup real mayonnaise

3 ounces cut chaumes Cheese
3 ounces Doux de Montagne Cheese
3 ounces Champignon Cambozola
3 ounces Pecorino romano Cheese
1(9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Hand whip eggs, half-&-half, mayonnaise and flour in a medium mixing bowl. Add the onions, the cut Chaumes Cheese, the other cheeses and season the mix with salt and pepper. Pour into an unbaked 9-inch deep pie crust, bake it for 45 min to 1 hour or until the top is golden brown. Serve and enjoy!!

Birthdays roll around fast and the older we get, the faster we deplete our reservoir of unique birthday gift ideas. Don’t fret – I’ve got the answers. Birthdays are about celebration and who ever heard of a celebration without delicious food. For your next birthday dinner celebration I recommend letting GourmetStation do the work for your. Their wide selection of gourmet meals delivered takes the pressure off planning, preparing and serving. You can relax, enjoy the moment & be the stellar host or hostess that you are. You may select birthday dinners from our Tuscan, Cajun or Fusion menus. This year, however, I’m recommending Parisian and a good French wine to compliment the experience. Go ahead – order a Parisian gourmet meal delivered, seek out your perfect French wine and let the world stop for a moment while you honor that special someone.

Chevillon-Chezeaux – Nuits-Saint-Georges (Excerpt from TopFrenchWine.com)

This French family have been growing vines here for 4 generations (9 hectares). The working and winemaking methods have remained traditional, with grapes picked by hand, long vatting and maturing in oak barrels for 18 to 24 months. A good Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Les Saint-Georges – good colour, complex bouquet with aromas of ripe red fruit and liquorice, makes a good impression on the palate, ideal served with game. Excellent Nuits les Porêts combining roundness and power in the mouth, complex and subtle at the same time, rich and nicely balanced, with great ageing potential. The same goes for the Nuits Premier Cru Aux Champs Perdrix, very traditional, well structured with firm tannins. Older vintages are still available. Remarkable character and value for money.

Many thanks to guest writer Mark Stine for his perspective on French cuisine and how you can bring a piece of Paris to your significant other for that perfect anniversary dinner gift.

My first vision of Paris was through the eyes of a 15-year-old leaving North America for the first time. Sure I had been to Quebec City with its famous Chateau Frontenac and Montreal for the World’s fair….But the level of sophistication for travel was not the same as today…no internet…no GourmetStation to be a culinary guide before embarking on such a journey…just the adventure of going someplace exotic…as only one who is young and impressionable can experience.

The journey started with a trek through Germany and Belgium and then on to London where a ferry ride from Dover connected me to an aged train coach that took me into Paris. ..the place that inspired GourmetStation’s Parisian menu line.  Had I known then what I know now, I could have enjoyed the culinary experience even more.

Paris was magical in April…young people thrown together…a light mist of rain drifting down from the sky added a glowing framework for the City of Lights.  It was romantic even for 15 and 16 year olds. It created an instilled memory of ultimate romance as girls and boys walked hand in hand down the Champs Elysee.  Ah, young love…to be equally savored.

But the food…  tres’ magnifique! My first exposure to French cuisine was the pastry, which inspired the dessert lines at GourmetStation. And the dinners….late night dining…Le Nuit de Paris….special French sauces…fine china to accent the properly and handsomely displayed food presentations.

It wasn’t until many years later that I returned to Paris when my older and wiser palate was able to enjoy the pairings of wine and food. Classic French dishes…fine Boudreaux’s….uncompromising desserts. The team at GourmetStation worked diligently to master and replicate the fine French flavors. The selection of Bistro Mushroom & Sherry Wine Soup complimented by Salmon En Croute coupled with Chicken Montrachet can bring the flavors of Paris right to your dining table. So if you can’t take your significant other to Paris for a romantic anniversary dinner, bring Paris to them.

You can replicate a night in Paris for you and your romantic partner. My recommendation is to use the service and the Parisian menu to create the ultimate anniversary dinner at home. Pick up an old Jacques Brel cd or a 40’s vintage Edith Piaf…light the candles..turn the music low and let GourmetStation do the rest. The memory will linger long after the anniversary has ended and the delight is that you can do it again and again. Give more than a unique anniversary gift, give an experience!

We celebrate April Fools' Day as a way to have fun and trick our friends and family with harmless untruths said in a very convincing manner. After we get them to buy into our devilish story, we spring them with “April Fools.”

Well, the French have a slightly different take on things...Poisson d'avril.....or April Fish. This quaint custom came to my attention last year and I fired off the story rather incredulously to my friend Isa, a French friend who resides in Montpellier, in the south of France. Yes, it’s true - the sophisticated French have a great sense of humor too... But what of this April Fish?

Well, in researching the story, it appears that up until 1564 under the reign of Charles IX the new year began on March 25th or the first of April. Then the King with the edict of Roussillon shifted the New Year to January 1 of each year.

Until this point traditional family gifting had been done around the New Year or April 1. To show opposition to the calendar shift, a fish was substituted as the "gift" item. A myriad of reasons as to why the fish was selected were given including the zodiac sign of the Fish….Pices or  Poisson...or Catholicism, lent and substituting fish for meat. Over time the real reason was lost in lore but the fun remains. Poisson d’Avril is now a colorful holiday and loads of fun for French residents with a sense of humor.

Mark Stine is a guest writer for Delicious Destinations bringing his perspective on food and culture from around the world. For exquisite gourmet food gifts and gourmet meals delivered to nationally, visit GourmetStation.

If you’re seeking creative dinner party ideas consider a French or Parisian theme. There’s so much romance and culture surrounding French cuisine, you’ve got lots of opportunity to create a memorable evening for your guests.

The French have elevated food well beyond a culinary art or a time-honored tradition. So the main thing you should focus on is “the food”! You may carry the French theme throughout your event by using powder blue, for example, as tabletop color. And certainly, you must include French table wine. But the focus should be the food with authentic French recipes.

If you wish to do a little research, consider Ina Garten’s book Barefoot in Paris. Ina will take you on stroll around Paris to her favorite spots. Then she’ll share with you recipes from these local bistros that have been shortened to provide an authentic eating experience with as much simplicity as possible.

One of my favorite recipes from Ina is Chicken With Herbed Goat Cheese. Click here for the recipe. You’ll see that the defining ingredient in this recipe is Montrachet cheese. Montrachet is a white creamy chevre, a French term for goat’s cheese, from the Burgundy region of France. Basil and garlic accentuate the recipe but the dominant flavor is the tangy yet mild Montrachet cheese.

If you’re like me and don’t have the time to shop, chop & prepare, consider GourmetStation’s collection of Parisian prepared meals delivered. You may order entrees a la carte and add the salad or appetizers and dessert yourself. Or you may order the 3 course or 4 course Parisian gourmet meals, complete with selection of French themed appetizers, soup, entrees and delicious desserts. I recommend the Parisian 4 Course Gourmet Meal because GourmetStation’s version of Chicken With Herbed Goat Cheese is included as an entrée option. It is simply called Chicken Montrachet and is served with a rich luscious demi glace sauce. With GourmetStation your dinner party will have all the French authenticity of a home prepared gourmet dinner without the fuss and hard work….giving you time to be the perfect host or hostess that you are!

January is “field day” month, so to speak, for every company that wants to make us believe we can manage our weight and health with an array of quick fixes. Bad choices about health, diet and exercise did not happen overnight and good choices to counteract the bad choices won’t happen overnight either. Beware of quick fix gimmicks. Think about lifestyle management as a philosophy, a way of living, and a lifetime commitment. And make sure the new choices make you happy!

There are many excellent guides to eating and living well, but my favorite is French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. The moment I picked up the book I knew it was a winner. Why? Because not only does the book contain common sense processes to reprogram bad habits and redefine our relationship with food, Mireille emphasizes that we must enjoy our new lifestyle. There is no room in a well-balanced life for food guilt and deprivation.

You must read the book yourself, but here are a few nuggets to wet your appetite.

65% of Americans are overweight and the fastest selling books are diet books.

Americans, unlike French and other cultures, gravitate toward quick fixes and extreme measures.

No extreme ideology or technology will solve our problem – only a balanced relation to food and life.

Most Americans eat 10% to 30% more than they need just to satisfy psychological hunger. Sound familiar?

At least half of bad eating & drinking habits are careless and grow out of inattention to true nutritional needs and delights.

What’s the secret out of our dilemma?

Eat grandly on occasion but not regularly.

Never multi task while eating – no TV, newspaper, or eating on the run.

Make the dining experience a real experience by using the power of presentation, which includes china, glassware, table linens and even candlelight.

Use plenty of seasonings like sweet basil. Tarragon, and rosemary. Don’t forget flavorful condiments like French Dijon mustard.

Use Mireille’s 3-step process of assessment, recasting, and maintenance. More than anything, make sure your new lifestyle change is gradual and filled with flavor, fun and fulfillment.

Ever stop and think about the journey food and wine makes from place of origin to your kitchen or dining table? We’re all in a hurry and often take for granted the painstaking efforts that people take to insure that we have the finest culinary experiences. I visited Salinas California once and watched the efforts that went into a simple head of iceberg lettuce. All I could think about was the writing of Steinbeck and advancement in the distribution of perishables throughout the US.

I’d like to applaud the Perrin Family Weblog for sharing their experiences in creating a great French wine. This blog creates a multi-dimensional experience for the reader  – from plantings, to harvest, to promoting the wine, and even creating recipes to properly marry specific wines to specific culinary creations.

The Perrin family is made up of Francois, Marc, Thomas, Jean-Pierre & Pierre, a family of vine-growers and winemakers since 1909. “We produce wines exclusively in the southern rhône valley, and on the best terroirs: Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Château de Beaucastel, Perrin Les Sinards), Vinsobres (Perrin les Cornuds, Perrin les Hauts de Julien), Gigondas (Perrin la Gille), Vacqueyras (Perrin les Christins), Rasteau (Perrin l'Andéol), Côtes du Rhône (Coudoulet de Beaucastel, Perrin Réserve)”

The company has employed Larent Deconick as Chef de Cuisine. Larent decided to join the Perrin family after working for five years at Lucas Carton, a 3-star Michelin in Paris. The Perrin family says that Larent will “work with our wines…in discovering recipes that match harmoniously with our wines, as they evolve by year.” They are currently showcasing a “langoustine with black truffle from mount Ventoux to marry with their Beaucastel Blanc Roussanne Vielles Vignes 2002.”

So now you have a resource. Not just a catalog that statically charts recipes with wine, but a resource that is as dynamic and vibrant as winemaking itself. Enjoy!

Ivan Coute invited me to pull off the “communication super highway” for a moment and roam the back roads of the French countryside to discover regional French cuisine and the wonderful people of the past and present who are behind French cooking.  So we did and now I’m hooked. A. F. Touch Cuisine de France is more than a culinary site; it’s a culture site.  Without words you can pick up on the authenticity by gliding through the regions, wine recommendations, and local restaurant locations.

There are many online resources with French recipes and wine suggestions. This site integrates the elements into a true culture site. If you wish to bring a touch of France to your next dinner party, consider the combination of Browned Shells Saint-Jaques from their recipes section. Serve with a subtle, delicate Muscadet and learn the history of Muscadet from their wine section. Add a loaf of French bread with clarified butter and let the simplicity and warmth of the menu wrap around you like your favorite winter blanket. Bon appetit! Oh yes, GourmetStation has a line of Parisian cuisine for your next dinner party or gourmet food gift.

My favorite wine is Bordeaux. My favorite dish for breakfast or brunch is quiche Lorraine. My favorite cheese is Brie. My favorite architectural icon is the Eiffel Tower. Was I born French? No. Where did all this come from?

At best I believe I am not alone. If you examine the contributions the French have made to the culinary arts and winemaking, well, need I say more? I'm sharing a few resources to help you bring a little French elegance into your life, if you so desire.

If you wish to experiment with some recipes such as Pate de Lapin (rabbit pate) visit The French Food and Cook. For less complicated recipes consider Haricots verts a la provencale - green beans with tomatos. Tour the wine regions of France from Alsace to Vallee du Rhone at French Wines & Food. This informative voyage will help you understand varieties and the effects of soil and climate on the annual wine production.

A must read is Cheryl MacLachlan's Bringing Home France. Cheryl has written several books on European culture and traditions and Bringing Home France is my favorite. You will really enjoy the chapter on designing a kitchen with "no secrets" - sous la main - in plain view and right at the fingertips. This can all be accomplished with beauty and simplistic design. Bon appetit!

Remember GourmetStation's collection of Parisian style cuisine for your next dinner party or for a gourmet food gift for someone special.

What happened to the progressive dinner clubs of the past? The adventure of anticipating unexpected cuisine and dinner guests you may not know - interesting and not so interesting people from all walks of life. Well some creative types in Paris have revived the idea with a different twist.

The New York Times Style Magazine said in 2005 that “In spite of the ups and downs, the variation in the quality, there is something brave and almost reckless about this trend towards dining clubs or occasional restaurants…It suggests, in their intimacy and singularity, a whiff of danger, a hunger for a more promiscuous kind of dinner party.”

I don't know about you, but this works for me. I must try it, and if you have, please post a comment. David Tanis has been hosting an occasional lunch or dinner eating club in a 17th century apartment on Paris' Left Bank. Menus are based on the best of what is seasonally available n Paris.

You may book the entire table with a party of twelve, or join the table as a single diner. Get ready to meet a few Americans, a few French ex-pats, some locals, and maybe a celebrity.  Now if making it to Paris for this eclectic treat is not possible this year, try a gourmet gift from GourmetStation, Parisian style.