I have a terrible memory. I seriously can remember maybe two things from my entire childhood. But, if you ask me about a specific food experience, I can weirdly recall all of the details like some sort of gormandizing savant. It's a...gift? I can pretty much guarantee, for the rest of my life, if I am feeling a little sad, I shall picture the foods and boozes of France and that will put a smile on my face.
The Eiffel Tower
Hands down my favorite experience from the trip was eating at 58 Tour Eiffel. The food was delicious, the service impeccable, and WE ATE INSIDE THE EIFFEL TOWER.
Sex and The City
I know I have said it one hundred times, SATC is my all-time favorite show. I was a single gal for a long, long...long time and to say that I could relate to the show is an understatement. I was brought up in a land where the expected path was college-marriage-babies. I did not follow that path, at all. The ladies on the show made me feel like my choices were just fine and dandy. The series finale takes place largely in Paris.
I have watched those two final episodes enough times where I am fairly certain that I could quote them verbatim, if that ever becomes necessary. The World's Best Husband decided that we needed to visit one of the show's filming locations. The Doc made reservations.
So, on a Friday night in the City of Light, I wound up at a primo table at Kong living a fangirl dream. I was super happy that we finally got a snobby waiter (he was the only one on the whole trip!) because sheesh it just isn't the full experience without at least one person with disdain for Americans.
Chocolat
Spencer has a major sweet tooth. He is also a bread fiend. Knowing these facts, on our first day in Paris, I scheduled a 3-Hour walking chocolate tour through Viator.
The tour had room for 8 people, we were the only 2 that showed up, so we got a private tour through several neighborhoods. Our guide was very knowledgeable. She would bring us to a shop (chocolate, macaron, boulangerie) tell us something about a product or a process, then she buy us a few goodies.
While we walked, she would also tell us about the different neighborhoods and history of certain buildings. It was the best possible way to learn that I can imagine. This was also a great way to remain coherent; during the first 36 hours of our trip, we slept for approximately 15 minutes. That power nap and this tour kept us moving. Spencer came out of it with a pillow made to look like bread, and that may be his favorite souvenir.
Cheese
If Spencer's foodie dream is built of bread and chocolate, mine is a land made entirely of fromage. There are hundreds of varieties of cheese in France. I was in heaven. At the end of our first night, we had walked all day. We had only slept a few minutes. We were pushing the limits and getting a little hangry. We stumbled upon L'Auberge du Louvre, and all became right in the world. We were the first customers of the evening, so they brought us a complimentary kir. We quickly studied the menu and ordered fondue.
What came to the table looked nothing like the fondue pots we are used to. It was a flat heating surface supported by flames underneath.
It came with a charcuterie board and three cooked potatoes.
We started cooking and hacking away. Our waiter saw our crimes against cuisine and quickly came to our table to explain the correct process. (Thinly slice the potato, top with melted cheese, add a piece of meat and salt and pepper and voila!) We also split a delectable boeuf bourguignon and a sorbet and then went to the hotel and crashed for 12 hours.
I could go on and on. I am now addicted to cappuccino, crepes, and quiche. I love that every time we stopped at a small cafe for a coffee or a glass of champagne they would bring you a little bowl of warm snacks. We lunched in one of Ernest Hemingway's favorite haunts. We also definitely ate a few questionable items, but that is to be expected when traveling. I also ate at my first 'Sushi on a conveyor belt' restaurant at the Charles de Gaulle airport, so that was memorable.
What's your favorite foodie vacation memory?
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