Paris Vibe Check and Complaints Department
Plus Summer Recipes, French Wine Talk, and Postage Stamps That Smell Like Baguettes?
Hello there friends,
It’s crazy to think we’re on the cusp of summer, mais c’est vrai ! (but it’s true!)
Even if the weather here in Paris is sunny one minute and chilly and rainy the next, the days are getting so much longer. As I’m writing this, the sun will set tonight at 21h42 (9:42 PM)—soon it will stay light till after 10, and everyone will be out on terraces and strolling through the city.
And now, in classic La Flâneuse fashion, let’s wander here and there and have a little fun…for example, scroll allll the way down to see the newest signature French postal stamp design—scratch and sniff baguettes !
What’s New: Paris Olympics Vibe Check/Complaints Department
OK, I know (almost) everyone loves les Jeux Olympiques, but the Games do create a bit of chaos in the cities where they’re hosted, am I right? Here in Paris, I’d say the mood au moment is a little judgy and slightly to moderately pissed off all around. Les travaux, les fermetures du métro et des rues, et tout ça (The construction, the subway closings, and all that). C’est un peu chiant. It’s a bit annoying.
But my favorite little scandal is that our mayor in Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has got herself into some dirty water by promising (to an unconvinced public) that the Seine River will in fact be miraculously clean enough for human interaction at the games. The opening ceremony will take place sur l’eau (on the water) so the notoriously polluted river is a hot topic. But to everyone’s delight, Madame la maire has vowed that she herself will don a maillot de bain and swim in the river sometime in June. J’ai hâte de voir ça ! (I can’t wait to see that!)
What I’m Stressing About: Part 1
If you’ve had dinner or drinks or a phone call with me lately, you’ll have heard me panicking a bit about my upcoming 2nd sailing trip with Monsieur B and friends on teeny tiny boats (with no beds, roofs or toilets) in the canals of Friesland au Pays Bas (in the Netherlands). If you already read my account of the 1st sailing trip last year, then you might have a wee idea why I’m nervous again.
What I’m Stressing About: Part 2
My French Wine Scholar exam, which is sneaking up on me trop rapidement (too quickly). The textbook is 300+ pages long and lists all 51 grand crus in Alsace and pictures of downy mildew versus powdery mildew. Also, I never thought I would be uploading spreadsheets of grape variety synonyms (savignan gris = klevener anyone?), but hey #alwayslearning.
I’ll be heading down to Bordeaux in a few weeks for two days of tasting and the big test. Let’s hope it doesn’t go the way of my French permis de conduire (driver’s license). In the meantime, there are altogether too many maps and flashcards in my life.
What I’m Sipping for Summer
If it’s anytime of year, you might find me drinking rosé, but while I used to be very limited in my preference for the palest pink wine from Provence, with its crisp acidity and lightness of fruit, thanks to my recent trip to the Loire Valley with Monsieur B, I’m proud to say I’m branching out.
Recently we really liked a Coteaux de Vendomois Gris we tried from the Touraine region (see the photo below). Pale and fresh, made from the pinot d’Aunis grape, which is native to the area and which I had never heard of. Also new on my radar is the fresh and friendly Rosé de Loire and the Touraine-Noble Joué rosé which I don’t even know if you can get outside of France. But I enjoyed it because it combined a few grapes I like (pinot gris, pinot noir and meunier) and that you don’t often see together in a rosé. These wines are also much less expensive than Brad Pitt’s rosé.
My point—if you’re a rosé lover like me, maybe try something new, and maybe ask your favorite wine seller if they have a nice dry rosé from the Loire Valley, then report back to us here if you like it or not.
By the way: If you’re looking for a fun twist on Rosé for the warmer weather, check out my recipe for Rosé Sangria. It’s light, fruity and really pretty for your brunch or summer supper table!
What I’m Cooking
We’ve been busy with travel and some renovations on both our places, so I’ve been doing a lot of meal “assembling” lately—just focusing on high quality ingredients, cooking them very simply, and using local pestos and other sauces to add flair without having to do everything from scratch.
For Spring and Summer cooking, I’m always into des sardines et des anchois (sardines and anchovies). I love to boil up some spaghetti, then smash up some anchovies (and sometimes some sardines too) in the pan with their oil and some garlic. I add a little butter and lemon juice and toss in the pasta with a little pasta water.
Finish with a big handful of chopped fresh parsley, some pignons de pin (pine nuts) or bread crumbs and grated parm. The smashed anchovies and pasta water coat the spaghetti in a silky way and the flavors are softened and balanced by the citrus. Light and lovely, just like summer on your plate.
Hint: pair with a crisp Vouvray or Sancerre. (If anyone wants the actual recipe, leave me a comment and I’ll post it!)
I am powered by comments, so don’t hesitate!
If you also love anchovies, here’s another great recipe for Anchovy Butter from Alison Roman.
And then I’ve said it before, but my dears, it’s Strawberry Season—you need to make this Charlotte aux Fraises. It’s easy, delicious and has all the effortlessly impressive French flair you want in your life.
Breaking News: Poll Results from Last Time
I was delighted to see that 92% of those who responded to the last poll said they’d be interested in hearing more about the process of bringing a book into the world. So this is just a note to say look out for an upcoming post with a little intro to the topic in case anyone is working on their own project and could use some insight!
For now, here’s a little more about my latest project, which was published this month. All the proceeds from the book go to benefit cancer research.
Bon, if you made it all the way to the end, here’s that photo of the new (allegedly) baguette-scented Stamps. I like the cute images all around the borders that you can also stick on envelopes. But do they really smell like bread?
If you refer a few friends who subscribe to La Flâneuse (it’s free), you just might get a postcard from Paris with one of these stamps (while supplies last haha)
Je vous souhaite un excellent week-end et à bientôt les amis ! (I wish you an excellent weekend and see you soon, friends!)
Karen
Another great newsletter, mon amie (even though it's not cool to say that, so I'll say ma biche!!) Beautifully designed (mais, bien sur!) and such great content! Love living vicariously through your adventures!
Hi Karen, it’s such fun hearing how your new life is going. It seems like you are a natural Frenchy!
Hope you are going to the Netherlands while the Olympics are in progress. Enjoy your summer!