My Mom is a chef in Indiana and I would like to create a really nice package of gourmet items to give to her when I get back home. What would you all recommend and items that would be easily packed and things that would WOW her!!
Looking forward to your suggestions!!
Cheers,
|||
Try the food halls at Bon Marche and Galeries Lafayette for some ideas (they carry many items from specialty stores that otherwise would have you running all over Paris). Don%26#39;t forget that some things will have to go into checked luggage so I would recommend, if you think you might want to buy something liquid, such as a special mustard or vinegar, taking with you some large plastic ziplock bags that you can use to double bag whatever goes into the luggage to protect in the event of leakage.
One of my favorite places for cooking related small items is J Leblanc (oils, peppers and spices) on rue Jacob about half a block from rue de Seine. (In particular, I love their %26quot;cinq baies%26quot; pepper, which is a blend of peppercorns and I think rose hips, and is not very hot but has a really intriguing scent/taste -- we always stock up when in Paris, and the small cans make great little remembrance type gifts when we get home.) They sell very good nut oils such as noix (walnut), noisette (hazelnut) and others.
|||
Thank you for the ideas, and especially the reminder of the Ziplock bags, I always put my travel items in them but I would have completly forgot to bring extras to bring stuff home in!!! That oil sounds so interesting I may have to pick some up fo myself.
Cheers,
|||
Although, I didn%26#39;t get to go when I was there - Cordon Bleu has a shop and school there in Paris - might be worth a visit.
There was a kitchen/cooking shop down by the Galeries Lafayette that I found some wonderful and unique things at.
I also bought an apron from The Ritz Paris.
Have fun!
La Boutique Le Cordon Bleu
8 rue Léon Delhomme
75015 Paris
Te : 01 53 68 22 50
Fax : 01 48 56 03 96
TX1
|||
I%26#39;m not sure if it%26#39;s still the case but one year I bought Saffron in the 7th at a little shop and it was very inexpensive. When I asked why it was so cheap I was told it came from someplace like (I can%26#39;t remember from where exactly) but could it have been Spain or Africa? In any case, it was a real bargain and very good.
|||
i love bringing smalls home from Monoprix. The spice section is always of interest. Last trip I broungt home MAGGi Fond de Veau and Maggi Fond pour Rotis. The last has some seasoning in it and it makes a WONDERFUL meat base. ALso Poivre noir en grains. And Noix de muscade, with its own small grater. I buy some of these for the French wording as a touch of class in the kitchen and also a reminder of Paris. Also in the paper section I found student notebooks RHODIA brand for 0.95 euros. Here they cost me $5.00/each. Also a nice little book for the grocery shopping list. Mustard from Maille like Au poioron cuisine el sarrielle and coffee beans from Hediard like JAVA BLEU. You can find lots of small stuff on the shelves. Have fun.
|||
I second Monoprix--try the jars of Benedicta Citron Mayo and Bernaise Sauce--really wonderful. There are all sorts of simple treasures there that we don%26#39;t see in the states.
Also check out L%26#39;Epicerie on Ile St Louis--on west end of r. St. Louis en L%26#39;ile--it has all sorts of gourmet preserves of every sort of fruit and all different flavored in mustards. They are put up in very distinctive jars with old fashioned ancient type labels.
|||
I hadn%26#39;t thought of Monoprix for that type of thing -- thanks!
|||
You can shop at Champion food stores (and many other grocery stores) for tubes of chestnut paste, tubes of Benedictine mayo and Dijon mustard, also tubes of tomato paste. Also you can buy a small bottle of Calvados for adding to dessert receipes.
I buy flavored sea salt ( curry, etc) from the French coast at the grocery stores and Herbes de Provence.
There are so many different packages of sauces that are different from the USA.
I like small cans of pate also!
Have fun looking!
|||
Dear Magic:
Also look at the gourmet places around the Madeleine Church. These stores are the gourmet%26#39;s dream.
|||
Hi,
I would also agree with Discover.
Most of the neighbourhood Champion food halls will sell what we consider to be %26quot;traditional%26quot; French products and are very reasonable, especially when compared to UK prices! (not sure about US)
We stock up each visit on such items as Sel de Gironde, a variety of Moutarde, preserved lemon, etc
Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment