Since last fall, Barbra Austin and I have been working with Context Travel to develop and lead food tours in the city’s most edible neighborhoods. Because the groups are small (never more than six mouths to feed) and because Context tends to attract a smart and clued-in clientele, these tours often turn out to be the highlight of my week.

Although I rarely crow about these tours myself, I just saw a lovely account of last Friday’s tour by two of our clients. Lara and Terence, a pair of travel writers who have been on the road for four straight years, are currently scribbling their way around the world. Their blog gives an enticing description of our right-bank food crawl through the northern Marais, including stops at the following:

Boulangerie 134 RdT, where Benjamin Turquier makes an award-winning baguette.
134 rue de Turenne, 75003

Jacques Genin, where the millefeuille is made to order.
133 Rue de Turenne, 75003

Goumanyat et Son Royaume, where Jean-Marie is waiting by Le Sniff Bar.
3 rue Charles-François Dupuis, 75003

Across the River: For those who prefer to eat it old school, we do an another tour in the stately 7th called Baguette to Bistro: Culinary Traditions of Paris. An account from one of our clients – this time a young study abroad student – can be found on her blog here. A special bonus: the post includes a photo of her mother posing with Patty from La Dernière Goutte, and the expression on her face is just priceless.

For more information or to book a food tour, you can visit the Context Travel website or send an email to info@contexttravel.com. These tours run 2.5 hours and the €85 fee includes copious tastings along the way.

Also of Interest:

• Wendy Lyn (from the Paris Kitchen) runs her own food and wine tours and hosts sold-out dinners with Alexander Lobrano as the Paris Supper Club.
• David Lebovitz (who is joining me to host an upcoming Context Travel dinner at Hidden Kitchen) organizes week-long chocolate & gastronomy tours two times per year.
• Heather Stimmler-Hall (from Secrets of Paris) hosts walking tours around the islands and Marais
• Adam (from Invisible Paris) has created a series of free, downloadable walking tours

Because bunnies in France are for eating, the important task of holiday candy distribution falls instead to a bell. As far as I can work out, the local church bell stops tolling in Paris during the week before Easter and flies off to visit Rome. It hangs out with the Pope and other bells from around the world in a sort of ding-dong jubilee. It then flies back to Paris on the night before Easter, carrying souvenirs for the children.

These take the form of chocolate eggs, chickens and fish, which are way more delicious than any “my bell went to Rome and all I got was this lousy t-shirt” souvenir.

Here’s a selection of snaps from holiday window displays this week. Joyeuse Pâques!

Easter eggs from Le Grenier De Félix

Candy ducks from Le Grenier à Pain

Bunnies and eggs at Coquelicot

Today’s challenge as part of the Edible Advent Calendar:

Can you name this treat?

Leave your answer (product/location) in the comments section below. The reader who has accumulated the most victories by December 24 will receive an edible Christmas present from me. I’ll keep your guesses hidden until the answer is revealed tomorrow on Budget Travel, then I’ll publish the comments and name the winner for this challenge.

YESTERDAY’S WINNERS:
Ding ding ding! Lots of points today for naming “pain des amis” from the lovely Du Pain et des Idées. Bravo to Zeva Bellel, Anne, Sophie (close enough), Theresa and Lil. The full description of this delicious thing will be appearing later today on the Budget Travel Paris Page. ]]> http://megzimbeck.com/2009/12/edible-advent-dec7/feed/ 0 http://megzimbeck.com/2009/12/edible-advent-dec2-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=edible-advent-dec2-2 http://megzimbeck.com/2009/12/edible-advent-dec2-2/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:00:57 +0000 Meg http://megzimbeck.com/?p=1648

Today’s challenge as part of the Edible Advent Calendar:

Can you name this treat?

Leave your answer (product/location) in the comments section below. The reader who has accumulated the most victories by December 24 will receive an edible Christmas present from me. I’ll keep your guesses hidden until the answer is revealed tomorrow on Budget Travel, then I’ll publish the comments and name the winner for this challenge.

Next Thursday (November 12), some of the city’s sweetest men will be presenting their chocolate creations and signing books at Galeries Lafayette. From 5-9pm, you’ll be able to steal samples from Sadaharu Aoki, Pierre Hermé,  Jean-Paul Hévin and five other master chocolatiers.