Thursday, 30 September 2010 09:15
Written by Madelaine Bullwinkel

THE MAKING OF A BAGUETTE

Paris is the only city I know that holds a beauty contest for bread. The French obsession with the baguette inspired me to blog about the Best Baguette of Paris competition last spring http://www.chezm.com/blog/464-best-baguette . But I wasn’t satisfied by simply recognizing a great baguette. I made a promise to myself that I would learn how it’s made when I returned.

This fall I contacted Djibril Bodian at the bakery he manages on rue des Abbesses soon after we arrived. He agreed to give both my tour groups a look at of his prize-winning process. Now, after listening to Djibril’s explanation twice, I’m ready to give you the inside scoop.

Dining Alone in Montmartre

You don’t need to feel sorry for yourself when dining alone in Montmartre. Let me tell you about one restaurant where I can eat alone and still feel I’m among friends. You have to admit that beats eating a take-out sandwich.

Au Relais is a small bistro located two blocks south of our apartment. In this part of Paris, south means walking up a steep grade toward the Bascilica of Sacre Coeur. Au Relais is not hard to find, but it requires a little effort to get there. In fact, its name suits its location perfectly.

Bistro News

office1 It used to be easy to recommend restaurants in Paris. A different dining experience could be had at distinct price points. If you’re willing to take out a second mortgage, you could spend it all at one of many Michelin-starred restaurants. Alternatively, any number of classic bistros satisfy most travelers for a quarter of the price. And then there are the inexpensive corner cafes where you can dine on comfort food with the locals and at least one dog (under the table).

But this hierarchy doesn’t work anymore. A number of innovative bistros have entered the Paris dining scene and shaken up my list of favorites. Their well-trained young chefs have rejected the high-end dining model, where you work your way to the top over many years in a large operation. They don’t trust the quality of the goods that bear the seal of France’s appellation system. They seek out quality ingredients independently. Just how does one recognize one of these new bistros?

This fall I contacted Djibril Bodian at the bakery he manages on rue des Abbesses soon after we arrived. He agreed to give both my tour groups a look at of his prize-winning process. Now, after listening to Djibril’s explanation twice, I’m ready to give you the inside scoop.

More Articles ...