GOOD OL' BURGER | LE BIG CHEESE

Though I thought I would miss them living here in Paris, I have found burgers all over this city.  Expecting a weird french version of the American classic, le cheeseburger, or simply le cheese,  can be pretty damn good.  Hefty patties of rare, deep-red, french beef, minimal fixings (often just grilled onions and cheese), and a fluffy bun make for a fine burger.  And they're not just for the Americans in town; everyone here seems to love le cheeseburger, and in their own special way.  Danielle and I often marvel at the many consumption methods Parisians employ, almost exclusively with a knife and fork: we've seen people cut dainty bites and dab a little mustard and mayonnaise on each one; we've seen burgers deconstructed entirely and eaten in stages; and my favorite, one man cut his burger into quarters and ate each quarter in one bite, with a fork.  Four bites.  The French may be known for fine, delicate cuisine, but they also know how to simply grub down on a burger.  And, contrary to what many Americans might think, it is totally okay to ask for ketchup.

Here are my top three Paris burgers.  So far, that is.

Le Louvre Ripail, 1 Rue Perrault, 1st
This is the fancy burger, mostly because it costs €20 and it's across the street from the eponymous Louvre museum.  But it also has a magical, meta-beefy flavor, almost as if the thick patty was infused with a beef stock reduction.  The fries were delicious golden-brown, one-inch-tall cubes.  I am curious to try the other things on the menu.


Café Crème, 4 Rue Dupetit-Thouars, 3rd
Situated on a deeply tree-shaded lane, Café Crème offers three burger options.  The Hamburger Buns  is the standard burger on a bun (just one, contrary to the name) with great beef, good cheese, lettuce-tomato-onion, a slice of perfectly chewy, porky poitrine (bacon) and standard thin fries, served on a wood cutting board; next is the Hamburger Muffin, same as above, except with a slightly smaller patty, served on an english muffin; and lastly, the Hamburger Diet, same as the Hamburger Muffin, but served with a pile of sautéed veggies instead of fries, but I think you still get the bacon.  French diet style.  One time we asked for avocado instead of bacon and our waiter recoiled and said "Really? On a boorgoor?"  I explained, "We're from California, we put avocado on everything, it's really good..."  He cut me off as he walked away, "No no no, it's fine,"  and whispered, "I try it tomorrow."

Chez Prosper, 7 Avenue du Trône, 11th
This classic Auvergnat brasserie is always packed, and serves burgers everyday except Saturday, which has always seemed weird to me because if there is any day of the week that is a burger, it's Saturday.  But whatever.  Their cheeseburger auvergnat is simple, french burger perfection: a sizable patty of excellent beef, onions, emmental cheese, served with classic bistro fries, a side salad, and a small ramekin of sauce maison, something akin to a creamy, shallot bearnaise sauce.  They also serve good steaks, big dinner salads, and delicious desserts, my favorite of which is the Nutella Tiramisu, served in a flip-top glass jar.  This is where the guy ate his burger in four bites.  Me, I cut the thing in half and eat it with my hands, dipping each bite in the sauce, which, in French manner, lasts for exactly one burger.

(*Auvergnat means "from Auvergne", which is a mountainous, forested region in central France.  A great majority of the brasseries in Paris were started by people from Auvergne in the mid 19th century.  Many men from there worked as coal porters and their wives would set up inns and restaurants at their houses where people would come to buy coal.  Even today, around three-quarters of the brasseries in Paris are run by auvergnats.)

Hamburger Muffin at Café Crème

But as much le cheeseburger has charmed me, there is still a certain burger spirit that I miss from my homeland.   And it has to do with one word: ranch.  One, there is no ranch dressing here for the onion rings which are also missing.  Two, the burgers are not cooked ranch-style, that is, flame-grilled.  There is something intuitively, undeniably magnificent about fire and food.  And ranch dressing, it's just delicious.  I've had many in many places, but I think I've finally locked in my favorite California burger: Good Ol' Burgers in Paso Robles, CA.  If you're ever driving on the 101 between San Francisco and Santa Barbara, or any towns on either side of this burger, I insist that you schedule a lunch stop here.  It used to be just a shack on an unpopulated road that branches off the 101 toward the 1 and Hearst Castle.  Now, a strip mall has popped up around it, and it has had a makeover that hints at franchise, but don't be deceived.  This is the California ranch-style burger joint at its finest.  There is a small range of burgers, wraps, salads, dogs, etc., but I just go for a Coyote Burger, Wagon Wheels (their onion rings), a side of ranch dressing, and a Pacifico.  Yes, they serve Mexican beer.  If you choose to sit in the back dining room, you'll see a large window, on the other side of which is the grill and behind that the rest of the kitchen.  In my book, it is always a good sign if a restaurant isn't afraid to let you see your food being made.  Click here for all you need to know about Good Ol' Burgers.
 

Coyote Burger, Wagon Wheels, and a side of Homemade Ranch Dressing at Good Ol' Burgers

Also, I couldn't talk about California burgers without mentioning In-N-Out.  It is the classic drive-thru.  They use all natural ingredients and they've kept the menu the same since the fifties, at least the written one.  If you've been to one, you know about the secret menu.  If you haven't, you should go and find out.  In-N-Out.

And just to balance it out with my three Paris burger recommendations, my third California burger pick is my hometown favorite, The Hamburger Habit of Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.  Great all around for burgers and other things.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I usually order the Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich and, of course, onion rings.  It's especially good if you are exhausted from surfing and you've had too many burritos in a row.  The Habit.

Posting by Adrian

CAUNES-MINERVOIS | FRANCESCA'S PAELLA | LE QUATORZE JUILLET

Local Black Olives from the Farmer's Market & Mariella in Jean-Claude's Walnut Grove meadow 

We went on a road trip to visit various friends in Southern and Southeastern France and discovered magical villages tucked into small corners far from the toll roads. This story features the first stop on our trip, Caunes-Minervois, about 20 minutes from Carcassonne and at the foot of the La Montagne Noire (The Black Mountains). Our friend Imelda's father lives here. Imelda, her partner Francesca, and their new baby,  spend as much time down here as they can. We were lucky enough to be invited to join them for some Summer sun and Bastille Day festivities ( more commonly known as Le Quatorze Juillet in France). There is a strong Spanish influence in this region, which is why it seemed too perfect to experience Francesca's Paella on our first day in the village. We stopped by the farmer's market and found some delicious home cured olives and a big basket of strawberries and walked over to find them in their back yard (a former Monk's garden). Jean-Claude lives directly behind a beautiful 8th century Abbey.

 Francesca's Sangria & The Table in Jean-Claude's Garden under a Wysteria and Mulberry Canopy

Californian-Spanish friend, graphic designer and inspired cook, Francesca, prepared a delicious Sangria before the Paella prep began. With lots of fresh oranges and tart green apples, I couldn't imagine a better afternoon drink on a super-hot Summer day in Southern France. We stepped into the kitchen and immediately jumped into the Paella assembly line. 

Toasted Saffron freshly ground in a Mortar and Pestle
 

First she toasted some saffron and ground it using her mortar and pestle. She added the saffron to a simmering broth later to be used for the Paella rice to give it that distinct earthy flavor and warm yellow color.

The outdoor Paella Kitchen & Francesca cooking the diced onions, minutes before the rice gets added

We all helped chop and prep while Francesca got her ingredients lined up on the garden cooking table. I like when everyone has a hand in the meal, because the atmosphere feels instantly family style. The ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, diced white onions, chopped tomatoes, green beans, green olives with pimentos, saffron broth, short round Paella rice, squid, shrimp, clams, mussels, and sliced roasted red peppers.

Toasting the Rice with Olive Oil and sautéed Onions

 Saffron Broth going into the Rice Mixture & Green Beans being added after the Broth

After sautéeing the onions for a bit, she added the rice  and some chopped tomatoes. Once mixed together, she added the Saffron broth and the green beans. This is the stage where you employ the secret perfect Paella trick: don't stir the rice. After the rice mixture cooked for a tiny spell,  she added the chopped green olives ( stuffed with red pimento) and began the seafood layering process.

Clams waiting their turn

Shellfish laid out in a circular motif. First the Clams, then the Mussels.

 Shrimp and Red Peppers added after the Mussels. This is the moment before the last step, the Squid

The finished Paella, with perfectly steamed Squid added at the very last moment & Lovely Imelda plating it up

Á Table

This was the first time I've eaten such a delicious Paella. The seafood was added in such careful order, so that every bite was perfectly cooked. YUM.

Local Cheeses from the Laungedoc Region, including the pretty wheel of Cathare raw-milk cheese

Imelda's Apricot Tart

We ended the meal with a sampling of some local cheeses and a homemade apricot tart, baked by Imelda. She made a perfect buttery crust and added only a pinch of sugar in order to allow the apricot's lively tartness to come through. Thank you, Merci, Gracias to the Picherits and Bautistas!

 Sunflower fields tucked in-between vineyards outside of Carcassonne

Caunes-Minervois celebrates Bastille Day one day early. They do this because the neighboring city of Carcassonne has the largest fireworks show outside of Paris. To avoid the competition, they have a beautiful tradition take place on the 13th, in front of the Mairie (and outside our hotel, Hôtel d'Alibert). All children are invited to carry a colorful paper lantern, handed out in the town square, and then walk with the procession to a field where the firework show awaits.  This tradition has been in place for many years, and the entire town comes alive with music and dancing, all in the glow of the flickering candle lit lanterns amidst the old village buildings and narrow streets. Magical.

The Children of Caunes-Minervois with their Paper Lanterns

We spent the afternoon of the 14th in Carcassonne before the madness began, and got lost in the surrounding vine covered hills. We caught a glimpse of the entire fortified old town from there and it was like a fairy tale vision come to life.

Cité of Carcassonne

Horse led Wagons walking along the Ramparts of Cité

On our last night, we had our friends over for dinner at the Hôtel d'Alibert. Our hotelier, Fréderic, was a jovial character to say the least. He made us laugh and took good care of us. The hotel is well known for their local cuisine. They serve hearty regional dishes like Cassoulet and Daube (red wine stewed beef). We loved staying here and had a fantastic farewell dinner.

Our bedroom window at Hôtel d'Alibert

Hotel d'Alibert's inner Courtyard and Restaurant Terrace

Our Breakfast Table in the Courtyard

Foie Gras Créme Brulée at Restaurant d'Alibert. Insane.

One of the days found us up in the marble quarries in the hills of Caunes-Minervois. It was one of the most striking places we have ever seen. Rose colored thick slabs of marble that created an amphitheater like space. I could take photos here all day. The rosey marble of this quarry was made famous by it's use in palaces like Versailles. It was a favorite of Marie-Antoinette.

Rose Marble Quarries of Caunes-Minervois

Another Guest's Summer Kit