A Candlelit Birthday Dinner in Paris

Recently, I was able to celebrate my birthday with my twin sister Simone, who crossed the seas from Marfa, Texas to be in Paris for our annual fête. First we went on a road trip through white truffle laden Piedmont, Italy and after, hosted an intimate birthday dinner party at a friend's elegant home in Paris. 

My French-American friend and private cook, Alix Lacloche, helped us prepare the meal. She effortlessly organized the shopping and the prep and let us chill out. She threw on her apron and started chopping, tasting and pulling all the elements together. Simone and I were in charge of one thing, the white truffle ravioli that we made from scratch using a truffle we hand selected at the white truffle fair in Alba. 

I adore the apartment that belongs to the charming couple, Michaela Lee and Alex Thumerelle.  Alex runs a bookstore, gallery and boutique, called Ofr. I met Alex when I curated an art exhibition in the Ofr gallery a few years ago featuring three artist and musician friends from California. Their chic apartment also functions as an extension and atelier of the Ofr universe. It's a gorgeous apartment used for photo shoots, private events, a showroom during fashion week and beyond. I was thrilled when she offered us the space for our birthday dinner, as it has lots of old world Parisian spirit, magic and soul. 

Alix prepping a pile of fresh Chanterelle mushrooms from a nearby market, 

Simone cutting the pasta sheets for the ravioli

Alix carefully inspects the Chanterelle mushrooms

Simone inhaling the intoxicating smell of the chosen white truffle at the Alba truffle show in Italy

A truffled egg yolk sitting in a pillow of fresh ricotta from my favorite fromagerie down the road

Each guest was served a single raviolo to begin the meal. I finished each one with a drizzle of browned butter and grated white truffle. One of the best things I have ever tasted in my life. Seriously. Quickly cooking dishes à la minute was fast-paced and fun, especially when one of our guests happened to be co-owner of 3 of Paris' best cocktail bars (Candelaria, Le Mary Celeste and Glass) and made everyone in the kitchen a round of very good Negronis. Yes!

Á table! Simone takes a moment to slowly stoke on the raviolo. Mmmmmmmmmmm

Stuffed pork loin with Chanterelle mushrooms and herbs, 

Lovely Michaela in her billowy white chiffon blouse

Alix explains it all

Alix slicing the pork loin, 

A happy dinner plate with stuffed pork loin, roasted potimarron squash with herby salsa verde, potato purée, sautéed Chanterelles, and fresh greens. 

Last but not least... came two birthday cakes brought by a guest from Stohrer, the oldest Pâtissier in Paris (since 1730), along with lots of champagne

All photos by Danielle Rubi-Dentzel, except for top 2 photos by Simone Rubi

A Farmer's Burger in Paris

   

The people of Paris go crazy for burgers. During the 6 years that I've lived here, I've seen a steady stream of new burger spots open around the city.  Some are pretty good, some are super 'outsider' style, and then a few get it right. This is one of them. Le Burger Fermier des Enfants Rouges, a stand inside the Marché des Enfants Rouges ( the oldest covered market in Paris), is a sweet little gem tucked in the back row of the market. They use lovingly raised beef and bacon from a farm called Les Viandes du Châteauneuf, in the Pas-de Calais region in the north of France. They also sell terrines, sausages, duck confit and other charcuterie from La Ferme de Messenguy , a farm in the Picardie region along with lots of other various edible farm sourced goodness like jams, yogurts, creme fraiche, craft beers, ciders... the list goes on.

They make the buns inside the stand and also make the frites on site using potatoes from Picardie. All wrapped up in a little sweet package for 10 Euros. If you add bacon, its 1 Euro extra. They are a warm crew and the service is fast... which is rare considering the popularity of this market. On the tables are squeeze bottles of their homemade special sauce, which tastes like a winning combination of ( I'm guessing) mayonnaise, ketchup, dill and a touch of piment d'espelette...I think. There must be some secret ingredients in there too. When you order your burger you have a choice between 4 types of cheese: Cantal, Blue, Tomme au Cidre or Cheddar. A straight up good quality cheeseburger experience. The other outstanding feature of this burger is that I didn't see anyone eating it with a knife and fork, which is the only one of the bizarro ways I've seen french people eat burgers.

 

 

Le Burger Fermier des Enfants Rouges
Inside the Marché des Enfants Rouges, 39 Rue de Bretagne, Paris 3.
Hours: 9am – 6pm, closed Monday and Tuesday.
Metro: Arts et Metiers, Temple, République, Filles du Calvaire

Truffle Shuffle

The black cauldron: one of the butchers of Maison Paillot proudly stirring Boudin Noir over wood fire

Last month we experience a humble, little black truffle fair in the enchanted medieval village of Noyers-sur-Serein, in the Burgundy region of France. The highlight was the large steaming cauldron, with coils of handmade Boudin Noir, french blood sausage, nestled and steaming inside. The esteemed butcher,  his two sons, and his entire staff put on quite the show in front of their butcher shop and epicerie. 

Boudin blanc, veal and milk sausage with black truffles being made behind this table and sold just as fast.

Fresh giant Gougére, the iconic savory Burgundian cheese puff profiterole 

Master butcher, Denis Paillot, offers smoked andouille to his smallest and biggest fan 

The black truffles we got this year were eaten before they could be photographed...so here's a photo of our black truffles from a previous truffle fair in Noyers

THANK YOU FALL

sunrise over Autumnal vineyards in Canale, Italy

I love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday. Normally, I like to spend Thanksgiving in Santa Barbara, California, where my mother still lives in the house I grew up in. It's the family HQ, where there have been many feasts and fun competition in the kitchen. Most of all it's where all my epic childhood memories live as well as the many holiday and birthday meal stories. I hold on tight to the golden packages in my mind's memory file cabinet. Especially since moving to Paris 6 years ago. Oh how I miss California.

Growing up in California I fantasized about a true fall experience. I had visions of Vermont and big old wood family houses in the New England countryside. I think a lot of west coasters have a similar romantic dreamscape of the east coast. I often wondered what it would be like to spend both my October birthday and Thanksgiving in the magic of true autumn.

We've just returned from my fall birthday trip over to the Piedmont region of northern Italy. I traditionally go there now to see the vivid colored vines and to eat up white truffles. Talk about a winning combination of extreme nature and food. What a luxury and how thankful I am. Spending my fall season holidays between Noyers and Piedmont are why I never get bummed out about summer being over... I get my true autumn.

This year we'll be spending Thanksgiving once again in the tiny medieval french village called Noyers-sur-Serein. This will be our 4th year going there for Thanksgiving, where good friends ( who happen to be our neighbors in Paris!) have a warm country house that have opened it's doors to us many times. It's also home to La Porte Peinte Centre Pour Les Arts, a gallery and artist residency run by dear friends, that have also hosted otherworldly events such as this medieval age inspired feast.

THANK YOU to all the Trail of Crumbs contributors, readers, makers and inspirers! We are truly lucky to have so many beautiful stories of adventure, wanderlust, and delicious food surround us year after year. Happy Thanksgiving from our little Trail of Crumbs corner of Paris to you.

Here are a few of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes from our trusted archive:

VELVETY PERFECT TURKEY GRAVY (would be pretty sweet in one of these gravy boats)

"Dory Gravy Boat" by Contemporary silversmith Kirsty Eaglesfield & Rebecca Joselyn's "Crushed Can"

SALT AND HONEY PIE ( From the lovely Four & Twenty Blackbirds cookbook)

 WILD MUSHROOM AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH DAUPHINOIS

Trompette de la Mort, black trumpet, mushrooms blooming from a french forest floor

photo of Salty Honey Pie: Milk and Honey

A Kitchen in Every Classroom

Some dear friends of ours at Celery Design in Berkeley, California, have collaborated on a wonderful and noble project that would greatly improve food education for kids in the USA.  After the success of the Edible Schoolyard programs, the need for classroom cooking tools became very apparent and not always easy to furnish.  The Charlie Cart is the solution Carolyn Federman and Brian Dougherty devised: a compact and all-inclusive mobile kitchen that could be easily stored and accessed in any classroom.  The name is a nod to the traditional Chuck Wagon, and it's independent, mobile design has all the pioneering spirit of the original.  We at Trail of Crumbs are wholeheartedly behind anything that aims to build up American food culture and give kids a better daily meal.  With supporters like Alice Waters and Michael Pollan, this could become an amazing reality for countless children.  Check out their Kickstarter page and please help out if you can.

" I serve on The Charlie Cart Project advisory board because when cooking is integrated into the corriculum, academic subjects come alive, and students effortlessly absorb their lessons. With the Charlie Cart, children have the hands-on experience of preparing food and gathering together around the table, where they learn the essential values of nourishment, communication, and generosity." -Alice Waters

Carolyn Federman & Brian Dougherty

During our road trip in Italy last month, we were recommended by Paris restauranteur and chef, Pierre Jancou, to stop by I Tigli pizzeria to try their modern take on traditional pizza. We got lost trying to find it, because the bridge into the center of the village, San Bonifacio, was taken down and our gps had a heyday with that one. Finally, after driving down a private grass path, a friendly farmer told us how to get there. In a somewhat run down, tiny village, we entered a slick, airy and inviting little pizzeria run by chef Simone Padoan.

The water glasses were custom made in nearby Venice, in a traditional glass blowing studio

Pizza with a delicious whole wheat sourdough crust, fresh pomodoro and house made burrata

Their signature tiramisu was the best version of the classic we've ever had!

I TIGLI Simone Padoan
Via Camporosolo 11
37047 - San Bonifacio - Verona
Italy
Closed on Wednesdays
T: 045 610 26 06

A Lunch Break in Modena, Italy

Fennel, squashes, eggplant and onions fresh off the grill waiting to get dressed in syrupy, aged, local balsamic vinegar

On our recent road trip through the north of Italy, we stopped in Modena for lunch. A city responsible for the creation of balsamic vinegar, Modena was a sure to be a sweet pit stop. We set out on a walk and discovered a mellow little piazza called Piazza Giacomo Matteotti. The trees lured us in and we soon spotted a sunny terrace full of tables tucked away beyond the trees. It was Officina Della Senape, a restaurant with wood grill and lots of locals having a relaxed weekend lunch. It was meant to be... and turned out to be one of our favorite meals of the trip.

Gramigna with a ragu of sausage and porcini mushrooms

Fettucini with bolognese .... so nice to have a real bolognese in the Emilia-Romagna region, so close to the city of Bologna! 

Officina Della Senape
Piazza Matteotti, 21
Modena

+39 059 875 6752