Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Fancy Fungi.

Whenever I look in the mirror and think to myself: “Damn, how did I get so fat?” I only need to look to my own blog for answers. I eat a lot. But I figure it’s a good trade off. I take on a few pounds (each year) but I get to taste all this magnificent food. And anyway, who really ever regrets eating French pastries? The only reason I'm even nice to people is that when I die, I desperately want to go to pastry and champagne heaven.

El theatris7



One of the best things about living in France is the food. Face facts, if you have an American-style metabolism and an American-sized appetite, France is not a country you move to in order to shed a few pounds. I always joke that I moved to France for my husband, but I stay for the pastries. And it’s not so far from the truth. The food is AMAAAAZING. Whenever I go back to the US I am constantly complaining and moaning about the food. I am a traitor to my own country’s cuisine.
(Except the Cheeseburger. The French will never master the Cheeseburger. Never. They can't even say it correctly. "Sheesbergeeer?" "No, CHeeeeZbURger m*therf*cker!")

To make matters worse, since moving to France I have had the occasion to sample over and over again the things that I had previously only read about in books or seen in films. Foie gras? We eat eat it on a bi-monthly basis chez nous. Champagne? Once a week! And this you see is the ultimate luxury for a girl who grew up in Des Moines, Iowa where champagne (from California) passes over the lips only once a year at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. So it’s no surprise that in November of this year I had truffles for the first time in my life. And not just any old truffles. We went all out and ordered the full truffles menu et El Theatris.

El theatris5



Truffles on risotto! Truffles on Carpaccio St. Jacques!


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Truffles on Filet Mignon! Truffles on Duck!

El theatris3




El theatris2



Truffles on ice cream and crème brûlée. OK, not really, but still you get the point.

El theatris1



That’s a lot of fungus my friends!

10 comments:

Sara said...

mmm foie gras, had some the other night at a party, i want to get some for home but i am always overwhelmed by the choice/variety in prices at the store, what do you recommend?

Cherise said...

mmmmm. Now I need to go back to France damnit! We did have foie gras for Thanksgiving dinner though (from France, in a can, not the same but it'll do). You're making me hungry.

Mignon said...

So can you describe how the fungus tastes? For it is truly unaffordable for me to buy at this time. You may feel as your fat but us bloggers think your too cute. Merry Christmas and thanks for your art and humor.

love seeker said...

um. yum. that's really all i can say. enjoy!

KLS said...

You're making me hungry!!!

Madame K said...

Sara---I am no foie gras expert. I buy whatever's on sale at the market. *shrugs*

Cherise- The best foie gras I ever had came out of a goofy-looking glass jar so, who's to say canned aint good?

Mignon---Aw, thanks! And to answer your question-- Truffles taste like...spicy dirt. Yep.

Portlandier said...

I relish your French experiences- the food looks incredible! My tuna melt does not look as tasty now.

raynaae said...

What a luxurious meal

truffles are tasty but it's hard to explain why. Theres a buttery-ish flavor, a garlic-ish flavor, and yes a bit of earth or wood i'm not too sure which. I'd lean towards the "dirt" Mme K. mentioned.

Try some truffle oil and drizzle it on warm bread..miam miam miam! dizzam thats good stuff. And if you're feeling really froggy add some cheese to the mix.

Shanster said...

You are not fat - us women are SUPPOSED to be curvy. It's what makes us sexxxy, no? Men are all angles and joints and bones, we are curves and softness.

Who wants to look like a 10 yr old boy any way? More fun to eat and enjoy life! Besides - it gives us hella good cleavage!

Well that is what I keep telling myself...

Camille Acey said...

Why can't anyone else master the cheeseburger? It is the simplest thing.

I am so frustrated. Here in Slovenia, they think that a hamburger is a patty of actual ham on a roll with spicy ajvar (Serbian hot pepper paste). There should be a global hamburger approval board that polices these heinous crimes.