Why I Heart France Reason #19: Fungus.

At the request of blog commenter 'Tired of Snow', Saturday night Frenchboy and I managed to get a table at one of the cities best restaurants, Au Pampre d'Or, without a reservation.

It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

It's true, Au Pampre d'Or happily lost it's Michelin star recently, but after ordering and being absolutely charmed by the 5 course Truffle Menu I have no effin' idea why.

Now, before we get to the food porn, can I just say how much I adore the French for their love of mold and fungus? Before moving to France, I had only heard of chocolate truffles (although I don't think I'd ever eaten one of those either). So naturally I am absolutely fascinated by the idea of eating a spore that costs nearly €2,000 for a kilo.

Last night we must have eaten at least 50 grams of truffles and I won't lie to you:

It was Divine.

An Amuse-Bouche fit for Royalty.

I love when they bring your food under a cloche. (What do we call that in English?)
The French do have a flair for the dramatic---even in their food.

I wish had stolen a copy of the menu because describing this first dish as
"scrambled egg soup with truffles" doesn't really do it justice.
It was amaaaazing.

Pigeon with truffles!

How is it that I've lived in France for 7 years now yet I had no idea that you're supposed to eat your Munster with light sprinkling of cumin? Seriously? I'm just finding out about this heavenly combination now?

I love when they bring you two platters filled with
what can only be describes as"pre-desserts".

The cutest mini pistachio muffin on earth.

Insane chocolate soufflé that what so perfectly light and fluffy that I felt like I was eating chocolate and mandarin flavored air.

And a bit of Meringue for good measure.

Take that André Michelin!

I Survived the Snownami.

I'm writing this from the great state in Indiana visiting me mum. I booked this trip to the US because I have not one, but three exhibitions planned back to back and I had planned to attending at least the closing reception for the first one near Chicago last week.

Unfortunately my reception got canceled by the Snowpocalypse.

Two days before the reception, Chicago got pounded by a storm system that pounded them with with 2 FEET of snow. Here in Indianapolis we didn't get snow, instead mother nature treated us to a 3 inch coating of ice that paralyzed the entire state and left many without electricity or heat.

How's that for a homecoming party?

We were all but trapped in the house for nearly 3 days. Luckily my friend Danielle managed to make it to our house on the 3rd day. She helped me dig out my car and my mom's car. No, No. Let me rephrase that. She helped me chisel my car out of an effin' glacier with a hammer. A frickin' HAMMER!

Once we had liberated the cars we were feeling quite triumphant. Here is me with my mini shovel and my nearly 18 inch tall and 3 inch thick Ice trophy. The bugger weighed nearly 15 lbs. No kidding.

But besides that, all is swell. In spite of being technically out of the office, I'm getting a TON of work finished, and more importantly I was here to help out my mom. I was like a gladiator shoveling out her car.

I am a total bad-ass.