April 18, 2015 by Skye Blue Winters

Only the Purest Will Do: Paso Robles Wine Country

As far as wine goes, Paso Robles, in the Central Coast of California, is fairly young. Even though the Franciscan Friars began making wine in this area in 1790, it wasn’t until 1983 that Paso Robles became an American Viticultural Appellation (AVA). There was a huge investment in this area beginning in the 1990s and in 2013, Paso Robles Wine Country was named Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

There are now 32,000 vineyard acres, producing more than 40 wine grape varieties including the area’s heritage variety, Zinfandel. An important factor that distinguishes this region is the distinct microclimates and diverse soils. Combined with warm days and cool nights, growing conditions are ideal.

Paso Robles Wine Country

Perhaps one of the most ecologically-focused wineries in this region is the Carmody McKnight Vineyard. Nutrient-based sustainability is at the heart of their vineyard practices.

And so, on a weekend in mid-January, shortly after a substantial rainfall, Mark Stine and I drove up from Los Angeles specifically to seek out Gary Conway, owner (along with his wife, Marian McKnight Conway) of Carmody McKnight. Mark had purchased Gary’s book, The Art of the Vineyard, and was interested in getting it autographed. The day was glorious with an azure sky marked by very few cotton balls of clouds. The hillsides were newly green, unusual in the midst of the great drought in California’s Central Valley.

The art of wine at Carmody McKnight estate winery

As we headed out of Paso Robles into the mountains and valleys of wine country, we commented on the beauty of the light creating shadows on the sides of hills from oak trees stripped bare and resting for the short California Winter. The beauty was staggering in its simplicity … the green grass, bright in its newness, fading to a color reminiscent of the blue grass of Kentucky from the reflection of the sunlight, and everywhere along the hills and in the valleys, the branches of grapevines trained to grow along the wires.

Paso Robles Wine Country

Carmody McKnight Vineyards

Carmody McKnight was a pleasant surprise. Not really knowing about the vineyard, except from the story of Gary Conway’s book, we were immediately struck by the simplicity of the old farmhouse, kept as the tasting room. In 1972, while looking for land to purchase, Gary crash-landed in a helicopter and walking away from the accident, proclaimed that he would buy that property.

Carmody McKnight estate winery, farmhouse tasting room

Carmody McKnight, farmhouse tasting room

Gary Conway is what you would clearly call a Renaissance Man. He’s an actor, having starred in Burke’s Law and the 60’s cult Sci-Fi series, Land of the Giants. He’s a writer, artist (modern bold colors painted in oils, images that also adorn the labels of the Carmody McKnight wines), producer, activist and environmentalist.

The land on this 160-acre property was formed by three volcanoes and the natural grapes grow in the magma. The super soils are mineral and nutrient rich, which transfers to the grapes, fitting well with Gary’s passion for the environment and healthy food, and leading him to produce wine that is completely pure and natural.

Carmody McKnight vineyard, Paso Robles, CA

There are no additives in the Carmody McKnight wines, no chemicals, no manipulation … pure, exquisite flavor comes through in each varietal. Truly the best wine is the “signature of the soil” and that is clearly apparent in these wines. Of all the wines we tasted, the intense, rich, complex flavors came through.

The Carmody McKnight website describes in detail how the mineral-rich soil contributes to the flavor of their wine as well as increasing its health benefits and enabling this vineyard to produce true Natural Wines.

Gary spent quite a bit of time with us, describing the wines and the production process. His comment, “I used to fight [fictional] giants, but now I’m fighting Corporate Giants” was a reference to his anti-GMO stance that’s pervasive in the US food and agricultural industry.

Mark signed up for the wine club partially because of Gary’s passion, the purity of the wine and the wonderful, bold flavors. From movements all over America, people are supporting local, organic farmers by buying their products and spreading their message. And it’s clear that our health and that of the planet is intricately linked to this movement.

Wild Coyote, House of Reds

There were a couple of other vineyards that Mark and I particularly enjoyed. Wild Coyote featured pure, unfiltered wines. Each wine we tasted was unique, complex and wonderful. I had a few bottles shipped, including a delightful Port. Oh, and, you can stay onsite in one of their five private casitas!

Entrance to Wild Coyote Tasting Room

Kukkula Vineyards

Another must see winery is Kukkula with their beautifully constructed and energy efficient winery and tasting room. Their mostly estate grapes are organic and their blended Rhone wines rich and delightful.

Wine tasting at Kukkula Vineyards

Thomas Hill Organics

If you’re passionate about supporting restaurants that are organic and sustainable, there are many wonderful choices. Our favorite was Thomas Hill Organics, a beautiful little bistro and wine bar with unique menu items and ingredients sourced locally.

Wine a dinner at Thomas Hill Organics

Pasolivo Ranch

Another wonderful experience occurred at Pasolivo Ranch. As Mark and I were taking one of the many back roads to Paso Robles, we came across a beautiful olive orchard. We stopped in at the end of their day and the staff was gracious enough to allow us to enjoy their unique olive tasting experience. With pieces of a baguette, and a small plate full of various salts, herbs and spices, we dipped and tasted olive oils with flavors enhanced by our plate of options. Directed by our own “guide” and enhanced by our own imagination, we experienced some amazing flavors! My favorite (and I’ve already purchased more online directly with Pasolivo) was the Lime Olive Oil with Winter Ambrosia Vinegar (a seasonal option).

Outside of Pasolivo Ranch

If you find yourself in the California Central Valley, definitely visit Paso Robles and its many vineyards and olive orchards of that region. It’s well worth the trip.

May 2, 2014 by Skye Blue Winters

Paris to Penzance

Paris at the end of April is like a beautiful woman with no expectations nor knowledge of her beauty. Lush and full of hope, the trees reach out with their fresh new leaves spreading their joy to create shade. Flowers are everywhere, the scent of Jasmine filling the senses. Tulips seem to be never-ending with colors so vibrant they glisten.

The weather, on the other hand, is like a moody teenager, clouds rolling in at a moment’s notice saying to the sun, “Not yet!” and briefly wetting the landscape pushing people toward the ‘shade.’ But just as quickly, the sun cuts through and the landscape sparkles with freshness.

Tour Eiffel through the trees

Mark trains in from Stuttgart for a brief 36-hour sojourn in Paris … only enough time to walk the Seine and get a sense of what one might discover in this ancient and beautiful city. Isabelle comes up from Montpelier and with Thom and Eric, the five of us meet for a last dinner. Tomorrow we all part, each heading in different directions.

EuroStar to London and beyond

Thom and Eric leave the flat very early. We awake in time to see them off and wait for Alec to arrive and retrieve the keys before heading to the Metro and Gare du Nord for our EuroStar train to London.

I had previously checked parisbytrain.com to get a visual layout of Gare du Nord to save time once we arrive. Even though I have been here a number of times, I know the EuroStar is boarded in another part of the station and we are short on time.

I’m excited about going through the Chunnel, but as we leave the blue skies of France and enter the darkness, I ask myself what I expected? It’s rather like taking BART beneath the Bay, from San Francisco to Oakland, but with a travel time of a bit more than half an hour. As soon as we emerge into the rain and mist, I know we’re in England.

We have about an hour to transfer from London’s St. Pancras station via the Underground to Paddington for the next leg of our train trip. We have a few delays, but finally make it with, oh, quite possibly three minutes to spare!

We are traveling to Penzance on the First Great Western railway stopping frequently along the way. The trip takes about five hours and is memorable for the beautiful scenery, particularly as we get closer to the coast.

English coastline heading to Penzance

There’s nothing quite so beautiful as the English countryside, with its rolling hills and lush, light green fields crisscrossed with full, dark green hedgerows. Entering the small quaint villages with brick houses and church steeples pointing to the sky seems straight out of a Masterpiece Theatre BBC mystery. Narrow roads with carefully manicured bushes and trees keep the curious from seeing beyond.

English countryside

Our first night in Penzance

We arrive at our lovely three bedroom cottage at 33 Chapel Street that Mark reserved through Classic Cottages. It’s perfectly situated on the historic Chapel Street within easy walking distance of the town centre. With a view of the bay and its very own private garden, we couldn’t be more pleased.

View of the harbor from the 3rd floor bedroom

View of the harbor from the bedroom

Fresh tulips are on the dining room table, and in the kitchen, we find a tray complete with a bottle of wine, a fresh loaf of bread and scones. Tea and coffee are provided and in the refrigerator we find butter, milk and the incomparable Cornish Clotted Cream.

Tray provided by our hosts

The house is cozy and comfortable, but since it’s already nearly 8:00 p.m., we put our bags away and head out into the town to check out the neighborhood and have some dinner. We find a food cooperative at the top of the hill, many interesting shops closed due to the hour and several open and welcoming pubs.

When did the English learn to cook?

Now before you think I’m being a bit cocky here, my mother was English, so I’m pretty familiar with the cooking.

We enter the Turk’s Head, a lovely, warm and lively pub with a back room of tables making up the restaurant. Mark orders Fish and Chips with mushy peas and I the Asparagus Risotto.

The fish is freshly caught off the coast, deliciously battered and perfectly prepared. The mushy peas are creamy, smooth and a perfect companion. The Asparagus Risotto includes small slices of asparagus, English peas, a hint of mint and toasted pine nuts. The risotto is creamy and perfectly cooked with just the right amount of seasoning. Topped with two crunchy and tasteful asparagus and sprinkled with Parmesan, it just may be the best risotto I’ve ever tasted.

Turk’s Head dinner

We return to our home for this week and settle in for the night.

An auction for charity

On Saturday night, Mark and I attend a charity Art Auction at The Exchange to support the Cornwall Hospice Care. Over 100 pieces from local artists are being offered with a percentage of the proceeds donated to the charity. After champagne, hors d’oeuvres and music in the cafe, we take a seat with our personal auction numbers to see what we might take home.

The auctioneer is hilarious. Forgetting his microphone cord and gavel, he chooses to “speak up,” and uses an ice cream scoop, banging it loudly on the podium to end each sale. His quirky method of engaging the audience, getting bidders to raise the price and forgetting where he is in the bidding process makes for a very entertaining and fun evening. Mark bids on several items and goes home with a beautiful, original signed watercolor.

Impressions of Penzance

Penzance is a fishing village located along the southeast coast of Cornwall, tucked away in Mount’s Bay, which faces the English Channel. In early May, even though Cornwall is a temperate climate, the weather is cold and blustery. The rain has held off, but I feel like I’ve stepped into the land of Winnie the Pooh!

Despite the chill, Penzance is a lovely town. Possibly best known outside of the UK for the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, Pirates of Penzance. However, this seaside town has nothing to do with pirates, although we did see several references including the Penzance Sailing Club, which uses a skull and crossbones as its emblem.

During our week-long stay, we walk the streets, finding hidden nooks and gardens and interesting historical sites. The cemetery in St. Mary’s church is very old, the markers blotched with moss and lichen, many lined with vines. Wild flowers are growing everywhere as are Palm trees. (Mark knows the scientific names of the palms, including the true palms home to this area and those imported from other parts of the world.)

Harbor through Chapel St. archway

St. Mary’s Church

St. Mary’s, located across the street from our cottage, sits high above the town and can be seen from practically everywhere, making it very easy to find our way home.

Top of St Mary’s Church

The Jubilee Pool, an Art Deco seawater lido built when Penzance was a prosperous seaside resort is closed. Located between the promenade and the harbor, it experienced extensive damage from the horrendous storms that battered many parts of the UK and Europe this winter.

Jubilee Pool

Nearby to our cottage we discover the Morrab Gardens, home to sub-tropical plants that you won’t find elsewhere in England.

Morrab Gardens

Morrab Gardens: Pond

There are wonderful galleries, boutiques and museums that will keep us busy. With an easy walk to the bus station, Penzance makes a perfect home base for jaunts to other parts of Cornwall.

April 30, 2014 by Skye Blue Winters

A Farewell to Paris

As our final days in Paris have come to an end, I thought it prudent to list a few places to visit, items of interest and tips that I haven’t covered in previous posts.

Paris: A bit about the Sixteenth

Our flat in Paris was located in the fashionable 16th arrondissement. Alec met us at the flat and gave us a quick tour, letting us know how things worked. Well, if truth be told, he really just pointed things out, making sure we knew those items of key importance like how to log on to WiFi. In the kitchen, he pointed to the coffee machine, then told us the oven door was broken. He would try to get someone in to fix it soon, to which I replied: “So, no soufflés then?” I believe my humor was lost in translation.

Paris flat: Living room

The neighborhood had everything we needed within a block and a half of what we discovered to be a very posh Paris district. Early in our stay, as we were discovering our new neighborhood, we kept having discussions about the cost of things, particularly coffee and the prix-fixe lunches. It appeared as if prices had gone up substantially since we’d been here last. For example, a café crème at a bistro called aéro close to the Marché de Passy cost €4.80, while our memory had the same as €3.20 less than two years ago. At the top of the price range was a Tea Salon around the corner from our flat at €5.

We had taken a “walk” through the neighborhood using Google Earth before we got here, so we had a pretty good idea where to go and quickly found everything we would need for our stay. However, you can’t get a feel for the prices of items until you sit down and order.

Purchasing fish for our dinner party

Our neighborhood Fromagerie

Our neighborhood wine shop

So, after our initial shock at the cost of a café crème, we decided to do a little research, which mainly consisted of a Metro ride to another part of the city where we had lunch and a café crème (€3.50). The total cost of breakfast [Le petit déjeuner: tartines (slices of toasted baguette) with butter jam and café crème] for the three of us in the 16th was €30 compared to €21 in the 8th arr for lunch. As the days went by, we quickly switched to espresso.

A Google search revealed through Wikipedia that the 16th arrondissement has “long been known as one of French high society’s favorite places of residence (comparable to New York’s Upper East Side or London’t Kensington and Chelsea).” It is, in fact, France’s fourth richest district for average household income. And, combined with the south of the 17th and the Neuilly-sur-Seine, it’s the most affluent and prestigious residential area in all of France.

Private residence in the 16th

It’s a beautiful area, quiet and alive with history, museums and parks, beginning at the Trocadero and heading South and West (on the right bank of the Seine). Our flat was close to the Metro, had a view of the Tour Eiffel and was a very short walk to outdoor markets and to many parks that are so abundant in the city of light.

Off the beaten path: Paris

Butte aux Cailles:
This lesser-known neighborhood has the charm of a small village with interesting cafés and boutiques. The architecture includes art deco as well as small cottages.

Restaurant along Rue de la Butte aux Cailles

Les Bijoux de Nico: We stopped at this jewelry shop and spent some time with Sebastian looking at the beautiful and unique jewelry that included wonderful silver (argent) pieces made by the Touareg people (nomads of the Sahara).

Rue des Cinq Diamants: Make sure you walk down this interesting street and some of the narrow cobblestone passages.

Cobblestone street in Butte aux Cailles

Chez Gladines: We stopped at this incredible Basque restaurant for lunch. The food and service were excellent and the atmosphere was alive with energy. {Be prepared for a wait, but it’s definitely worth it).

The bar at Chez Gladines

Chez Gladines in Butte aux Cailles

[To get there: Exit the #5 Metro at Place d’Italie and walk down Rue Bobillot, taking a right onto Rue de la Butte aux Cailles.]

Musée du Vin:
This Museum of Wine takes you on a tour of the history of winemaking in France. The museum is located in quarries from the 15th century. The site used to be an Abbey where the brothers produced wine from grapes grown on the hillsides of the Seine. The historic significance of the building and ‘cellars’ makes for a unique and interesting tour.

Wine tasting: Following our tour, we decided to sample three different red wines and ordered a cheese plate to go along with it. Our host made some suggestions and paired the wines with specific cheeses for a most interesting and delectable tasting experience.

Wine tasting at Musée du Vin

[To get there: Located in the 16th arrondissement near the #6 Metro Passy station. Address: 5, square Charles Dickens.]

Parc Monceau:
This is a lovely park with beautiful landscaping, hilly outcrops, curved walkways, interesting statuary and architectural features. It was early in our trip and one of the first really warm days when we traveled to the Parc Monceau in the 8th arr. The park was alive with sun worshippers lounging in the open grassy areas, reading books or talking to friends, their faces turned to the sun and their arms bare to capture the warmth of the day.

Pond at Parc Monceau

Garden view at Parc Monceau

[To get there: The main entrance to the park is outside the #2 Metro Monceau station on Boulevard de Courcelles.]

Le Jardin Alpin:
This tiny hidden and many times overlooked park can be found in the midst of the left bank’s Jardin des Plantes. Le Jardin Alpin is a wonderful place to go for a bit of quiet solitude in the midst of the vibrant and bustling city. Lush and beautiful, the variety of mountain flora is remarkable (over 2,000 species) due to the microclimate created by its small valley and surrounding trees and bushes.

[To get there: Exit #5 Metro at Gare d’Austerlitz. Located at 57 Rue Cuvier. Go through the tunnel that runs beneath the main path of the Jardin des Plantes to enter the Jardin Alpin.]

Using the Metro

Packets of 10 or 20 tickets: You can get nearly anywhere within Paris in 30 minutes. Unless you plan to jump on and off of the Metro pretty regularly throughout your stay in Paris, it is more cost effective to purchase packets of 10 tickets rather than the day passes.

Paris Metro App by MX Data: This is a very helpful App and is easy to use. Simply enter your beginning Metro stop and where you want to end up and it displays the route, including the number of stops, changes and the estimated time. [Notes: When searching or using the type-ahead function, you must include the French accent marks (i.e., use Hôtel de Ville vs Hotel de Ville). You may have to scroll (or copy and paste from the internet) to find the one you want. Also, be mindful of the start and end points so you know in which direction to go.]

Chips in credit or debit cards

Some cards won’t work unless you have a chip. In Europe, there is a PIN associated with the chip to help prevent fraud. You may find it difficult to use American cards without chips in some circumstances, for example, in the Metro ticket machines. When using a card with or without a chip, tell the cashier it’s an American card and you will need to sign for it. It also may take longer to process.

For petrol, we were not able to find a station that would take any of our cards, with or without a chip. We were looking for petrol on a holiday, so no one was on site to take cash. When we asked about the credit cards at the nearby town of Sanserre, we were told that the stations only take debit cards with chips. We had to drive to the toll road to get petrol with cash from one of the open stations along that route. It was a good thing we weren’t close to empty, although we did need fuel for the long drive back to Paris.

Time to go

We had an amazing month in Paris!

We focused on many out-of-the-way places that I had not seen in previous visits. We shopped at outdoor markets in various parts of the city, had our breakfasts and dinners in our flat and met up with friends. We had two dinner parties where I was able to create some unique dishes paired with some excellent French wines.

We saw the city blossom in a Spring of rolling white clouds and cool days. For the most part, the rain held off until the end of April. When the sun appeared, the days were warm and the jackets came off. The flowers changed and the leaves on the trees went from small, brilliant greens to large Summer shade.

Paris flat: Courtyard early April

Paris flat: Courtyard mid-April

Paris flat: Courtyard late April

It was an amazing Spring and a truly remarkable experience. And in the end, we felt quite at home in this most remarkable of cities.

April 6, 2014 by Skye Blue Winters

Avril à Paris

I arise to a sky of subtle blue, the color of newness and awakening. Cross-hatched with the white tails of jets high in the sky, it looks like Summer seersucker gone wild.

It’s a lazy Sunday morning without the typical tourist need to get up and out to see the sites and make the most of the time one has in the City of Light. My friends, Thom, Eric and I are spending more time here this trip eliminating the need for a schedule.

I’ve spent more time as a visitor in Paris than any other city outside of the US. And except for their yearly trip to Taiwan, I can say the same for Thom and Eric.

There’s a certain feel to the city; a lightness of step that occurs in Springtime with the mixture of days (cloudy with a bit of a chill and the threat of rain that doesn’t quite materialize; overcast but comfortable; sunny and warm where everyone is out lounging in the parks or sitting for hours in cafés).

There’s a certain aroma to Paris as well. And with Spring, it’s a mixture of Hyacinth and Narcissus. The climbing vines of Clematis contribute, although you can’t ignore the beauty of Wisteria. This fragrant Paris combines the floral with the open doors of the boulangeries, with the scent of freshly baked baguettes, croissants and Pain au Chocolat, among others.

Flowers of Paris

Parc du Passy

A word of caution, however … you don’t want to walk too far down the Metro platform as the Paris air changes substantially!

Several years before my first trip to Paris, I was visiting the Philadelphia Museum of Art and on permanent display was a Readymade from 1919 by artist, Marcel Duchamp titled 50 cc air de Paris. The glass ampoule was purchased by Duchamp in Paris and presented to Walter Arensberg as a gift. Some would find it difficult to define this piece as art, and others would question whether it still contains Paris air, since it was, in fact, broken in 1949 and repaired in the US by the artist. However, I thought the piece completely innovative and filled with humor. I have loved Marcel Duchamp ever since.

Springtime in Paris is the very best. The sites, sounds and smells tug at you from every direction and pull you into the world.

Shortly after our arrival, we met up with our friend, Tracy, who was meeting her sister for some shopping before heading to Berlin for the weekend. Tracy treated us to a fantastic lunch at Chef Antoine Westermann’s Drouant. Not too far from L’Opera, this exquisite restaurant that serves traditional French cuisine is located at 16-18, place Gaillon 75002 Paris (Tél : +33 1 42 65 15 16).

I ordered Des coquilles Saint-Jacques poêlées with Une fricassée de légumes printaniers. The scallops were prepared to perfection and the vegetables practically melted in your mouth.

Lunch at Drouant

Tracy’s dessert of a dark chocolate “pot de creme,” was part of her plat complet. So Thom, Eric and I decided to split two desserts … or so we thought! We ordered Les 4 grands classiques and Les 4 chocolats. Seriously, we made the assumption that these would each be four small portions on one plate. Quelle surprise when they showed up as full size portions! Each as good as the next, they tempted us to finish them all without success. But, we gave it our best effort.

Table of desserts

It was a marvelous afternoon, arriving at the restaurant around 12:45 (early for Parisians) and departing after 3:00. The local rush came and went, but we lingered on enjoying the food and the fabulous company. It was a wonderful day and it was great to spend it in Paris with Tracy!

Later in the week, on a cool, overcast day, we crossed the Grenelle Bridge and entered the Île des Cygnes, an island in the middle of the river Seine. On this island facing West toward the Atlantic Ocean and its “larger sister” is a replica of the Statue of Liberty. And, toward the other end of this small island is a fantastic view of the Eiffel Tower.

Ile des Cygnes

Thom generally goes out early and gets fresh croissants for breakfast. We purchased some locally made confiture d’abricot and figured out how to work the espresso machine. We are spending our days walking the city, strolling through parks and going to local markets where we’re purchasing produce and fresh fish and cooking our dinner at “home.” Fabulous Bordeaux’s costing approximately $6.00 accompany the meal and freshly made baguettes and cheeses from our local Fromager follow our dinner completing our days.

Today being Sunday, most shops are closed. After a late breakfast, and a short walk around the neighborhood, we’re relaxing and playing Mah Jongg. C’est magnifique!

March 16, 2014 by Skye Blue Winters

Pâtisseries délicieuses …

As I prepare for my upcoming trip to Paris, I decide to look back on a previous visit a couple of summers back. As I recall, that June was unseasonably cool. But it was, after all, Paris, with its charm, beauty and food … a freshly-baked baguette, wonderfully rich and creamy cheese accompanied by a glass of Bordeaux. Yes, yes, I know French food is much more than that, but the thought of sitting in a café all day watching the Paris world pass by with only my drink order changing from café crème to a vin rouge is something to be savored.

But on that particular trip, my good friend, Mark, had suggested I check out the top pâtisseries in Paris. And so, I decided I was up for the challenge.

On one of the warmer days, I set out with my traveling companions, Thom and Eric (who I’m sharing a flat with during my upcoming stay), to begin the adventure. We were staying in a charming hotel near the Tour Eiffel, so we decided to go to the pâtisserie furthest away and work our way back. We took the metro, conveniently located a few steps from our hotel to the Métro République. We followed our Paris map a couple of short blocks south of the Pl. de la République off of the busy Bd du Temple to Jacques Genin.

For years, Jacques Genin, self-taught pastry chef, sold his chocolates and caramels to high-end Paris restaurants and hotels, but opened his own space in the hip northern edge of the Marais in 2008. And thus, his delicious goods were made available directly to the public.

A smiling Jacques Genin

His beautiful establishment is warm and welcoming, a combination chocolaterie, pâtisserie and tea salon, with its beautifully designed white walls, extraordinarily lovely orchids well placed by the entrance, and its pristine hard wood floors begging us to take the few steps down into the heart of the shop. Awaiting us were deliciously appealing pastries and glass cases filled with delicate freshly made chocolates.

Standing behind the glass cases, Arthur Dieupart motioned us over and gave us our first taste of the best chocolates in my memory. Smooth and creamy ganaches, we purchased several of the small lovely boxes, each holding nine squares of the most interesting flavors with herbs and spices (jasmine, ginger, mint, tea) and others equally interesting (grapefruit, rose). Even the more typical kind was not of a typical taste.

A tin of delicious chocolates

But, we did come for the pastries!

Jacques Genin’s delightfully inviting tea room is located on the other side of the circular stairs that lead to the loft kitchen where all the pastries, chocolates, jellys and caramels are made fresh each day … and throughout the day to replenish what has been sold. We decided on the Saint-Honoré, a surprise from the typical that featured a delectable, flaky pastry topped with vanilla whipped cream alongside three cream puffs of chocolate, caramel and vanilla. It was a perfect selection with the café crème (oh, and more chocolates).

Saint-Honore

jacque genin, fondeur en chocolat – paris
133, rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris
Tél +33(0)1 45 77 29 01
http://jacquesgenin.fr/

[An update on Jacque Genin: He is no longer making individual pastries. You can still visit his salon for a made-to-order millefeuille or a pastry of the day but he is no longer making individual-sized pastries to go. His chocolates, caramels and pâtes de fruits are thankfully still available.]

Pulling ourselves away from the inviting ambience, friendly staff and delicious smells, we left to walk to the next shop on our list, Pâtisserie Pain de Sucre.

Located on rue Rambuteau, also in the Marais, just three blocks northeast of the Centre Pompidou, this shop is owned by Nathalie Robert and Didier Mathray. These two met each other at Pierre Gagnaire’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant … in the pastry kitchen, of course. They opened Pain de Sucre together and work as a team, creating wonderfully fabulous confections.

The bright, well-appointed space is just what you’d imagine when thinking pâtisserie. When we entered the shop, the first things we noticed were the cases filled with inviting pastries and macaroons. Looking up, you’ll see the ornate and amazingly fairy-tale ceiling perfectly suited to the space. The shop was busy with customers unable to make decisions because everything is so well presented and so inviting, concoctions so well appointed they looked like artwork. Even the marshmallows were tempting!

We decided on their tarte au citron, which is apparently pretty famous. We left the pâtisserie and strolled to a café for an afternoon espresso. The tart was all we anticipated, delightfully creamy with a hint of lime. Definitely a winner!

Tarte au citron

Pain du Sucre
14 rue Rambuteau, 75003 Paris
Tél +33(0)1 45 74 68 92
http://www.patisseriepaindesucre.com/

From there, we moved on toward our final stop of the day, La Pâtisserie des Rêves located in the posh 7^th arr and created by chefs Angelo Musa—a winner of the Pastry World Cup and a Meilleur Ouvrier de France—and Philippe Conticini, partnering with hotelier Thierry Teyssier. (They have another shop in the 16^th arrondissement, 10-minutes from the Palais de Chaillot, which includes a salon de thé and an atelier des choux.)

We stepped into a small space crowded with late afternoon shoppers clearly picking up pastries for after dinner pleasures. Everything in the shop was artfully designed, from the color-coordinated walls, fixtures and packaging, to the interesting glass domes under which contained deliciously appealing delicacies.

La Pâtisserie des Rêves

If you are looking for only one treat, the word in this “Pastry Shop of Dreams” is the Paris-Brest, for which it has won raves, and rightly so. The original Paris-Brest was created in 1891 to commemorate the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race and was popular with riders because of its energy-rich calorie content and its circular shape, which was easy to eat on the ride.

True to their creativity, Phillipe Conticini’s Paris-Brest is different than most, with six small puffs of pastry (choux) nestled together in a circle, each containing rich chocolate-praline. The addition of the chocolate adds a wonderful flavor to the smooth crème and goes way beyond the typical. Definitely one to try!

La Pâtisserie des Rêves par Philippe Conticini
93, rue du Bac, 75007 Paris
telephone: +33 (0)1 42 84 00 82
http://www.lapatisseriedesreves.com/

And so, with a sugar over-load and a desire for some substantive food, we walked back to our “neighborhood” and stopped at a corner bistro that offered us our customary glass of Bordeaux and the special of the evening, a fresh fish in … wait for it … puff pastry!

We woke up the next morning, our last day in Paris, and decided we couldn’t go home without at least a dozen more boxes of chocolates from Jacque Genin. We made our way over to the shop, which, on this day, was teaming with customers. By the end of it, we (and all the others) had nearly wiped them out. We met Jacques, a most sincere, warm and charming host, and had another pastry and café crème. This time, the lime … divine!!

On a recent visit to Seattle, to my surprise, a colleague, Lisa, said she had a recommendation for me. She said she knew of the best chocolates in Paris and would send me the information. I said, “Let me guess … Jacque Genin.” She had never been there, but was the lucky recipient of several boxes over the past few years.

May 28, 2013 by Skye Blue Winters

Pampered in Paradise

As the Kerala monsoon season threatens, I decide to jet south to the much talked about Maldives. I’m sure you’ve seen photos of these beautiful islands, located in the Indian Ocean, draped like a string of pearls, white sand glistening and water as pale blue as a martini with a splash of Curaçao.

I schedule a flight on SriLankan Airlines that includes a stop-over in Colombo, but very nearly don’t make it out of India. As I present my passport and a copy of my official certificate of residency, I’m asked for the original. “Well, I don’t have the original with me,” I blink, “as I was told you sometimes like to keep a copy.” This apparently meant that I should have a copy in addition to the original. I really need to pay more attention!

After I talk my way through customs and immigration, making sure they will let me back into the country upon my return, I board the flight and leave the stress of work behind.

The flight is short and the service fairly remarkable. I say that because the flight time is literally an hour and five minutes, and yet, they serve a complete meal, along with coffee or tea. I hang out in Colombo for a few hours and board the connecting flight to Male. After going through customs, I’m greeted by a representative from the W Resort – Maldives (really, did you think I’d stay anywhere else) and it immediately begins to pour down rain.

My welcome host begins to tell me how great the weather has been all day, when I thank him and tell him it’s no problem, I’m sure it’s just a passing shower! I’m taken to the other side of the airport where a W ‘way station’ is set up with food and beverages to await the departure to the island resort via Maldavian Air Taxi.

Air taxis in front of W ‘way station’

Male from the sea plane

A short flight later, we land at the island dock where the W Welcome contingent awaits our arrival. My tour guide grabs my backpack and escorts me to his ‘golf cart’ and off we go on a tour of the island (to get the lay of the land) before stopping at my ‘retreat.’

My little piece of paradise

My oasis on this small island – I can walk around the entire resort in less than 15 minutes – is a very private, single dwelling on the beach with my own pool, complete with Jacuzzi, and a second floor under a thatched roof with a barbeque, bar and ‘swing.’ It has a lovely view of the ocean and ends up being a quiet place to sit during lazy afternoons with a good book.

View of the ocean from the ‘swing’

A flower on the path around the island

While the WC is inside, the bathroom is actually ‘outside’ double doors with walls of slate, a lovely shower, a huge soaking tub, sink and vanity. The room goes up two stories, but the second story walls are wooden slats that let in the sun, and a ‘ceiling’ open to the blue sky, the moon and stars; a perfect place for a relaxing afternoon soak, with a glass of wine and a perfect view of swaying palm trees. Ahhhh!

Relaxing with a glass of wine

That evening, I walk down to Sip, a wonderful bar built on pilings and surrounded by blue waters. It’s also conveniently located next door to Fish, where I make a reservation before slipping into the bar for a glass of wine and some conversation with Muthu, the bartender on duty. We have a great discussion about the changing role of the bartender and he tells me he has won the Best of Maldives: Cocktail compendium when he was tending bar at the Gili Lankanfushi resort.

I tell him about the Plate Shop, in Sausalito, California, one of my hangouts when I lived there last winter. The first time I went, I met the chef, Peter, and we had a lively discussion about the new world of bartending. The Plate Shop is organic and sustainable and the mixologists create drinks from whatever happens to be growing in their garden. Peter had created his own drink that he called Pedro No Mas (Peter no more), because it’s rather strong (Patron Tequila and cilantro being two key ingredients), and it reminds him to drink only one before getting on his motorcycle and heading across the Golden Gate Bridge to his home. Peter had decided that creating a new drink was no different than creating a new dish. And, apparently, that’s what the mixologists are doing. It’s the combination of flavors that set the drink apart.

And so folks … it’s a brave new world! As for me, I choose a great glass of New Zealand Pinot Noir.

Sipping a lovely Pinot Noir

Sip is situated for a perfect view of the sunset, and after drinks and a little nosh, the hostess from Fish comes to take me away for an enjoyable dinner. It begins with an amuse bouche of white snapper sashimi with balsamic reduction and a wasabi sauce. Draped on top were shaved carrots, onion and water cress; amazingly fresh and really delicious. Bread is served; three varieties with rolls and a baguette, served with fresh sweet butter and pureed English peas … delightful!

Outside Fish, at night

Amuse bouche – YUM

I listen to a recommendation from my waiter and end up with an enjoyable mouth-watering dinner of Grilled Filet of White Snapper (local harvest, line caught), with pureed yams and lemongrass sauce. The sauce is perfect and adds to rather than takes away from the light flavor of the snapper; flavorful without being overpowering. On the side they serve grilled vegetables. Crisp and delicious, the dish consists of zucchini, baby carrots, sweet yellow peppers cooked to perfection with a mild soy sauce.

Melt-in-your-mouth snapper

Mads comes to my table to suggest dessert and I proceed to tell him how I never really have room for it and the menu looks like the servings are really large … delicious, but too much, I exclaim. Mads is from Denmark and he tells me he can prepare something, custom-made … very tiny portions, to appropriately end the meal with something sweet. I agree, thinking that it will be just two little bites, perhaps just wafer thin. What appears is a plate with five small delectable samples. In order of my favorites, there was the Mango: a thin pastry on the bottom with fresh mango and topped with a buttery smooth mango cream; Coconut: tasty, yet crunchy shredded coconut sandwiched between dark chocolate; Chocolate Grenache: a slice of dark chocolate as a base, served with strawberry sauce; Banana tart: in a perfectly flaky pastry, topped with chocolate; Green Tea Ice Cream: very creamy and only slightly bitter.

Let’s not forget dessert – but only a portion of it

Dinner was exquisite and the conversation with the wait staff and chef was enjoyable. They may feel sorry for me because I’m alone amongst this room of couples, they may think I’m a restaurant reviewer because I’m taking photos and writing everything down, or they may just be friendly and find me interesting and a little amusing. I’m hoping it’s the latter.

I awake early the next morning and question why I can’t seem to sleep past 7:00 a.m. these days, but get up anyway and take my time getting ready for breakfast. Kitchen is where breakfast is served and it’s a wonderful assortment of fresh fruit (and fresh squeezed juices), cheese, egg dishes of your choosing, breads, pastries, breakfast cereals and yogurts, and a quantity of other items. The air is fresh and clean and I choose to sit outside at a table that’s sitting in about a foot of water. I take off my sandals and step into the coolness that awakens my senses and refreshes my spirit. It’s an unusual concept, but with the sun on your face and the cool water lapping around your legs, it’s amazingly calming and very enjoyable.

A true water view

After a peaceful afternoon, I head to the SPA for a facial (I have a massage scheduled for tomorrow!) and find it out on the water, the sea breezes blowing through the open doors and clear views of the colorful fish swimming around the reefs that are just beneath the decks. After a cup of ginger tea, I go into a room, all white and welcoming, with soft music playing, but not so loud that it drowns out the sounds of the sea.

SPA – from a distance

Inside the SPA

Vera provides me with a refreshing facial that leaves my skin clean and glowing and I look forward to tomorrow’s massage.

Fire beckons me for dinner tonight and I have another amazing fish dish cooked over an open fire and drizzled with a superb spicy sauce. After dinner I head down to 15 Below. Located just 15 steps below Fire, the blue glow of the club and the beat of the music are intoxicating. Shirry, the DJ I met last night at Sip, is doing her thing. She sees me and waves. I wave back and soon she joins me at the bar for a drink. The place is not crowded, so she’s able to head to her ‘station’ in time to put on another song. We have a great time talking, laughing and trading stories. Around midnight I say goodnight and we set a time to meet for dinner at Kitchen the next evening.

Outside Fire, at night

Bartender at 15 Below

Shirry – spinning tunes

Sunday … my last full day; if I were younger, I’d try to get a job here! This place is so beautiful and peaceful. I’ve met some really great people from all parts of Europe and Asia who are working here and I’m feeling very relaxed.

I’ve been told to go snorkeling and follow the underwater ‘trail’ from the SPA around to Fire. I pick up my snorkeling gear, grab my life vest and head out to the beach. The water is warm and the fish plentiful. It’s like swimming on top of a very large salt water aquarium. The colors are astounding and I see a medium sized fish that looks black, but as it glides along, it turns to the side and I see flashes of green, yellow and blue as the light catches its scales. There are black fish with bright white rings around their ‘necks,’ yellow fish with bright blue tails, ones with spots and some with stripes. I see some turtles and even a small octopus. It’s a fantastic swim.

Afterwards, I head to the SPA for my massage. Vera greets me and I have a cool drink of Tamarind; very refreshing. The massage is amazing and I leave very limber and mellow.

My last night I meet Shirry at Kitchen and we have a wonderful, light dinner. The wine is the New Zealand Pinot Noir and the scallops are cooked to perfection. I have a Caprese salad that includes Buffalo mozzarella that is clearly made in-house as it’s amazingly fresh. Living in India, I realize how much I’ve missed salads and specifically balsamic vinegar. Everything was wonderful!

Me and Shirry at Kitchen

Marcos, the Welcome manager, tells me to let him know when I’m coming back and he’ll give me a really great ‘room.’ And here I thought I had a really great room! I thank him and tell him I’ll be sure to give him advance notice.

I invite Shirry to meet me in India, or to visit me in the US, and leave her with a promise to stay in touch. Shirry says she’ll come and see me off the next morning. I remind her I’m taking the sea plane at 6:30 a.m., so while it would be nice, I won’t really expect her.

Monsoon has begun in earnest in Kerala, the rain coming strong and harsh, with occasional bursts of blue and streaks of sunlight. The sky is mostly heavy with dark clouds moving slowly and great waves of rain followed by steamy, hot and humid breaks. I was fortunate to have chosen my short escape to the beautiful and exotic island of the Maldives when I did! But my long weekend is now just a memory and while I returned to India refreshed and relaxed, the change of seasons reminds me that I’ll soon be heading away from this amazing part of the world.

March 30, 2013 by Skye Blue Winters

A Biennale comes to Cochin

I’ve been fortunate to be here for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India’s first. Although it kicked off before my arrival on 12/12/12, it lasted until 13/03/13 and so I got to see for myself what all the fuss was about.

A little history

Biennale is Italian for “every other year” and is commonly used in the art world to describe an ‘international manifestation of contemporary art.’ It purportedly stems from the Biennale di Venezia first held in 1895. The Venice Biennale includes contemporary art, film, dance and architecture (this one held in even years).

The Kochi-Muziris Biennale was set up mostly around Fort Kochi. It was established to support the more modern Kochi, but at the same time, not letting go of the past and the historical values and significance of its mythical predecessor, the ancient port of Muziris.

The Kochi-Muziris Biennale

When I heard about this, I asked around the office to see who might have a bit of information and was told to begin the journey at the Kashi Art Café, also a gallery.

The Kashi is a fabulous, warm and inviting converted house, off of a small street in Fort Kochi. The gallery serves as the entry point to this unique place, which is a combination of indoor and outdoor space, with a tree growing through the roof in one room and an open, partially walled-in area in the back. The space is not large, but the atmosphere has vast dimensions. The menu is light, with breakfast and lunch options and some fabulous desserts. The food is organic and flavorful and the ambience encourages you to linger. In addition to their wonderful omelets, they have brown bread that they bake on the premises, and the masala tea is the best I’ve had anywhere in the city. (I asked if they sold loaves of bread separately, but alas, they do not.)

Omelette – YUM

At the Kashi we found out where to go for tickets and more information. So we headed out to the Aspinwall House to begin the official journey.

Overlooking the sea, the Aspinwall House was established in 1867 as a business that traded in coconut oil, pepper, timber, lemon grass oil, ginger, turmeric, spices, hides and later in coir, coffee, tea and rubber. Today, it is a large heritage property supporting numerous artists and exhibits for the Biennale.

There were nearly 80 artists with work presented at a variety of venues including current gallery spaces and halls, with additional site-specific installations in public buildings and outdoor spaces. In some places, they used areas that were unused or barren. We were able to visit only about 10 of the spaces, but we got a really good feel for the variety of the work, which was vast.

The art at the Biennale was diverse and interesting. Some of it made you pause and reflect …

The room was dark, along the back wall ‘pockets’ of wood holding various seeds and herbs were lined up in rows. If you closed your eyes, the jumble of scents was intense. Around a corner of the large room, there were video art displays, soft blue light emanating from open books with blank pages. Messages came and went (courtesy of the video above), some with photographs, some with quotes like:

if we could separate each glance from the next
then could we separate our perception
of what each consecutive glance is seeing

or …

if a crime continues to occur regardless
of the enormous evidence available
then is the crime invisible or the evidence invisible
or are both visible but not seen?

The constant flow of messages made you want to stick around and see what was next. At the other end, was a story told in books, video and art about a crime against a young African man and the questions that surrounded his demise. The entire room was intriguing and thought-provoking, although in some regards, also disturbing.

But what is art if not something that makes you feel?

As with a lot of modern art, you have to ask yourself, “What does this invoke within me?” It doesn’t matter that you don’t understand it. You might find it interesting, disturbing, beautiful, humdrum, absurd, comical, amazing. You might feel a sense of loss, wonder, sadness, awe, enlightenment. You could even feel cynical, angry, happy, or it might even make you weep or laugh aloud. It could take your breath away or leave you completely puzzled. If you have no reaction whatsoever, the artist clearly missed the mark.

People react differently based on what they see in the piece, or what they don’t see. A reaction could be based upon a long-ago memory not quite present, but only sensed. One of our group had to leave that dark room that many of us found fascinating because she felt a certain dread.

Who can really tell what will move us? I remember standing outside Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família in Barcelona with Jennifer, one of my traveling companions. As both of us stared at this amazing sacred place, we turned to each other and both of us were weeping.

While the art of the Biennale didn’t bring me to tears, some of it evoked strong reactions.

All-in-all, it was a really great (albeit hot!) day. And from my point of view, congratulations must go out to the organizers of this amazing event!

Here are some additional photos:

The Perfect World, by Uttam Duniya

Butterflies with no shoes (inset)

I know nothing of the end (inset), by Sudarshan Shetty

Birds on the wall (outside Kashi)

The book

Carved swan, by Sudarshan Shetty

Megha at hanging wood

Painted tree near the Chinese Fishing Nets

Collecting butterflies

Notes from exotic places

Tag Archives: Food

Only the Purest Will Do: Paso Robles Wine Country

Paris to Penzance

A Farewell to Paris

Avril à Paris

Pâtisseries délicieuses …

Pampered in Paradise

A Biennale comes to Cochin

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: