I said the other day that Californians don't need to go to France for great food (link). I think I'll revise that: you don't need to go to France for great cooking. But we've been shopping in the street markets for the past few days here in Paris, and I am reminded again of a guilty not-so-secret: California ingredients are not as good as they should be. Granted we are the vegetable basket of the nation, but way too much of our stuff is watery and bland. And it's not just Safeway: in the Palookaville farmer's market, there is really only one guy who consistently delivers the kind of stuff you find every day here in Paris, or, come to think of it, in Florence or Rome (can't say about other places).
It must be doable. There is one great wine bar in Palookaville. I eavesdropped one night while the boss undertook to explain to the new server what a great job she had. "Anybody can whip up a fancy recipe with stuff from the supermarket," he said. "We are the only restaurant in town that takes care about our ingredients." Right enough, and if you take care with the ingredients, you don't need the fancy cooking.
Fn.: just had a super espresso at the brasserie at Rambuteau and Beaubourg, southwest corner.
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