I guess nostalgia can work both ways! I spotted this bi-national bicycle on rue du Grand Prieuré in the 11th arrondissement.
THE CAT AND THE POT
Meet Saphir, my sister’s cat. She’s posing next to one of Grandma’s retired toupine. In Southwest France, a toupine is an earthenware pot used to hold duck confit, a regional specialty. Salted duck legs and breasts were gently simmered in duck fat; the meat quarters would then be transferred to a toupine and covered with liquid fat while still hot. As the fat cooled off and hardened, it would create a barrier between the meat and the outside air, and prevent the development of bacteria. The preserved meat could be kept for months in a cellar, without refrigeration.
These confit pots were highly valued and reused year after year. When the outside enamel eventually peeled off, Grandma would fill her toupines with dirt and recycle them as planters. Toupines usually fetch high prices at local vide-greniers.
Vocabulary
La toupine: earthenware pot
Le confit de canard: duck meat cooked and preserved in its own fat
Le vide-grenier: the French equivalent of a garage sale (literally, emptying the attic) but usually organized by the city and grouping individual sellers and professionals.
CHEF SUSCEPTIBLE
And all this time, your biggest concern was a “rude” waiter! Kidding, just kidding: you must watch out for the chef, too. Bistro on rue du Faubourg du Temple, 11th arrondissement.
Vocabulary
Susceptible: oversensitive
SHOOTING THE SHOOTER
Sometimes the photographer becomes the subject. Palais Royal in the first arrondissement ranks as one of the most popular locations for photo shoots: the juxtaposition of classic architecture and modern elements (the often decried Buren columns) provides interesting props.
AIN'T IT SWEET
Macarons come in one shape, two sizes (usually), and a multitude of colors. I bet the merchandisers at Ladurée love to work with those delicious little circles to create stunning window displays. Rue Bonaparte, 6th arrondissement.