When I think of Paris, I think of food. An ancient tradition that has been a labor of love never to be discontinued. My first day in Paris was a day I will never forget. Filing off the shuttle from the airport onto a street that had been so delicately embellished with cobblestones and sparkling lights. Trying to roll my suitcase to the Grand Leveque Hotel across the old cobblestone street posed quiet the challenge, it also echoed through the street, “the tourists are here!” Passing by famous brasseries, and beautiful outdoor vendors it was a fantasy world for food lovers all over the globe. Magical scents of: fresh fruit, aged cheeses, organic meats and crepes filled with nutella danced their way through my senses and instantly made me hungry.
I must not forget the wine, oh the wine. I myself am a lover of wine. When I can buy a bottle for less than two euros, and it tastes better than the Jewel-Osco special of the week I knew Paris and I were going to be friends forever. My first encounter with a grocery store in Paris was something out of a fantasy for me. On a mission for travel items I had forgotten at home, I stumbled upon the wonderland of a Parisian grocery store.
Unlike our typical American grocery stores where you can find anything in one visit. These grocery stores sincerely focus on the identity of food. In America we are so scared of diseases and sickness, that our laws do not allow for the types of food sold in France. Processed, treated, and medicated food is what we are all used to. From oranges to baguettes, eggs to croissants, everything just tasted better--fresher. Grabbing a few food items from the store: yogurt in a glass jar, pate with toasts, I had forgotten the travel items that I needed, and headed back to a hotel that did not allow outside food. Thank god the hotel served breakfast, another treasure to explore...
No comments:
Post a Comment