Emily in France 🇫🇷 Spring Is Springing!
Springtime.
It has recently been brought to my attention that I have been mentioned, if not by name, on TikTok. (Am I famous yet?)
In other news...
Spring has sprung in Paris, and for perhaps the first time ever, it's not stressing me out. Spring has an electricity about it; to me, it often feels like FOMO incarnate. I walk around with the constant fear that I'm not doing enough, that I'm missing out on something or about to miss out on something. Winter is for hibernating; fall is about the wind-down from summer. And summer... well summer is just magic. But spring has always persisted in making me feel resolutely... uncomfortable. Disquieted. Like that dude Amélie messed with in the eponymous film, when the details are just slightly awry, and you don't know why, but you can feel it, somehow, in your bones.
I'm not sure if it's the weather, or the fact that I'm busier – and happier – than I've been in a very long while (I didn't think it was possible, but there are too many awesome projects I can't say no to!) but this year, all I can say to spring is... bring it on.
Cheese of the Week
Theoretically, goat cheese is in season in France from Easter to All Saint's Day, but let's just call it spring, summer, and early fall. And that means that the Fleur de Braslou is back, with its ashy grey rind and its funky, floral flavor. I love multi-textured goat cheeses like this one!
To discover more of my favorite cheeses, be sure to follow me on Instagram @emily_in_france.
What I'm Eating
Lunch at les Enfants du Marché is really just a massive party – snag a seat and hold on tight. And while a meal here isn't easy on the wallet, it's well worth the price tag for the exquisite quality seafood and lovely natural wines.Â
More on the blog.
Discover more of my foodie finds via Instagram @emily_in_france.
What I'm Writing
1. Speaking of spring... rosé is ready for its seasonal return, which is why it's high time we explored all of the myths surrounding this pretty pink wine. For Tasting Table.
2. A burger with foie gras and blueberry jam? Seems just crazy enough to work – at least if you believe D.C.'s Chef Ashish Alfred. I've got the recipe for InsideHook.
3. If the very idea of canned meat makes you turn up your nose, it's time to change your tune. I delved into everything you didn't know you needed to know about Spam for Mashed.
Â
What I'm Saying
1. Normandy is a dairy powerhouse in France, home to one of its three AOP butters, its only AOP cream, and four of its 46 AOP cheeses. This week on the Terroir Podcast, Caroline and I are guiding you through them all, from stanky Livarot to oh-so-popular Camembert. Listen here!
2. George Bush famously claimed that the French don't have a word for entrepreneur, and while we all laughed at the time, there may have been a kernel of truth to what he said! To discuss why entrepreneurship is a fairly foreign concept to most French people, this week on Navigating the French, I'm joined by multi-passionate creative Anne Ditmeyer. She’s here to talk about why this word may have French origins but nevertheless remains foreign to many French people. Listen here.
Â
What I'm Reading
1. Definitely not the books I already own... and if you're similarly inclined, maybe you too should be reading this story from Book Riot about how to read the books that are in your house already.
2. A case for a formal ban on discrimination against regional accents in the Guardian.
3. Why English has no formal "you" (Spoiler alert: what it actually lacks is an informal "you") in Human Parts.
A bientôt !