Emily in France 🇫🇷 Bip Bip!
I did it!
Watch out, French drivers! There's an Emily on the road, now.
I took my French drivers license exam last Wednesday, and today (approximately 96 hours after the 48 I was promised...), I found out I passed!
Why is this good news for you?
Because it means that I'll be inviting you along on even more adventures into the French countryside and beyond to explore the wild world of French wine, beer, meat, and cheese. Coming up are trips to Burgundy to interview the last true Dijon mustard maker in Dijon, to Wales to judge a cheese competition, and to Honfleur to attend a shrimp festival.)
Get ready – this newsletter is about to get even more delicious.
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Cheese of the Week
Some say Pont l’Eveque is Normandy’s oldest cheese. I haven’t gotten confirmation on its 12th-Century origins, but given its square shape, it's likely it is indeed a veteran of the cheese world (an oddity I discovered while researching Maroilles). A lightly washed rind gives this gooey cheese some mild funk, and its creaminess makes it one of the sexiest cheeses I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. While this AOP allows for pasteurized versions of this cheese, if you can get your hands on a raw one – like I did at Fromagerie Goncourt – it’s pure bliss.
To discover more of my favorite cheeses, be sure to follow me on Instagram @emily_in_france and tune into the Terroir Podcast, where Caroline Conner and I delve into France's cheese, wine, and more one region at a time.
What I'm Eating
It seems the universe is laughing at my brunch aversion, because due to a series of events completely out of my control, I've actually been eating brunch a lot recently. One of my favorites has been Molly's (91 Rue de Charenton, 75012). No full review of this one, as all I tried was the gorgeous avocado toast and delicious coffee, but I'll definitely be back to this beautiful pub – above all to try their Irish cheese plate!
Discover more of my foodie finds via Instagram @emily_in_france and on the blog.
Where I'm Going
1. To the Fromagerie Quatrehomme, to interview Nathalie Quatrehomme, daughter of Marie Quatrehomme, one of the pioneering Meilleur Ouvrier de France cheese affineurs back in 2000, for a story for the BBC.
2. To Avant Comptoir de la Terre, to see if it's still up to snuff and catch up with a dear friend.
3. To the gorgeous Médiathèque Françoise Sagan, to work on my new/old novel!
Image care of Cheese Sex Death
What I'm Writing
1. Erika Kubick, author of Cheese Sex Death, encourages us to explore the darker, sexier side of my favorite dairy product for InsideHook.
2. This secret, no-fuss hack for next-leve beef tenderloin requires a trip through the cheese aisle. Also for InsideHook.
3. From the archives: I compiled a list of the most delicious spots to try cheese in Paris, from shops to tastings, tours to restaurants. For Fodor's.
What I'm Saying
Paris Underground Radio is enjoying a much-deserved break before we launch season 3 later this month! In the meantime, those in Paris might like to join us for our one-year anniversary September 22 – RSVP here for a free glass of wine and a chance to win cool prizes.
What I'm Reading
1. I liked the concept behind Rachel Eve Moulton's Tinfoil Butterfly, and some of it was rather well-done, particularly the moments of uncertainty regarding the narrator’s perception of facts. It had an Alice-in-Wonderland quality about it despite its deep darkness, and the surprises were well-wrought. That said, the writing left a bit to be desired in parts (specifically, I wasn’t sure what the point of returning again and again to the narrator’s breast size was…) but all-in-all a pacy read perfect for the beach.
2. While the obsession with everything that makes the French tick different is my bread and butter (and the subject, often, of Navigating the French), I actually take issue with a lot of the framing of French people, specifically French women, as perfect. But I couldn't help but chuckle at this New Yorker piece that pushes such thinking into satire. (A tidbit for you: "In Europe, they don’t eat dinner until eleven-thirty at night. Small children and the elderly are roused from a deep sleep to come down for dinner and are made to eat six-course meals. Four of the courses are different kinds of pasta. Then they go back to sleep.")
3. If you're considering a trip to France in the not-too-distant future, take advantage of my dear friend Diana's guide to your ideal destination based on your zodiac sign. (And yes, I do love Lyon.) From Faraway Places.
A bientôt !