Emily In France Exclusive 🇫🇷 5 Things to Eat in Paris this September

From the desk of an expat.

Until just a few days ago, it seemed that summer would last well into September, with temperatures in the 90s and humidity the likes of with which my hair cannot contend. But all at once, the very beginnings of cool, crisp autumn have taken root in Paris, and while it looks like we’ve got a handful of warm days ahead, I’m already thinking about my second-favorite season… and the feast that’s in store.

Eating seasonally comes naturally in Paris, where market stalls display the best of their ripe bounty center stage. Compounded with the move towards seasonality we're seeing on restaurant menus across the globe – as well as a few seasonally driven specialties chez your friendly neighborhood fromager (… you knew that was coming, didn't you?) and Paris is rife for seasonal eating this September.

While there are loads of tasty treats to enjoy as fall marches onwards, these are the ones I’m most excited to dig into in these, the earliest days of autumn.

1. Mirabelles

As summer’s peaches and nectarines take their final bow, fall plums are on every market stand. There are loads of different varieties, but the three I see most common here in Paris are deep purple quetches, pale green reine claudes, and tiny yellow mirabelles – my favorite.

Mirabelles are particularly popular in Eastern France, where they often pop up in desserts and grappas, one of which is used to wash heady Langres, a smushed-looking washed-rind cheese from the Haute-Marne. Raw, mirabelles have an almost coconutty flavor to them. And seeing as they're the size of a cherry, a bowlful of mirabelles has become one of my favorite fall snacks. (Or desserts!)

2. Paris’ Best Tarte Tatin