HUNGRY GERALD

There are two things Americans never order in Paris bistros: Andouillette (chitterling sausage) and tete de veau (boiled calf or veal head). Andouiellette is a horror, HG agrees. It is a sausage that smells like a bad toilet. Wikipedia explains: “The aroma is due to the pig’s colon utilized in the sausage which incorporates some of the same compounds that contribute to the odours of excremement.” Bluntly: It smells like shit. (French gourmands have told HG that the sausage is a robust, earthy treat. Nevertheless…). On the other hand, tete de veau, which offers copious amounts of cheeck, tongue, brains and other bits, is a treat. It is usually served with Sauce Gribiche (an HG favorite). This is a vibrant sauce composed of hard boiled eggs, mustard, olive oil, vinegar, capers, cornichons and herbs. HG always requests the amount of Gribiche be doubled. David Lebovitz (food blogger —David Lebovitz: Living the Sweet Life in Paris — and Author of the book: The Sweet Life In Paris) did a nice post on Gribiche entitled “Sauce Gribiche, Au Pif”. The phrase means “by the nose”. In the post a French friend tells David to make Gribiche “au pif”. That is, trust your instincts and individual taste in making the sauce. That’s what HG did last night when HG prepared a copious amount of Gribiche. It was served over lightly poached cod. Brought the fish to heavenly heights. On the plate were little PEI potatoes drenched in olive oil, Maldon sea salt and chopped herbs. BSK gilded the lily by doing BSK’s signature Asian sauté of bok choy and snow pea pods with garlic, ginger, sesame oil and Vietnamese fish sauce. A sumptuous meal.

A stroll in the sun. Brief. Weather instantly reversed to pleasant violet-tinged gray. HG and BSK attended to late morning business and then off to late lunch at Chez Grenouille. Fabulous food. A gratin of escargots. Usually, ordering escargots is an excuse to convey a lot of butter and garlic to the mouth. Not at Grenouille. A score of escargots (no shells) in a reduced and fragrant wine sauce, covered with a chiffonade of herbs. Eggs with butter and cream baked briefly in a red cocotte. Slices of wild duck (rare) on a bed of tiny green lentils. The specialty of the house (possibly the best in Paris); Tete de Veau. Not an American favorite (but much loved by HG), this dish is a composite of all the tasty bits in a cow’s head –tongue, brains, cheeks, etc. At Grenouille, these perfectly cooked elements are combined with morels and enhanced by sauce gribiche. There was a big bowl of roast potatoes (flavored with flakes of Maldon sea salt) on the table. For dessert: A gently baked round of camembert with shavings of black truffle. The wine: St. Amour from the Beaujolais region. Perfect.

Movie night at the comfiest cinema in Paris—Pathe Wepler. Saw Clint Eastwood’s “Hereafter.” Flawed but remarkable movie making. Very memorable tsunami scenes. Bedtime snack of Irish smoked salmon, creme fraiche and Sancerre. Just another day at the office, Paris style.