Contact Allison : by telephone or by email, ask your questions

contact Allison

contact Allison

contact Allison

contact Allison

allisonzinder

French gastronomy | culture | history | art | educational experiences.
Based in Paris, France since 1995.

Remember the culinary epiphany scene from the movi

Remember the culinary epiphany scene from the movie Julie and Julia?

Julia Child tastes a sole meunière, and it changes the course of her life, setting her on the path to culinary toil and subsequent stardom.

Her revelation happened at La Couronne restaurant in Rouen. I had lunch there recently with @emily_in_france

While I will refrain from commenting on the current gastronomic state of the restaurant, it was a memorable experience.

And with such great wine-fueled conversations about food - and only food - who can complain? 🙏🏼
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#lifeinfrance
#juliachild
#juliachildfoundation
#vivelafrance
#frenchcooking
#frenchfood
#gastronomy
#frenchgastronomy
#gastronomie
#frenchrecipe
#ministry_of_frenchfood
#frenchfoodathome
#frenchfoodblogger
#frenchfoodporn
#frenchfoodie
#frenchfoodlovers_
#foodie
#foodies
#restaurant
#frenchrestaurant
#foodstagram

Just what the world needs: two more admirers of Fr

Just what the world needs: two more admirers of French rotisserie chicken…
#rotisserie #frenchrotisserie #rotisseriechicken #frenchbutchers #lesapachesboucherie #yum

Did you know that I write a newsletter? Twice a m

Did you know that I write a newsletter?

Twice a month I share food news from my home in eastern Paris, and my plans for the weekend’s best market finds.

And once a month, in a separate post, I share personal essays and other coming-soon French food features. This monthly newsletter is free… for now!

Today’s story (🔗 in bio) is just part 1 of a two-part essay about the rue de Lappe in Paris’ 11th district, where I lived in the late 90s.

Follow the link, and if you enjoy the story, sign up to get my newsletter and essays directly in your inbox!

Thanks for reading, always!
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#personalessays #writinginparis #writinglife #paris #ruedelappe #coiffeurpourdames #bastille #bastoche #lesapaches #lesapachesdeparis #parisconcierge

Don’t you love when Parisian cafés keep their o

Don’t you love when Parisian cafés keep their original décor, with just a few updates?

Le Papillon is on the outskirts of Paris, near Porte de Bagnolet, and I like to take my kids there for hot chocolate when we’re in the area. The personnel are pleasant, and the corner location means there are lots of windows with plenty of light for reading or writing.

Just watch out for that secret door at the end of the bar! It leads to the cellar. 😉

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#paris
#parisgram
#parisjetaime
#parismonamour
#parislove
#pariscity
#parisculture
#IgersParis
#instaparis
#vivreparis
#pariszigzag
#pariscafes
#20thdistrict
#paris20
#legoutdu20e
#monpetit20e
#toutmonparis20e
#mon20equejaime
#localisbetter
#madeinparis
#parisdesparisiens
#worldofinteriors
#interior-design
#archdigest
#parisianstyle
#design
#designer
#interiordesign
#decorationstyle

This is the 20th district of Paris. Perfectly norm

This is the 20th district of Paris. Perfectly normal street scene.

Come all ye whose food waste languishes in a home

Come all ye whose food waste languishes in a home trash can!

In Paris, you can take any food waste, not just compost - which usually goes in another, dedicated can - to these bins found near most of Paris’ 73 outdoor marketplaces.

Compost IS welcome, but so are post-meal plate scrapings, fish bones, meat bones, tea bags…. Just not the kitchen sink, please!

Let your food waste languish no longer!
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#trash
#trashitarian
#foodwaste
#nofoodwaste
#zerowastegoals
#zerowastehome
#antigaspi
#zerodechets
#villedeparis
#poubelle
#poubelleparisienne
#poubelleparisiennejetaime #20thdistrict
#paris20
#legoutdu20e
#monpetit20e
#toutmonparis20e
#mon20equejaime
#menilmoncoeur
#menil.info

Street art in the Belleville hills! This mixed-me

Street art in the Belleville hills!

This mixed-media work honors eastern Paris’ role as the location of the last barricades during the Paris Commune.

The 1871 revolt only lasted a little over 2 months. Had the last holdouts of Belleville and Ménilmontant had their way, a direct democracy would have been established.

This street art was commissioned by the city to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Commune, celebrated in 2021.

Merci à l’artiste @qmrkmto !
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#qmrkmto
#streetart
#communedeparis
#communedeparis1871
#revolte

#20thdistrict
#paris20
#legoutdu20e
#monpetit20e
#toutmonparis20e
#mon20equejaime
#menilmoncoeur
#menil.info
#belleville
#united_belleville
#madeinbelleville
#bellevilleparis
#anarchistesdebelleville

If you’ve ever wanted to rediscover a long-ago v

If you’ve ever wanted to rediscover a long-ago version of yourself that went underground, or just take some time for yourself to create, write, dream, find…. Go to Camont!

I recently spent time there for a creative residency and absolutely LOVED the experience.

Kate Hill’s warmth, curiosity, and wisdom are downright contagious, and Gascony is a food-lover’s delight. (Move over 🥓🥓🥓🥓…. Hello ventrèche!)

1) The Pigeonnier
2) Inside the resident’s kitchen
3) A corner of the kitchen
4) The canal de Garonne
5) A local market vendor selling live birds
6) The canal by bike
7) The farmhouse gardens
8) Small and delicious market leeks
9) With the farmhouse dog

You can find more information about the Relais de Camont in Gascony at https://relaisdecamont.com/
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#relaisdecamont #relais.de.camont #gascogne #gascony #residency #creativelife #creativeresidency #creativeresidencyfrance #writinglife #writersretreatfrance #writersretreats #noticing #findyourselfagain #intouch #dream #dreamcreate #lifelonglearning

Back at work! And lunching on phở gà (chicken

Back at work! And lunching on phở gà (chicken pho) with all the trimmings @phodonghuong in Belleville.

After a bit of travel, to Gascony @relais.de.camont for a writing retreat, and over to the Mediterranean for some R&R, I’m back at my desk.

AND at my favorite local cantines, like Dong Huong in Belleville.

If you’ve never tried this spot, I highly recommend it! Cheap and cheerful.
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#belleville
#phodonghuong
#parisrestaurants
#pho
#phởgà
#united_belleville
#madeinbelleville
#bellevilleparis
#localisbetter
#madeinparis
#parisdesparisiens

On a recent day in eastern Paris…. 2:28 pm: A

On a recent day in eastern Paris….

2:28 pm: A rare “Kiss” pinball machine (or flipper, pronounced “flee pair” in French) is arriving at its new home in this café.

The one that’s leaving is even more rare than the Kiss model: “Ye Olde Medieval Madness.”

Fun times guaranteed!
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#wtfbelleville #paris20ème #paris11ème #easternparis #pinballwizard #flipperforever #belleville #pariscafes #vieillefrance

When the Ecole Ritz Escoffier invites you to a coo

When the Ecole Ritz Escoffier invites you to a cooking class in their illustrious kitchens, you say OUI!

For 3 hours, I absorbed the professional practices and techniques of Chef Vincent as he taught us to make pasta dough, to work with live lobster, and to prepare and glaze baby vegetables.

I’ll admit: standing over that professional gas range while skimming the bisque, inhaling the saline and vegetable odors as they steamed up my face, I felt a little pang of nostalgia for my years working in professional kitchens.

But working at Le Ritz is different, because ingredients and tools are all prepped and ready for you, there’s a ton of behind-the-scenes work that you don’t have to bother with, and used pots and pans are magically whisked away to a far away place, never to be seen again!

All that soin, or care, means that you can really concentrate on what you’re there to do: learn.

And it’s really a most enjoyable experience because any French chef without a sense of humor is no chef at all. Vincent had us working and laughing in equal measures! A fantastic afternoon. Merci, @ecole_ritzescoffier !

1- Our professional countertop, complete with “table trashcan” and all our tools directly at hand – no wasting time hunting around in drawers!

2- Catch of the day: Canadian lobster.

3-5- Making the bisque.

6- Glazing the vegetables.

7- Inserting herbs into the pasta dough before cutting it.

8- Many, many pots on the stove, none of which we had to wash!

9- « Plating » the final creations in our take-away containers.
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#ecole_ritzescoffier
#ritzparis
#cookingschool
#professionalcookingschool
#hospitalitylife
#cookinginparis
#frenchcooking
#frenchfood
#gastronomy
#frenchgastronomy
#gastronomie
#frenchrecipe
#ministry_of_frenchfood
#frenchfoodathome
#frenchfoodblogger
#frenchfoodporn
#frenchfoodie
#frenchfoodlovers_
#foodie
#foodies
#restaurant
#frenchrestaurant
#foodstagram
#recipe
#tasteoffrancemag
#saveurmag
#bonappetitmag
#foodmagazine
#foodtrends

A fitting end to a beautiful Indian summer weekend

A fitting end to a beautiful Indian summer weekend!

Or, as @deb_in_asia mentioned, « second summer » and « Autumn heat » are also appropriate terms… I just can’t leave behind été indien by Joe Dassin, circa 1975.

But this sunset over the source of the Burgundy canal in Migennes is consolation for the end of summer blues, as were the strangely-timed honeysuckle blooms perfuming our front doorway this weekend.

And the house is improving: I’m almost finished this country table revamp. Vive la campagne!
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#countryhome #burgundy #bourgogne #bourgognetourisme #migennes #canaldebourgogne #chevrefeuille #thisfrenchlife #IgersFrance #lifeinfrance

Belleville #mood this morning. - - - - - - - #20th

Belleville #mood this morning.
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#20thdistrict
#paris20
#ilfautsemefierdesmots #benvautier #benvautierart
#legoutdu20e
#monpetit20e
#toutmonparis20e
#mon20equejaime
#belleville
#united_belleville
#madeinbelleville
#bellevilleparis
#bellevillehills
#localisbetter
#madeinparis
#parisdesparisiens
#bellevillehillsstories

Best seasonal ingredient right now? FIGS! You’

Best seasonal ingredient right now? FIGS!

You’ll see ´em everywhere in Paris: on market stands, on restaurant menus, and even on trees in parks.

Follow the link in my bio for my favorite SAVORY fig recipe: Figs with Chèvre and Vanilla.

Bon app’!
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#figs #vanilla #chevre #goatcheese #seasonal #seasonaleating #figrecipes #lovefigs #larentree #recettesdelarentrée #backtoschool #backtoschoolrecipes #frenchfood #frenchingredients #frenchgastronomy #bonappetit #bonapp

What are these things? They’re my favorite kind

What are these things?

They’re my favorite kind of saucière, otherwise known as a sauce boat - or, if you’re from the southern US, a gravy boat!

The French saucière is special, because you can choose the “maigre” (lean) side and get only that delicious jus, OR choose the side marked “gras” and pour some delicious fatty jus over your roast meat.

These saucières are easy to find at a vide-grenier, where people sell all their old stuff.

In the French countryside, some of these village-wide sales contain treasures, and others are duds. You never know ahead of time, so just in case, I like to hit ‘em all in summer!
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#sauciere #sauceboat #gravyboat #frenchsauceboat #frenchsauces #sauces #frenchgastronomy #frenchcooking #frenchcuisine
#frenchfood #lifeinfrance #frenchcountryside
#burgundy
#bourgogne
#nofatnoflavor
#legrascestlavie
#videgrenier
#yardsale #vaisselle #kitchengadgets
#gastronomy
#gastronomie
#ministry_of_frenchfood
#frenchfoodathome
#frenchfoodblogger
#frenchfoodie
#frenchfoodlovers_
#foodie
#tasteoffrancemag
#saveurmag

Visiting the Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay in Burgu

Visiting the Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay in Burgundy is a spiritual experience, especially for lovers of gardens with water features.

The monastery’s Latin motto translates into a version of « God floats along the waters. »

If you go, you’ll see - and feel - why!
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#frenchmonasteries #abbayedefontenay #waterfeatures #cistercian #sacredplace #spiritualplace #burgundy #bourgogne #bourgognetourisme #bourgognefranchecomte

Gratitude for a full + super + blue moon birthday

Gratitude for a full + super + blue moon birthday last week!

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

An amazing and delightfully complex dinner @leserg

An amazing and delightfully complex dinner @lesergentrecruteurparis on the Ile Saint Louis.

Merci Chef @alain_pegouret !

1.     Sunset on the Pont Marie
2.     Amuse-bouche of tomato and red pepper gazpacho with a pepper tuile
3.     A most curious Sancerre
4.     Red tuna in a smoked marinade caramelized over a flame, mimosa in cucumber cannelloni, shizo-frosted avocado
5.     A more traditional Burgundy
6.     Just-cooked chanterelle, lasagna and barely runny egg yolk, poultry and chardonnay sauce
7.     Poultry from Luteau roasted with black garlic under the skin, celtuce and bimi broccoli, strong herbs and matcha tea
8.     Another curious wine, this time from the Jura region
9.     « Half-fig, half-grape » with a cardamom panna cotta on a sponge cake and smoked fig coulis
10. Below the mirrored wall, at the chef’s table (under the pass)
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#lesergentrecruteurparis
#alainpegouret #gastronomiefrancaise #gastronomiefrançaise #frenchgastronomy #frenchfood #frenchrestaurants #guidemichelin #michelinstar #paris #parisrestaurants
#localisbetter
#madeinparis
#parisdesparisiens
#foodstagram

Summer’s almost over, but the tomatoes from our

Summer’s almost over, but the tomatoes from our friend’s garden are still going strong!

We added a little kick to this tomato and mozzarella salad with a cébette, a kind of French spring onion.

Vive l’été ! Long live summer!
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#tomato #tomates #tomatesdujardin #tomatemozzarella #tomatomozzarella #summer #summervegetables #essenceofsummer #countrylife #frenchcountryhome

Rare are the yard-sale finds and « newsed » tr

Rare are the yard-sale finds and « newsed » treasures that waste space in our home.

But once in a while I’ve taken very inexpensive risks on, well…. a clearly foolish purchase!

The name of this item should have been an obvious red flag: who uses the word « classy »? Not me.

I bought these probably 20 years ago, possibly in the US, and used them once or twice to make fun-shaped canapés.

But ultimately they were really not fun to use and a waste of time. If I want triangle-shaped mini-sandwiches to serve to guests, I’ll use my knife to make them, and with far less waste, thank you! 🤣🤣🤣
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#gadget #kitchengadgets #uselesskitchengadgets #dumbtools #uselesstools #canapes #appetizers #amusebouche #yardsales #thriftfinds #lovethrifting

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