A Welcome Back from Vacation

No, I haven’t forgotten about you or given up blogging!  I was gearing up for vacation, on vacation, and then recovering from vacation, so I took a bit of time off.  But, now that I am back in the swing of normal life, posts will be coming more regularly.  Today I am going to tell you a bit about my family’s travels and the regional foods we ate.

We loved visiting Paris so much last year, that it was off to France again this year.  Unlike last year when we only visited Paris, this year Bourgogne and Lyon were also stops on our vacation.  While last year’s meals were filled with white asparagus and béarnaise sauce, goat cheese salads, and chicken paillard, this year’s menus included melon et jambon (ham), caprese salad, carpaccio and tartare, cassis (black currant), oeufs (eggs) meurette a la Bourguignonne, and beef Bourgogne.  Here are some of the highlights and a little about the restaurants that served these mouth-watering meals.

Les Deux Magots:
Translated as “the two Chinamen”, this famous cafe is situated in the Saint-Germain-des-Pres area of Paris.  The cafe opened in 1885, and the city’s literary and intellectual elite, such as Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, and Jean-Paul Sartre, met here for inspiration and to socialize.

Melon at Les Deux Magots

Caprese Salad (notice the tomatoes are peeled) and a glass of Rose

 

Les Parisiennes Cafe:

A cafe that quickly became a family favorite last year that was within walking distance of our hotel.  The cafe, which had just opened last year, has a black stiletto as its logo and a private dining room adorned with pink polka dot wallpaper and pink and green furniture. (if you know me, you know pink and green are my favorite colors and I prefer heels to flats).  So, this year’s Paris trip could not be complete without a stop at Les Parisiennes Cafe!

Les Parisiennes Cafe Private Room

Les Parisiennes Cafe’s Carpaccio de Boeuf et frites

Auberge Bourguignonne:

This restaurant was located in Beaune, the wine capital of Bourgogne.   An upscale eatery located on the Place de la Madeline that was once a coaching inn.  The waiter only spoke a few words of English, so my dad and I were lucky my mom could translate for us.

Auberge Bourguignonne Jambon Persille (Parsley Ham)

Auberge Bourguignonne Carpaccio de Tomates

Caveau des Arches:

Another restaurant that is nestled in the town of Beaune.  A Michelin-rated restaurant in 2011 and 2013 that is located in a vaulted cellar from the 17th Century.  Both the setting and the food were delectable, and if any of my readers ever find themselves in Beaune, this is a sure-stop!  (But make sure you call for reservations!!)

Caveau des Arches Atmosphere Shot
(photo courtesy Caveau des Arches website)

Another Caveau des Arches Atmosphere Shot
(photo courtesy Caveau des Arches website)

Caveau Des Arches Tuna Tartare

My family during our dinner at Caveau des Arches

This is making me nostalgic and wanting to book my next vacation to France.  Who knows, maybe it will become an annual tradition.  But, this is just a small taste of what we encoutered during our vacation.  More about oeufs, cassis, and beef Bourgogne later!

Stay hungry…