A delicious week

Nice Picnicking in the Jardin du Luxembourg

A delicious week

What a week, mes amis! In between our trip to Nice and sundry writing projects, I hunted for my byline in the newspaper and managed to sneak in a few delicious bites. Here they are in no particular order:

asperges

1. Asparagus — I'm not sure it's really spring until I eat my first stalks. Luckily, the spears are currently shooting up like rockets. I like them best steamed and sprinkled with fleur de sel, olive oil and a dusting of Parmesan.

fraises gariguettes, photo from elfwing_m on flickr

2. Gariguettes strawberries — A few years ago, I didn't understand the appeal. This year, I've come to appreciate their delicate, wild perfume. Are they expensive? Excruciatingly. But what's a few extra centimes in the face of a few short weeks of berry perfection? Am I becoming too French? C'est possible.

tacos

3. Tostadas — Much has been written about Candelaria, a new taqueria in the 3e. The tostadas — filled with pork carnitas, chicken, or queso fresco — are good, but it's the daily salsa that makes me weep with joy. On my first visit, it was a zingy blend of orange zest and habañeros. Yesterday's version featured peanuts, oranges and chiles. My only quibble is the communal bowl it's served in — I saw one guy dipping the bitten end of his taco right in, and I'm pretty sure the dirty look I sent his way didn't deter him in the slightest. (I didn't stick around to find out, though.)

millefeuille

4. Millefeuille au caramel — Is it delightful or dangerous that the pâtissier/chocolatier Jacques Genin is located right around the corner from Candelaria? His caramel millefeuille is a marvel in textures — crisp and creamy, with a deep, buttery browned sugar nuttiness.

avocados