In the Nice apartment there was a magazine, I think called France, that had an article about a food tour in Paris. I read it, of course, it was about food! But I didn’t expect to go to Paris so that was the end of that, right?

Since Paris wasn’t originally on my radar screen, I hadn’t done my usual in-depth research job. Once I got there, however, I started looking into things to do and happened upon a reference to the same food tour by Paris by Mouth.

I checked out the website and then the event calendar. Well, there was one open spot for the next day at 3:30 for the Taste of Marias tour. Hmmm, sounded good but I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to fly out that day or not.

I checked the flights and realized I would be there at least one more day, so I made my reservation for the tour. Great decision!

The tour is guided by an ex-pat from Spokane, Jennifer. There was another couple from Mercer Island, a couple from Toronto, and another from San Diego. They only allow eight people on each tour including the guide.

We met in front of a small cafe in the rain. After introductions and a small preface about the tour by Jennifer, we took off.

We started at Jacques Genin chocolate shop at 133 rue de Turenne. The shop was on a corner in a very nondescript building with no name above the door or anywhere. But, when you walked in you were surrounded by beautiful chocolate Easter “sculptures” and displays. We had samples of three different chocolates, a creamy caramel, and pâtes de fruits.

Jacques came from a difficult childhood and started his culinary career in a slaughterhouse, opened his first restaurant when he was 28, then became a self-taught chocolatier. He only sells from his stores.

Next stop was a bakery, 134 RdT owned by Benjamin Turquier at 134 rue de Turenne, 75003. Benjamin is another self-made and taught person. There is an annual contest to see who makes the best baguettes in Paris and his are #3. His croissants have ranked in the top 10 for about 8 years.

Baguettes are pretty sacred in France and during WWII, they were made with anything and everything available. Sometime in the 1990’s a bread act was passed that regulates what goes into the baguette, stipulates that the product must be made on premises, and the bread or the products that go into it cannot be frozen. So, if you are ever in France look for a shop that says boulangerie, boulanger, or artisan somewhere on the outside. That is one that has made the product on site following the rules of the act.

Jennifer purchased a baguette, some croissants, and something called a chouquette. We walked to a beautiful nearby park that had a covered pavillion so we could be out of the rain while tasting. The baguette was crisp on the outside, chewy and delicious throughout.

Next we tried the croissants. Croissants are made by rolling out a yeast dough and putting a slab of butter on it, folding the dough into thirds, then rolling again, and folding, and repeating, over and over. When the croissant is baked all that butter creates steam which creates flaky layers. They were the best I have ever eaten. Flakes of lighter than air goodness floated off at every bite. I am sure the birds loved us after we left for leaving them such a feast!

The chouquette is made with pâte à choux. That is the ‘dough’ that you use to make cream puffs. These had thick ‘pellets’ of sugar on them and were quite scrumptious. Didn’t get a picture, though, as they were eaten so quickly!

We went to Maison Ramella which was a charcuterie but also a place that makes all kinds of foods for takeout. There was a name for it that I don’t remember, but basically they are like a caterer with ready to eat meals. Jennifer picked up rillettes de canard and rosette de Lyon from there.

Rillettes de cunard is similar to a confit but instead of a whole duck leg or other part, it is shredded meat that is then mixed with the fat of the bird. The rosette de Lyon is a cured pork sausage similar to a salami.

The next stop was the Jouannault cheese shop at 39 rue de Bretagne. This shop was not just a cheese shop that sells the cheese out of the case, but an Affineur. Affineurs receive the cheese from the producers and have a cave (cellar) under the shop where they hold them until they are just á point (perfectly ready to eat.)

Jennifer chose the cheeses we would try based on her discussion with the staff about which cheeses were ready to be eaten at that time. When Jennifer first arrived in France, her objective was to try every cheese in France. She hasn’t made it through them all yet, but she sure knows her cheeses!

Caractère de Cochon at 42 rue Charlot, was the next shop. I could have stayed there and tried one of everything if there had been time. It is a tiny little place with meats from all over in the cases, hanging from the ceiling, and covering every space of the shop. We tried samples of Italian “Drunken Pig” ham and 3 year old French l’Ibaiona ham. They both were melt in your mouth awesome. It is just too bad the US won’t allow any meat products to be brought back! But then I would have had to buy another suitcase.

Our last stop was at a new concept wine shop, Bibovino at 35 rue Charlot. The owner has worked with wine makers who are mostly ‘organic’ and receives the wines in 3 liter boxes. Not your Franzia type wines in a box, but excellent wines from all over France. Packaging them in this way saves a lot of money for the winemaker and the consumer.

In the back of the shop there were barrels with boards on top to make tables with stools around them. We all sat down and Jennifer started breaking out the cheese and charcuterie purchases. These were paired with wines from the shop.

The following is the list of cheeses we tried and Jennifer’s descriptions:

Rocamadour AOC (goat, Midi-Pyrénées, 1-3 weeks) – tender and creamy pate, it tastes mild and milky with a nutty aftertaste.

Rouelle du Tarn (goat, Midi-Pyrénées, 2-4 weeks) – this is an ash covered, donut shaped cheese with a hole in the center. It’s mild with a milky flavor and hazelnut note.

Abbaye de Belloc (sheep, Basque Pyrénées, 3 months) – nutty and sheepy with flavors of caramelized brown sugar.

Brie de Meaux AOC (cow, Ile-de-France, 6-8 weeks) – can taste of mushrooms, earth, wet leaves, oysters, mushrooms sautéed in butter or mushroom soup. Some longer-aged versions have a strong ammonia smell which a few connoisseurs like. Hand ladled using a perforated ladle (dates back to 12th century) that allows the curds to be transported to the mold unbroken in order to achieve the smooth, voluptuous, custard-like interior.

Mont d’Or AOC (cow, Jura, 1 month) – technically a washed rind cheese, but not at all strong in flavor. This creamy cheese has a delicate taste accented by the spruce band that binds it and helps it to keep its shape while maturing. To be eaten with a spoon or melted in the oven like fondue. Produced only from September to April.

Comté AOC (cow, Jura, 30 months) – has a firm and supple texture that melts in the mouth and leaves a sweet taste (95% of cows used for this cheese are Monbéliarde, known for their sweet milk; the rest are Simmental). Can taste of melted butter, milk chocolate, hazelnuts, toast, leather, pepper, butterscotch, sweet orange. Strong salt but balanced with a nutty tang. This cheese has the highest production figures of all French cheese. Graded on a scale of 1-20. Those that score 15-20 wear a green band, those from 12-15 wear a red band. Below three can’t be labeled Comte. Aged for a minimum of 3 months but can be aged up to five years, although 18, 24, 30 and 36 are more common. (I must have forgotten to take any more pictures so don’t have this cheese or the meats.)

The wine we started with was Touraine AOC (100% Sauvignon Blanc). Then a Côtes du Rhône AOC (Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault) and finally a Vin de Pays d’Oc (50% Syrah and 50% Merlot). They were all very nice wines and went well with the cheeses. Jennifer said that you always want the cheese to be stronger than the wine when pairing. Or, just open a bottle of sparkling wine and drink with all of them!

It was a fabulous tour and I will go on the other tours provided by Paris by Mouth next time I am in Paris.