Bon Appétit

We’re finally in France! I am so excited to be stuffing my face with baguettes and practicing my French. After almost a month of eating like a German, I was ready to switch to a more refined cuisine. I feel like I’ve gotten a fair tasting so far of what France can offer. We started slow with a light lunch at a nice café in the heart of Strasbourg, where I had the pleasure of eating my new favorite salad, la salade chèvre chaud. I feel like warm goat cheese on baguette can never do you wrong, and I was not disappointed. This was followed and nearly surpassed by my first tarte flambé, which is essentially a super thin crust pizza cooked in a brick oven. It was an unexpectedly traditional dish that I was thoroughly impressed by. You may be able to see a common theme of carbs and cheese developing, which progressed over the week and consistently brought me pleasure. From what I can tell, it’s true that the French live off of baguettes, cheese and wine, and that’s a beautiful thing in my opinion.

Next, not surprisingly, came the crêpes. I like to think of this week as a sort of long term crêpe tasting. I began with a lovely dessert crêpe: peach and caramel flambé. While it was not the best I had, it was still delicious. My next crêpe was savory, and was technically a galette because it was made with a buckwheat batter. I had mine filled with cheese, tomato and a perfectly runny egg, and the combination was heavenly. I think I’ve gained an inspiration for brunch foods to make when I return to the states. With a newfound appreciation for the savory galette, I returned to the same crêperie for another meal. This time, I had a spinach, crème fraiche, and egg galette, which was equally delicious and bit hardier. I paired this with the best dessert crêpe I have ever had in my life. This beautiful creation combined dark chocolate sauce, caramelized banana, and a mountain of whipped cream into a decadent crêpe masterpiece. I was almost overwhelming to consume but worth every bite. I honestly don’t think I can recreate it but I will certainly try.

I feel obligated to qualify that of course crêpes are not the only thing to be eaten in France. I also had some wonderful gelato and good quality cappuccinos. We also finally treated ourselves to a really nice, overpriced French dinner. We splurged on three courses and Bordeaux wine and had a fantastic evening. It was especially nice to be able to take an evening off to spend quality time with my new friends and have some normal conversation that didn’t revolve around our classes or even our Dialogue experiences. I felt like we were solidifying our relationship into something that will last well past our final days in Europe, and that’s really exciting. It’s reassuring to know that the friendships I’m forming now won’t just be temporary and convenience based, but that we are actually connecting on a deeper level and are mutually interested in continuing that relationship once we are out of this specific situation. I think these connections are really important to making sure this experience is rewarding in the long run and continues to be transformative even after we go home. I look forward to what the future brings, both in Europe and Boston.