Going Gluten Free....

 

Looks like an ordinary loaf of Bread.....

I can't believe that is have been over a year since I last posted.  Time flies when you are busy enjoying life and making pastries.  Lots has happened in the past year. I've been told I have progressed in my French speaking skills, I've slowly adjusted to Parisian life, I moved to a new (bigger) apartment, Got a real oven, traveled to Italy and Ireland, and I even got married again (but thankfully to the same wonderful man)!  Oh yes, and I changed jobs.....

After spending close to a year working at Kooka Boora and teaching classes at La Cuisine, I need to cut back a bit and relax.  So I said farewell to KB and continued to teach at La Cuisine, keeping my eyes open for my next kitchen job.  I was looking for something challenging and new, something to push me forward and keep me learning....and that is exactly what I found.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you NOGLU, a 100% Gluten Free Restaurant in Paris, and now my second home.  While thankfully I can still eat as many delicious, crusty, chewy French baguettes as I want, I have friends and family members who run the gamut of gluten intolerant to Celiac.  Ever since taking a few course in Gluten free baking during my time at Cambridge Culinary, I've been interested in Gluten free.  When the opportunity to work for one the first 100% Gluten Free restaurants in Paris was presented to me, I couldn't say no.

Noglu has turned out to be the challenge I was looking for.  Gluten is so essential in so many of our baked goods and not being able to use regular, good old wheat flour, has turned my world upside down (but in a good way of course).  Of course there are pastries that easily adapt to being Gluten Free (ie Macarons are naturally without Flour, therefore Gluten Free) and others may never appear in my line up at Noglu (sorry Croissants, I'll save you for La Cuisine). 

I've become more consumed by my job then ever before.  I think about it almost nonstop (much to the annoyance of my husband, who now constantly suspects my pastries made at home are secretly Gluten Free.....maybe they are...) I work in a beautiful space, I have a great boss and an awesome team to work with. Most days are great, a lot of my recipes have adapted well and haven't noticed to much that I've secretly substituted that wheat flour for a mix or rice, millet, tapioca or other various non-gluten containing flours.  We play well together.  Then once in a while there is a days where I decide to try something new......and it doesn't always work the way I want.  My highs are higher and my lows are lower at times.  Its a whole new playing field.  But the best part of it is the satisfaction of the clients, who look at all my pastries and still in disbelief ask if they are all truly Gluten Free, and then are finally able to enjoy something they couldn't for so long. 

So I can't promise to post more often, but at least now you know what is keeping me away from this blog, and that I am really happy in my work right now. Really happy making other people really happy.

My Gluten Free Bread, Available Each Day at NOGLU

(oh and its delicious)

You can follow Noglu on Facebook, where we post our daily menu and photos of our delicious Gluten Free goodies. 

Welcoming Fall with Pumpkin Cheesecake

 What's orange and tastes good when you're homesick?

We never really had a summer in Paris this year.  April was extraordinarily nice, warm and full of weeks of endless sunshine.  May followed with a few days of sun and moderate temperatures and then Summer packed its bags and went elsewhere....leaving Paris in cool temperatures with lots of rain and clouds.  We had a few hot days in late August (while I was on the beach in Corsica, where it was definitely summer).  Now that September has arrived, it's still cool, but now it feels fall-ish.  My favorite time of year.  Its also strange to think I've been here almost a year now.  September normally signals my return to the US of A and puts me in a weird not wanting leave, but wanting badly to see those people dear to me in America land. For this reason the start of September has put me in a nostalgic mood.  I'm happy to be staying on in Paris, but really experiencing a bit of homesickness....it comes and goes. 

Cannelés Bordelais

 My first ever, from Thevenin near the Jardin du Luxembourg

Maybe if you love them as much as I do, you can just call them Cannelés.  I'm not sure when or how I learned of them.  I don't recall making them in culinary school.  Maybe I saw a photo of them and something about their shapely sides, dimpled tops and buttery glow lured me in.  I do remember the first time I ate one.  It was my first visit to Paris.  I was wandering towards the Jardin du Luxembourg and dropped into a patisserie on the rue Notre Dame des Champs to get something for lunch.  I spied a tray of the little gems and ordered two along with a nice salmon tartine.  

The New Job

I have a new job.  I've actually had it since early June and I've alluded to it many times.  I'll be honest, that I have struggled with weather or not I should share it.  It's not that it is a place to be ashamed of, or that I have anything to hide; it's just to me it's a really big deal and I want everything to be perfect!  However, its a bit of a work in progress....

 The French owned, American/English style cafe with an Australian name

In a Pinch

 Chocolate Tart

Have you ever read a recipe that says, a pinch of this and a large spoonful of that?  That is how old recipes used to be before everyone had a scale and cups, ounces, and the metric system even existed.  It's a lot easier now days. In culinary school, after measuring salt, sugar and flour over and over, I got pretty good as guessing how much I needed.  That is how older recipes worked, the person who wrote the recipe knew from repeated making of the recipe how much worked each time.  However there are times I still find myself in a "pinch" wanting to make a dessert but not having access to proper measuring equipment. Believe it or not, not every kitchen in France is as well equipped for pastry making as mine is.  And while I can pretty much eyeball a teaspoon of salt without an actual teaspoon still, other measures are not as easy for me now.  

Family Dinner

 Fresh Ingredients for Ratatouille

The visitors are slowly beginning to arrive.  My friend Anne warned me about it.  She has had a steady stream of visitors since I meet her back in December (and I've been secretly jealous).  I want people to come visit me and see where I live (just don't all come at once please, it might get a little crowded).  Oh course visiting me right now means staying in a hotel and then just meeting me for lunches, dinners and a little Paris sight seeing; I don't have a guest room.  But if you're willing to buy the plane ticket, find a reasonable hotel or apartment to crash in, I'd be very happy to have you over for dinner.  

It's starting with my cousins, which is great.  Romain has not got much of a chance to meet my extended family.  And considering my immediate family is so large....meeting all the extended family at once would be completely overwhelming.  He still forgets a brother or two when trying to name all my siblings (mainly Jeff, lol).  First my cousin Angie on my Dad's side visited.  She was here for a few days during a bit of a European tour with her girlfriend.  We had nice dinner at Le Petit Canard and a nice lunch a few days later at my favorite place Le Cafe du Commerce.

Last week Angie's younger brother Brad and his wife Corrine arrived in France for a visit.  They are staying a bit longer so I invited them over for dinner and we'll check out some restaurants a little later in their stay.

Thankfully neither of them are picky eaters, so I went all out planning a nice dinner including some good traditional French apero for them to try.  Rillettes de porc, saucisson with noisette (hazelnuts), fresh baguette cereals, and Rice and Buckwheat crackers for Corinne who is allergic to Gluten ( I can accommodate!).

I was going to make a simple Ratatouille and Seared Tuna steaks.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get the Tuna at my local fish shop, so I took some Cod instead. When I got home from my shopping, I decided to get a little fancy with my Ratatouille and dress it up a little.  I took some of my small circle rings ( that I have used for anything from making small tarts to English Muffins)  I covered one side in foil to make them like small dishes and started layering my veggies inside. I wanted to make a Ratatouille timbale of sorts.   It worked out pretty well and was delicious with the lightly fried Cod in a lemon and butter sauce.  We followed that with 3 types of cheese and of course dessert: Chocolate Cherry Clafloutis!  

Bread- the next challenge

 Seeded Baguette

I am my Father's daughter, you've probably heard me say it before.  I have a hard time letting people do things for me that I can do for myself.  I used to change the oil in my car instead of taking to one of those quick lube places.  It wasn't so much to save money, it was more so I knew what was going, a bit of quality control (had a few bad experiences with sloppy work and forgetfulness at some of those instant places) and also to be able to brag a bit that yes I know how to change my own oil.  What does this have to do with Pastry?

Mastering Macarons

 Orange Colored Macaron Shells Waiting for a Tasty Filling

I love teaching pastry, not only because its fun to share and meet new people, but because it also keeps teaching me.  Two of the classes I teach are on what most people would consider the 2 most difficult French pastries to master; The Croissant and the Macaron.  Believe it or not, I actually tell my students in both classes, it's NOT THAT Difficult.  I like to compare it to riding a bike, you just have to get the technique down.  The first couple of times I made Macarons, they were a disaster.  Ok, not completely, but they were less then perfect.  Now after making them many times over, I feel like they get better each time.

Tomato Mozzarella Stacks

 Salad du Jour

I've been busy in the kitchen all week testing (I almost typed tasting, freudian slip?) recipes for my new job.  I'll give you a hint, I'm going to be making pastries to accompany what I consider to be the best coffee in Paris...
After tasting one too many carrot cake, cookie, shortbread and brownie bites, I was in serious need of a nice healthy and light meal!

Romain and I have been eating a lot of salads when we eat at home.  How do you eat salad as your main course every night?  You mix it up.  Our additions range from Avocados, tomatoes, nuts, bits of cheese, olives, egg, carrots, and even sauteed mushrooms with a little garlic.  We always make our own dressing, a quick combination of Dijion Mustard, Olive or Walnut Oil (or a little of both) and some Balsamic Vinegar.  Once I get my herb garden going again, we can start added bits of fresh minced herbs to the dressing or the salad itself.  Hard to get bored with so many options!

Carrot Cake

Shredding Carrots by Hand

When I was growing up, my mother made carrot cake in the microwave!  Better yet, it was good carrot cake, with a nice tender crumb, lightly spiced and full of carrots, and it only took 7-9 mins to cook!  We always made it in the same round glass baking dish.  If I were to see that dish again today, I'm sure it would remind me only of the carrot cake.

Carrot cake is gaining popularity in Paris, and I find this both surprising and not.  The French adore Carrot Rape, or a salad made just of shredded carrots and a simple dressing.  However, they are not always a fan of the cake sucre (sweet cakes) made with vegetables.  For example, when I offered my Zucchini bread to my Laduree co-workers last summer, many refused to try it because of the idea that it was sweet with something that is normally savory. Many American/English style cafes are now offering generous cupckes or mammoth slices of Gateau aux Carrottes and the French seem to love it! Most often it is slathered with the requisite cream cheese frosting- thought the frosting is not always made with the true Philadelphia Cream cheese. At Rose, where I had been working, we often used Carre Frais, a spreadable French cheese with a not quite as smooth texture, but the flavor closely resembled good old Philly.

New Kitchen Addition

You've seen my kitchen and what little space there is.  There really isn't much more I can fit in there.  My home baking repertoire is limited by space and equipment... and I really miss my Kitchen aid.  With all this in mind, I struggled for a bit on deciding if I could live without full size stand mixer for a while longer, or if I could squeeze it into a corner somewhere....


And then I found this on French ebay:

Now that I've gone so long without one, I have to think a bit about what I want to make first.  Romain has already requested Chocolate cake, he might just get it.  And don't worry I found space for it in the hall closet for when it is not in use.  More desserts to come!

Now if I could just figure out how to have a bigger oven......

Feeling Springy

Paris Hotel De Ville in Early Spring

I'm happy to say I have survived my first winter in Paris and boy am I ready for Spring!  This past weekend the weather warmed up and everyone peeled off their winter layers and went out to get some sun.  I had a nice picnic with friends on Saturday in the Jardin du Luxembourg with LOTS of other people, it was quite crowded.  

Maybe it is just the removal of heavy sweaters and jackets, but Spring just makes me feel lighter, or uh springy? It also affects the way I eat and cook.  I turn to lighter dishes, salads, fish, lots of fresh veggies and fruit.  I try to go with the seasons when eating as well.  Here in France the strawberries are coming over from Spain and they are beautiful and bountiful, and very hard to resist.  I'm sure pineapple is not in season, but I saw one at the market and couldn't resist.....the price was reasonable as well.  

Romain and I have been hosting a lot of dinner parties lately for friends and guess who has been doing the cooking?  Last night was no exception.  So combine the feeling of wanting light, fresh food, with a small kitchen and trying to use up an overstock of heavy cream (leftover from a chocolate making class) and here is the menu I came up with:

Savory Tart of Salmon and Zucchini

Baby Spinch, Mache, Avacado and Chickpea Salad 

with Lemon Thyme Vinergrette and Red Onion

Vanilla & Ginger Panna Cotta with Fresh Pineapple and Strawberries

Baby Sugar cookies

Didn't get around to taking pictures of the dinner once it was all finished, I was bit too busy stuffing my face. However, I did document the best part: the dessert. 

Kitchen Tour

 My French Refrigerator Poetry

A few months ago I saw an article online about the tiny apartment kitchens of professional chefs living in New York City.  By American standards the kitchens were rather small and not what you would expect a professional chef to have.  Many said they rarely even use their home kitchens, so the size wasn't too much of an issue for them.  One chef said the lack of storage space forced them to store things in their oven.  A full size oven!  What a luxury that would be for me!

You've heard my talk about the space challenges of my kitchen and even seen a few glimpses in my photos, but today I invite you on an official tour.  A few improvements have been made since I moved in permanently in November and I must say it is feeling quite like home.  I still have my dreams of space for a Kitchen Aid mixer and a real size oven, but I think am adapting quite well to my Paris kitchen. 

Come on in.......

Chocolatier Chapon

 

Chocolate CHAPON 69, rue du Bac in the 7th

Paris is such a great city to walk and wander in.  My first few weeks here, I had plenty of time to wander and I was usually carrying my camera with me.  This day I was very happy to have had my camera as I was taking a stroll down rue du Bac.  Often I will stop and stare into shop windows, mostly patisseries and chocolate shops, but the ocassional shoe store will stop me in my tracks as well. Chapon made me stop and because I couldn't believe my eyes, I had to go in for a closer look. 

 Back wall of the boutique that caught my eye from outside

The entire back wall was beautifully decorated and covered with old metal chocolate molds!  Most molds used today are hard plastic or silicon.  I often scour brocantes and antique shops looking for these to decorate my own kitchen.  I found a few nice tablet molds at a brocante in Deauville last summer.  I wondering how often the sales girl gets asked if it is ok to take a photo, I'm guessing quite a lot.

  It's such a beautiful and appropriate decor for their shop.  

After discreetly snapping a few photos, I examined the chocolate selection and selected a few pieces to try.  I don't remember all the pieces I got, only that one was had a passion fruit ganache filling and I was a little disappointed.  The taste of the passion fruit was barely evident.  The quality of the chocolate over all was nice and they had some other interesting flavor combinations, but nothing that really wowed me.  However I may consider going again to give them another try.  And I'm curious if their other shop in the 16th has a similar design, that would be a lot of chocolate molds!

Front Window display of pieces

A White Swan for Valentine's Day

I've posted something for almost every Valentine's day since I've started this blog.  It's hard to believe a year has already passed since I made These.  Sadly last years Valentine's chocolates never made it to their destination.  I have no idea what happened to them after I left them in the what I thought to be capable hands of the USPS.  Guess I was wrong.  I hope someone enjoyed them and they are not rotting in customs limbo somewhere.

This Valentine's Day is the first I have to got spend with MY Valentine.   Of course that called for something special.  A friend from work had been wanting to learn how to make Pate a choux and also wanted to make something for her Valentine as well.  So Valentine's day morning we got together and made these:

We even had enough to share with some coworkers the following day.  One coworker commented on how "old school" they were.  Yes I hadn't made them since I was in culinary school, but they still produce the ooohs and awwwhs just the same.  They looked elegant and tasted even better.  We hid some chopped Strawberries and Raspberries inside some of them, and we spiked the Creme Chantilly with a little bit of Calvados.  Wouldn't you feel special if you got one as a Valentine?

The rest of my Valentine's day was spent preparing a delicious dinner for my husband with recipes and inspirations from one of my favorite cook books.  It started with a Artichoke Bruschetta, followed by an Arugula salad with Pine nuts and Avocado.  I made Lamb Steak with a Rosemary Red Wine sauce and we finished with a pair of Cream puff swans and Moelleux au chocolate with fresh Strawberry sauce and of course- more Creme Chantilly. 

Hope you had a sweet Valentine's day as well.

Trying to find where I fit in.

My first visit to Europe was in March of 2001 on a visit to Brussels and Amsterdam with my older sister over my college spring break.  I fell in love.  Good public transportation, beautiful architecture, a different pace of life.  I felt like maybe I had been born on the wrong continent.  Subsequent visits to Germany, Great Britain and France only made my suspicion stronger.  After a 5 week summer study abroad in Leipzig, Germany, I returned to the US and vowed to continue traveling and maybe one day live in another country other then the US.  And I haven't even gotten started about the food, but that wasn't really as evident until I started visiting France and learning French pastry in culinary school.

Searching for "the place where I fit in" isn't just about a physical place to live.  Its also about finding work, and a community that feels right.  Its an ever evolving process that has progressed from Columbus, Ohio to Boston, MA and now to Paris, France.  I'm feeling more and more comfortable.

The challenge of Paris is I have my European culture and amazing food, but I'm still struggling with the language.  Thinking about how mentally stressing it was working at Laduree this summer without being fluent in French, and then thinking about how physically taxing the hour and a half commute each way to work would be (to the new Pastry Laboratory in Morangis- far outside of Paris) I have decided at this time not to return to working for them.

I think I've found a happy compromise for now, working in a small chain of English bakeries that are well known here in Paris for offering delicious and refreshing organic foods and simple English/American style pastries.  The commute on some days is just a walk up the street from me; other days a short metro ride to the Marais.  My fellow employees' nationalities vary greatly from French, English, Scottish, Estonian, American, to Japanese, but we all share one or two common langauges: English and French.

 Savory Tart and Salad

 Brunch Menu

I do miss the beauty and complexity of French pastry and that is why I am happy to be teaching some courses for La Cuisine Paris.  Starting in March you can sign up to learn to make Croissants and Macarons with me in the heart of Paris!  Other classes may be coming later.  

Paris is slowly becoming the home and the "place" I've been searching for.   I just need to master the language. 

Croissants as a metaphor for my life

I chose carefully what I make in my kitchen.  I have very limited space to work with and the simplest cake or cookie undertaking can turn into a huge frustration.  Imagine my happiness at finding a nice round baking plaque to fit just perfectly in my pint-sized oven a few weeks ago.  That is my hand, so you have good idea of the space I am working with if this fits perfectly in my oven.

I'm going to be teaching some pastry classes here in Paris soon!  One of the classes I have been contracted to teach (and help design) is a croissant class.  I've been making test recipes of croissants in my kitchen.  I'm trying to see what is the best way to show someone how to make croissants in a 3 hour time frame (and somewhat limited space).  Unless you have professional grade kitchen and dough sheeter, making croissants in less then one days time is an impossible undertaking.  It's even more challenging with limited counter space to roll out sheets of dough.

I've been comparing recipes from various cook books of mine and have found the quickest way to make croissants is to use overnight frementation.  This means you make the basic croissant dough the day (or 2-3 days) before you intend to roll, shape and back.  Then you leave the dough in your refrigerator overnight to develop flavor.  The next day the hard work begins.   I took my first test batch out and began to roll the soft, stretchy dough.  I added my square of butter and began the folding process.  I really pushed this batch, trying to see how quickly I could get through the turns.  I think because my kitchen was so cold, I really did not  have to rest the dough much between turns, I just kept going. 

While I was rolling the dough, I was thinking to myself, should I go ahead and do another turn?  The dough doesn't seem to be resisting, the butter doesn't seem too soft, so why not?  I'm not normally a pusher.  My personal philosophy has always kinda been go with the flow, see where your path takes you.  Don't force anything unnatural.  You can't push croissants either.  There are a few ways to speed up the process, but in the end you need to plan and have a little patience......

 Looking good so far

And there is most often a sweet reward in the end.

 

My Homemade Croissants

It's a Small World After All, -belated post on the wedding cake for my brother.

Bite sized is the best size in my humble opinion.

I've always had a fascination for things in miniature.  When I was little, I loved my doll house and was constantly searching for things to turn into mini furnishings.  Even though I detest adults wearing those Crocs shoes, I think the kids sized ones are the cutest things ever.  While in pastry school, I always wanted to make everything in mini.  Mini tarts, mini cakes, bite sized cream puffs.  It is a serious obsession, and maybe the reason I have never really been drawn to making wedding cakes (well full size ones).  However when my younger brother announced he was getting married, pastry chef big sister had to step up to the "plate" and offer to make the wedding cake.

I consulted with my good friend Kristen from Let Them Eat Cake because her cakes are beautiful, elegant works of art I would love to mimic if I were to start making wedding cakes on a regular basis.  I calculated recipes, amount of ingredients, and timing.  My lovely Aunt Pat offered me use of her kitchen, her hands and moral support for 2 full days while I tackled the Purple Polka-dotted Beast!

Four tiers of double-layer, Vanilla bean syrup soaked, white velvet cake, sandwiched and covered with French Vanilla Buttercream and Fondant accents later, there were no catastrophes or meltdowns, but I was done.  It is not a task for the faint of heart or scared of butter and sugar.  Many people said it was the best tasting wedding cake they'd had.  My Dad longed for another piece to have with a cup of coffee.  And the little kids at the wedding loved eating the fondant dots like candy.  It was delicious, I ate more then my fair share, and my aunt had a freezer full of left over trimmings for turning into parfaits and other delicious creations.

Although I've said before I am not a huge fan of cupcakes, I would have enjoyed making this cake on a much smaller scale.

 The Newlyweds and their cake

A Very Merry Belated Christmas and Happy New Year Wish

The last month of the year already has enough going on with Christmas and New Years, but throw in trying to settle into a new apartment in a new Country, starting a new job, celebrating your husband's 30th birthday, and meeting lots of new extended family (most who speak very little English), you might understand why I haven't posted much lately.  I've also been doing a LOT of baking at home.  

Now finally back in Paris from our holiday travels to the north of France, I've found a quite moment to share few photos of this holiday season and some reflections on a very busy 2010 with you.

Now that's my kind of Christmas Tree

 

Definitely looks a lot like Christmas

 Christmas Cake for a friend

Chocolate Mousse and Red Berries Charlotte

I am yet again amazed to look back on this year and see how far I'm come.  If you had asked me 10 years ago where I thought I'd be today, I don't think I would have had any idea.  Completion and graduation from a great culinary program, an amazing summer stage at Laduree and now finally living in Paris with the most special person in my life and finally being able to share everything with him, I couldn't ask for anything more.

Let this be a reminder to all of you, that dreams do come true, you just got to get out there and chase them and don't let anyone tell you it can't happen. 

Wishing you all good health, delicious desserts, magical moments and dreams coming true in 2011!
         
          -Jenni

A Cactus in the Middle of Paris?

I've been asked by several people what I miss most from the USA when living in Paris.  Convenience is number one, but food items that I can only find in the USA are a very close second. I love spicy foods and find myself missing them the most.  A trip to a Thai or Asian restaurant, and a bottle of Sriracha on my shelf occasionally fill the cravings for something spicy.  But what I really miss is a great burrito, Taqueria style.  Boston has several little chains, and over the past year I lived within a very short walk of my favorite: Anna's.   My last week in Boston, I had a farewell lunch at the Anna's in Davis Square with my friend Amanda.  It was more of Adieu then an Au revoir, knowing my chances of visiting Anna's would be slim on visits back to the US.  Chipotle will most likely be the substitute on visits to Ohio. 

Arriving in Paris, I had already started to plot on how I was going to deal with my lack of pick-your-own-fillings, quick burritos.  Maybe I could create my own recipe for Carnitas at home and have visitors bring me jars of spicy salsas to top them with.  I could easily grow cilantro in my windowbox, and thankfully there is no lack of Avocados in the French supermarkets.  And then something amazing happened! 

I was on my way to the Richelieu Drouot Metro stop, not 5 mins from my apartment, and like a miraculous apparition I saw this:

 And this:

 How do you say Burrito in French?

It was suspiciously remeniscent of a Chipotle menu.....but in FRENCH!
I snapped a few photos and hurried on to my destination making mental notes to come back and try this soon!

As I met with my friends that evening, the subject of food came up naturally, and then the subject of good burritos.  I was so excited to show them my find.  My friends being American expats who have lived here a bit longer seemed intrigued, but warned me not to set my expectations high, but of course to let them know if I tried it.

This is why I shouldn't get too excited.  I feel like Ethnic cuisine in France is sorta dumbed down for French taste.  This past summer I went to a Korean restaurant one evening (looking for my spicy food fix, it never disappointed me in Boston).  The food at the Korean restaurant was not bad, quite delicious and the service was excellent. However I felt the dishes I had were nowhere near the spice level they would have in the US? Or do I have to backwards?  Are you all spice addicts and the food is amped up in the US for us?  I think not.

Back to the Cactus.  I convinced myself not to expect much.  Finally today I decided it was time to go and try it.  I stepped inside the doors and was instantly greeted by a young smiling lady behind the counter. I decided to go with the burrito.  She started to explain to me how this place was like places in the US, where you choose your fillings.  I surveyed my options: Beef, Chicken, Pork or Veggies. Only one type of beans, looked like Kidney beans in a chili-esque sauce.  The veggies had visibly more red peppers then green; I prefer red over green, so that was good.  They had a "sour cream" 2 types of Hot sauce, cheese (most likely emmental), corn, fresh chopped tomatoes, iceberg lettuce and guacamole.  I went with Pork (little chunks, not shredded carnitas like I'm used to), the beans, the mild sauce, cheese, tomatoes and guacamole.  It definitely looked like an American burrito by the size alone. I was trying to remain calm.....and hoping it was at least edible.

 That's on a dinner plate.....

I wanted to run home, but paced myself.  I did run up the stairs a bit because there was a scary looking man in the courtyard when I arrived and I didn't want him to harm me or my lunch.  I then very ceremoniously placed it on a plate and sliced it in half with a Lagouile knife, of course!

Got to admit that looks pretty damn tasty!

I'm going to cut to the chase.  It was pretty good!  The meat was not excellent, the rice was a little dry and heavy, but the beans had a nice chili flavor to them, the guacamole was well made and the 'mild' sauce left a nice little after burn in my mouth.  It completely satisfied my burrito craving!  I, alone, may keep this place in business!

If you're in the mood for some Mexican try Cactus at 48 rue Laffitte near Metro Notre Dame de Lorette or Metro Peletier.

Next post is on pastry......I swear :-)