Shop like a local at Marche D'Aligre

There are literally a dozen of food markets in every arrondissement in Paris that it is hard to miss them. These temporary markets operate mostly twice a week in the morning and offer fresh produce from the farms, or more likely from one of the wholesalers. Depending on where you live, you might even have two or three such markets serving your neighbourhood.

Spending a morning at a market can be great way to practise my French as well as to stock up a weekly supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. Not to mention that the Paris market experience is always a colourful and stimulating one. I find the most popular and centrally located ones tend to be frequented by tourists, hence their high prices. So I am keen to explore other areas that might give me better value for money.

Cherries sell for 3 euros per kilo

Marche D'Aligre, in the 12th arrondissement, is no doubt a place for the locals. It is by far one of the most affordable markets in Paris. Oranges, the size of a grapefruit, can be had for 50 cents each and girolle mushrooms are priced at 4.95 euro for 500 grams. Fruit and vegetable stalls dominate the open-air market in Place d'Aligre, while the meat, poultry, fish, cheese and charcuterie are sold indoor at the adjacent Marche Beauvau.  At the other end of the square, there is a small flea market that sells bric-a-brac and the sort of antiques that could only have come from a car-boot sale. I was actually surprised to see there was a demand for old photographs at one euro a piece.

The covered market at Marche d'Aligre

Products nicely displayed inside the market

Skate wings are wonderful if you know how to cook them

Whilst in this vicinity, Sabah would make a nice stop to pick up some oriental products. Located near rue d'Aligre, this famous grocer carries all the spices and herbs necessary for cooking Asian, African, Indian, North African and Middle-Eastern dishes - effectively catering to all the ethnic minorities in Paris. Their large selection of herbs, nuts and dried fruits or even rice and oils are considerably less expensive than what they would be sold at supermarkets. No wonder the place is always packed.

Sabah specialises in oriental spices and herbs

Chanel and animal activists

It was under a rather unusual circumstance that I witnessed the radical French activists in action. Of all places in Paris, it occurred at the intersection of rue Saint-honore and rue Cambon which was once home to Coco Chanel and her first fashion boutique.

The original Chanel shop on rue Cambon

I was oblivious of the commotion outside the shop when it happened and suddenly the roller shutters came down letting no one in or out of the premises. For about ten minutes, I was trapped with a dozen other people and puzzled as to what actually was going on.  No explanation was offered by the staff who was more than happy to practise their selling techniques on the strained shoppers.

Demonstrators and policemen at the scene 

Obviously I was not prepared to spend the entire afternoon locked up in a shop, so I sneaked out by the side exit. There I ran right into a brigade of 30 or so policemen who were heading towards the protesters. There was no violence of any sort and I was curious to find out what exactly was their cause.

Catching the media's attention is key to
a successful campaign

The mystery began to unravel when I saw a man being interviewed by the media with his lambs in the background. These people were protesting against the killing of animals and the use of their skins to provide fur coats and leather handbags. And they are clearly passionate about their cause, otherwise who would bother to bring the animals to a demonstration just to make a point. Now it seems all too appropriate that a demonstration on animal rights should target at the haute couturiers and the fashion conscious Parisians who frequent this quarter.

French actress Bridget Bardot

Perhaps you may not know that one of the most celebrated of all French animal activists is none other than Bridget Bardot. The ultimate sex symbol from the 1950s and 60s retired from her successful acting career at the age of 39 and chose to use her fame to promote animal rights. She has championed against the killing of dolphins in Denmark, seal hunting in Canada, bear and tiger hunting in China, and the consumption of horse meat.

Nowadays, demonstrations of this nature seem too benign for the police to take serious actions.  These protests are seen more as a nuisance than a threat to national security. Think of the large-scale demonstrations in 2010 on the government's new retirement reform law. By comparison, our man and his herd in front of the camera looked no more than a photo opportunity.

Place de Vosges in the Marais

Built in 1612, Place de Vosges is the oldest residential square in Paris.  It may not look more impressive than the likes of Eaton Square or Belgrave Square in London which are both 19th-century renditions, but its significance lies in the fact that it was the prototype of all the residential squares in European cities that were to come.

Place de Vosges was the model of all the
residential squares in European cities 

There are a few interesting facts about this aristocratic square.  First, it is a true square (140 m x 140 m).  Second, the housefronts were all built with the same design of red brick over vaulted arcades which was a new concept at the time. Third, famous residents of the square counted the 19th-century poet and novelist, Victor Hugo and Cardinal Richelieu, the most powerful statesman in 17th-century France.

Explore the history of Paris at the Musee Carnavalet

French lacquer panels with Chinese motifs

Today, Place de Vosges sits between the 3rd and 4th arrondissements and shares the same district as some of city's hippest addresses for shops, cafes, restaurants and museums. In its immediate neighbourhood is the Musee Carnavalet which is dedicated to the history of the city. Explore a bit of the 18th-century Chinoiserie on display while taking a look at Marcel Proust's bedroom when he was writing his greatest work In Search of Lost Time.

A few steps away is the famous and hidden treasure trove of high fashion, L'Eclaireur. This original concept store, now 30 years old, had existed long before Colette, 10 Corso Como or Dover Street Market came on the scene. It is easy to miss the entrance but once you walked through the narrow alleyway leading to the shop, you will be delighted by its tasteful display of designer fashion alongside carefully edited furniture and artworks.

An installation in the concept store, L'Eclaireur 

The Marais is well known for its myriad sidewalk cafes and bistros serving different kinds of cuisine at reasonable prices. If you are happy with a casual bite, then visit the Jewish quarter in the 4th and enjoy the best falafel or yiddish sandwiches in Paris respectively at Chez Marianne and Sacha Finkelsztajn.

Queue up at Chez Marianne for a takeaway falafel sandwich

Yiddish patisserie has a huge following in Paris

A street view from the Cafe des musees 

At this time of the year, nothing beats having your meal al fresco. I particularly enjoy a simple girolle salad at Cafe des musees and watch the world passes by.  This bustling corner bistro is one of my favourite lunch places in the 3rd.  The food is consistently good and excellent value for money, and more importantly, it stays open on Sunday. And if you are lucky, you might even get a table without reservation.

The refreshing and tasty girolle salad

France's favourite store

Today I found myself exploring for the first time the allure of frozen food.  For a country which has a long tradition of picking the freshest produce straight from the growers during market days, it comes as a surprise that the concept of frozen food would go down well with ordinary French folks.

The fact is the Picard logo is ubiquitous in France and not only is the chain well liked for its innovation, quality and value for money, it has captured the hearts and minds of the French public.  In a recent consumer survey, the brand topped Ikea and Amazon to be France's most popular store. There are 108 branches in Paris alone, and over 780 throughout the country.

At Picard, the kind of frozen food that we are familiar with has evolved into an impressive range of entrees, appetizers, main courses and mouth-watering desserts.

 A tempting range of bite-size petit fours and macarons 

Sorbets and ice creams in stunning presentation

True to the form of French haute cuisine, these could have come from Fauchon

Apparently everything in the store is flash-frozen which means they defrost very quickly and retain most of their nutrients. You can get every kind of fish imaginable and an interesting mix of the staple foods including beef, lamb, poultry, vegetables and fruit, both raw and prepared. The novelty of April, for instance, is the smoked salmon millefeuilles on the right which have been delicately assembled with fromage frais, basil, and vegetables.

Bags of frozen stock in cubes

Coming from a country where wet market is THE place to get fresh ingredients, I have to admit I am more drawn to the concept behind Picard as a brand than the products themselves. It is selling a new kind of lifestyle that appeals to the younger generation. If you want your potato in brunoise, why bother with the fuss by doing it yourself when they come out from a bag perfectly diced?  For me, the tiny boxes of frozen herbs and bags of veal stock and red wine sauce should prove to be  rather handy for the odd meal that I might be preparing one of these days.

The cook's paradise

My other life training to be an aspiring pastry chef has proven to be more challenging than I would care to admit.  Before the final exam, I tested out six recipes over the weekend only to find that I was going to make Pithivier, an almond cream puff pastry which was about the least technical recipe out of the 50 odd gateaux and tartelettes that we learned.

Pithivier was traditionally eaten on the tenth day after the birth of Jesus

All the effort that went into the scouting for the right kitchen utensils and ingredients for the trial run was quite a task in itself. In Paris, most professional kitchenware shops are centred around Les Halles on rue Montmartre. Shops like Mora, A Simon and E Dehillerin have been around for a long time and they stock every conceivable shape and size of moulds and piping nozzles, plus any number of useful tools that you never knew existed - all still made in France to my disbelief! I am already working out my container's list heading the other direction.

The day that I had enough of pastry making, I went lunching at a neighbourhood bistro serving Basque dishes. Afaria has a small but interesting menu. I ordered from the 'Return Trip' section that suggests the dishes are inspired by the Basque tradition (southern France). The starter, pumpkin soup served with scallop tartare, was a refreshing combination of hot and cold. The grilled fish in a hazelnut crust with braised leeks was flavourful and the cooking point was perfect.

Pumpkin soup with scallop tartare

Grilled fish in a hazelhut crust

Judging from the standard of the food served in the 15th arrondissement, I am rather happy with the fact that decent meals can still be found in this area without the price tag of a more trendy district.

Bravo Hermes!

I was completely over the moon on visiting the new Hermes store on Rue de Serves, its second largest store to date. The site was previously home to the Lutetia Hotel's indoor swimming pool constructed in the 1930s. The original balustrade and mosiacs have been preserved and restored to provide the perfect backdrop for the three shed-like structures that fill the massive space of the pool.

I have no difficulty in visualising this work as an art installation in a contemporary art museum. I was somewhat surprised that the masterful use of space was the work of the Hermes' inhouse design team. This will be one of those memorable interiors that will stand the test of time.

La Grande Epicerie - a mecca in gourmet food

Even those who are mildly interested in food would find a visit to La Grande Epicerie at Le Bon Marche a feast for the eye, if not for the stomach.

A stellar selection of all things edible is available for anyone with a deep pocket.  It was New Year's Eve and the place was completely packed with shoppers who were all too happy to pay heftily for the pleasure of a gourmet meal to celebrate the festivities.

Le Bon Marche itself is an interesting piece of history for the retail industry as it is regarded as the first department store in the world dating back to the first half of the 19th century.

Vintage vs Contemporary

If you are into collecting anything at all, then Paris is probably the best place to embark on your treasure hunt.  A stroll in the district of Marais would not disappoint.  From stores that carry classic furniture from the 1950s to design shops that focus on contemporary lighting, they demonstrate the varied taste of the French population.

I read with a certain degree of doubt that the French society is highly structured in its social hierarchy. But if this is the case, then it makes perfect sense that the French wants to react against conformity by being outwardly individualistic, even though it may only be skin deep.  For now, I reserve the right to deliberate on this view.

Bonjour Paris! Let the feast begin...

I count this as one of my few blessings to be invited to spend my first day in Paris with the Bettembourgs, a French couple whom I have the pleasure of knowing in Macau. Luckier still, the Chinatown is situated 200m from their home in the 13th arrondissement so it gave me the perfect opportunity to stock up on all the essential ingredients from Paris' most famous Chinese grocery store, Tang Freres. Who else except 'une Chinoise' would visit a friend carrying a sac of rice and two bottles of soy sauce? I was not going to worry about social etiquette when I could blame it on being new here.

A delightful little poissonnerie in the neighbourhood

The weather was horrible as it was freezing cold and drizzling. Nevertheless, I was so relieved to be greeted by not only my gracious host, but also a warm bowl of vegetable soup, cheese souffle and salad that did wonders to my dampened spirit.

The expansive view from their balcony highlighted the many faceless tower blocks in the 13th arrondissement from the 60s and 70s. Short of any notable monuments, the Bibliotheque Francois Mitterand is perhaps its most visible landmark. Apparently this district is also home to many artists and intellectuals who reside in the hidden village streets which have escaped modernisation.  

The design of this facade was one of the earlier attempts
to maximise energy efficiency.

Interestingly, their flat is atop a semi-office tower that was built in the modernist style of the 1970s. It seems like an unusual arrangement nowadays to have seven levels of underground parking and nine floors above the ground, of which the first five are exclusively for business use. Despite its lack-lustre architectural landscape, I am sure I will be returning to the 13th district in no time as one can never be far from its cultural heritage.