Paris food trend forecasting MAD LIB-style!

Jessie Kanelos Weiner
Jessie Kanelos Weiner

Kicking yourself you didn’t open up a grilled cheese comptoir / burrata burrito bar/ mac ‘n’ cheese cupcake shack of your own?  In search of the next big thing, fill out the Paris food trend forecaster below.  Send me your results at thefrancofly@gmail.com.  I will publish my favorite and illustrate the most ridiculous food trend you come up with!  Happy trending!

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Bouffe for thought

By_______________________________(your name here)

Call it what you will.  After the uproaring success of ______________(nationality) __________________ (a finger food), _______________(nationality)______________(an American comfort food) and the latest _______________(food trend) and _______________(food trend) comptoir, something _______________(adjective) is brewing in the _______________(number between 1 and 20) arrondissement of Paris.  ______________________ (a cliché French saying)!

But the latest hotspot to woo _____________ (adjective) Parisians and _______________ (nationality) expats alike goes by the unassuming name of ________________ (adjective 1)_______________(noun 1).  What has evolved from a _____________(adjective) _______________(style of restaurant) in a ________________(type of transportation), has evolved into a full-blown empire, with locations expected to open soon in ______________(Midwestern city in America) and __________________(Metropolitan city in Asia).  The ___________ (adjective) brainchild of ___________(English first name-1)_____________ (French last name), _____________ (English name-1) has been dazzling its diners with a fresh take on ______________ (nationality)_____________ (a trendy food) since it opened its doors in _____________(a month).

Although _____________ (adjective 1)_______________(noun 2) is best known for its ______________(adjective)_____________(nationality)______________(a South American delicacy), diners wait upwards of ______________(number) for the _________________(adjective) ______________(food trend) macaroni and cheese sliders.  Don’t forget to wash it all down with a _______________(adjective) selection of ______________(type of drink) from the ______________(direction) of _________________(country).

After giving up a lucrative job in _______________(an industy), _______________(English first name 1) is passionate about sharing _____________(adjective)_____________(a food trend) with the ___________(adjective) masses.   “Really what we’re really aspiring to do is use ______________ (adjective) ingredients, sourced _______________ (adverb) and ________________(word to describe food) authenticity.”  Thanks, ___________(English name 1).  Now we can all have our ________________ (nationality)_____________(food trend) and eat it, too.

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A Precursor

Jessie Book of Fab 1299          Yes, this might be one of those nostalgia-inducing posts only people who post childhood profile pictures can appreciate.  But on a much overdue trip back to Chicago after 4 years, I found something even better than a letter to myself in the future, Jessie’s Book of Fabulous Recipes.  Amongst the remnants of 18 years of unrequited love in the attic of my childhood home, I found this document scarily predicting my future, all captured in beautiful food illustrations.  Doughnut-flavored gyros with caramel?  Dare I say this was a precursor to molecular gastronomy?   An alive pigeon in honey dijon mustard?  Dare I compare this to French cuisine? Jessie Book of Fab 2300

Jessie Book of Fab 3301

Jessie Book of Fab 5303

Jessie Book of Fab 4302

sweet teeth

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Although you can catch the full spread in the latest Standard Magazine, here are a few delicious Polaroids of a recent collaboration.  Hopefully they will subside a sweet tooth all the way to the newsstand…

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Photos Cyrille Weiner assisted by Eglantine Aubry and Virginie Puyraimond

Jewelry styling Jean-Marc Rabemila

Cakes Sugar Daze

Direction David Herman

Food styling Jessie Kanelos Weiner

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hors saison

thefrancofly by Jessie Kanelos Weiner

Yes, white asparagus.  So two months ago!  Just like asperges blanches, I’ve been hors saison for some time now.  But I am happy to report I am finally shedding my hoodie, taking my coffee iced and walking to the beat of Get Lucky. I’ll be unplugged for the next few weeks, seizing the sunshine and trying to kick my resemblance to Blanche Neige.  Here goes!  Happy Summer, everybody.  Anxious for more francofly fun?  Drop by my newly update Pinterest page!

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Beet it!

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Man vs vegetable!  That’s what I’ll call my nocturnal battle to eat what I like and play up to the picky taste buds of mon mari.  If it were up to me, everything would be christened with lemongrass and a handful of cilantro.  But alas, this is France!  It’s not about chasing culinary fireworks, but enjoying quality ingredients in their unadulterated state.  But I take this with a grain of salt and a star anise.  But I am always up for the challenge, looking out for enticing meatless recipes which could get past Monsieur Meat & Potatoes himself.

I wish I could take full credit for this winner, but I found inspiration from a smoky beet burger recipe on one of my go-to blogs SPROUTED KITCHEN. I knew these burgers would be an easy sell.  Beets recreate the crimson hue of ground beef.  And pulsed mushrooms and chickpeas give the burgers a toothsome texture and the right amount of umami to lure mon mari for the second bite.  Under a silken cloak of sauteed mushrooms and melted brebis cheese, this was one veggie burger incognito.  Accompanied by handcut french fries, it was an easy sell.  Victory is mine!

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Beet burgers (inspired by SPROUTED KITCHEN)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion  chopped

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped

1 cup grated beets

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 cup chickpeas, cooked

1 egg

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 cups cooked short-grained rice

1.)  Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Saute onions, walnuts, mushrooms, beets, garlic, and chickpeas until tender, about 10 minutes.  Let cool slightly.

2.)  In a food processor, pulse sauteed vegetables with egg, soy sauce, and rice until coarsely mixed.  Season to taste.  With wet hands, form mixture into 8-10 1-inch thick patties.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.  Saute burgers for 5 minutes until crust forms.  Flip and cook for 10 more minutes until caramelized.

P.S.  Charlotte Brunet photo. Jessie Kanelos Weiner style.

P.P.S. Check out my BOARDING PASS on Prêt à Voyager!

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1 day on IÎe-aux-Moines

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Voila!  A rare slice of sunshine on the magnificent IÎe-aux-Moines, a tiny island off the coast of Brittany, nestled in the Gulf of Morbihan.  Although the sunshine was as sporadic as our worries, I reread The Great Gatsby and relived Gatsbian decadence at a 5-day wedding soaked in champagne and good cheer.

Let me share with you the ideal day on IÎle-aux-Moines…

10AM

Enjoy a coffee and croissant on the terrace of San Francisco with its tony view overlooking the busy port.

11AM

Rent a bike and take a spin around the island while taking in its coastal views and prehistoric treasures, including the dolmen of Penhap.  Be warned, although it’s easy to get caught up in the romantic, rainy charm of IÎle-aux-Moines, renting a tandem bike with your French other half does not come with a bilingual communication manual…

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1PM

It’s always a sign of an oyster’s freshness if the person shucking it is wearing waterproof yellow overalls. Save yourself and buy a douzaine direct from the ostréiculteur at Ets MARTIN including an obligatory glass of white.

4PM

Tea time!  Hands down, the only place to get an authentic crepe fix on the isle is Lonely Galettes.

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8PM

Book at table at Le Cagou for regional slow food, the freshest fish, and an enticing prix-fixe menu. Langoustines, Saint-Pierre, and far breton (Brittany’s ubiquitous prune clafoutis) will top off a perfect day on IÎe-aux-Moines.

As always, thanks to mon mari for the photos!

Bon week-end, everybody!

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