Recipes from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz

8/7/2019 Recipes from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz

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Copyrigh 2009 by David Lboviz

All Righs Rsrvd

Publishd in h Unid Sas by Broadway Paprbacks,

an imprin of h Crown Publishing Group,

a division of Random Hous, Inc., Nw York.

www.crownpublishing.com

BROADWAY PAPERBACKS and is logo, a ltr B biscd on h diagonal,

ar radmarks of Random Hous, Inc.

Originally publishd in hardcovr in h Unid Sas by Broadway Books,

an imprin of h Crown Publishing Group, a division of

Random Hous, Inc., Nw York, in 2009.

Library of Congrss Caaloging-in-Publicaion Daa

Lboviz, David.

T swe lif in Paris: dlicious advnurs in h worlds mos

gloriousand prplxingci / David Lboviz. 1s d.

p. cm.

1. Gasronomy. 2. Cookry, Frnch. 3. Paris (Franc)Social lif and cusoms.

4. AmricansFrancAncdos. I. il.

X637.L42 2009

641'.013dc22

2008025955

ISBN 978-0-7679-2889-2

PRINED IN HE UNIED SAES OF AMERICA

Desgn by Elzabeth Rendeich

Cover desgn by Jennfer OConnor

Cover photograph by Fuse/Jupter Images

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I

ASK HIM FOR A CAFE AU LAITONLY IF YOU WOKE UP WITH HIM

Its almost impossible to nd a drinkable cup of coffee in

Paris: the coffee here is among the worst Ive ever had.

Before Francophiles race to chime in about how bad

American coffee is, yes, I agree with you. Theres a lot of bad

coffee in America. The difference is theres thepossibilityof

nding a good cup in the States.

Plus North Americans have an excuse: we dont share a

border with Italy, that magical kingdom of coffee, where

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unil I polish off h las o h syrupy sprsso ha ricls ou o h iny

cup, my mind can concnra on anyhing bu ha inns dos o mas-rully xracd coffe. Ahl espresso perfeto.

In a counry whr hrs such an mphasis on fin dining, whos good

ood is clbrad no jus hr, bu around h world, is suping why

Parisian coffe is so vil ha d-up Frnch ood wrir Sophi Brissard d-

scribd i as dony piss. T only good coffe Iv ound in Paris has

ben in placs run by Ialians. o hm, srving bad coffe would b an in-

sul o hir nir culur. Whn I asd h woman a h Ialian ourismoffic how sh was abl o liv in Paris and subsis on h coffe srvd

hr, sh lood as i Id mad hr quasy jus by mnioning i. I will no

drin coffe in Franc, sh rspondd. I only drin a.

Grasping or som xplanaion, I did som rsarch. I larnd ha manyo h cas ar orcd o buy hir bans fom h sam supplir, d-

scribd as an Auvrgna Mafia. I has h cas, I suggs h Ialian

Mafia a ovr. Im sur hyd lan on h cas o improv h quali

o h coffe.

Spaing o bans, I don bliv or a minu ha much o h coffe

labldpur Arabca, considrd h bs, acually is.

Tn hrs h rm Frnch roas, which mans h coffe isroasd unil is burn byond rcogniion. Is a procss dsignd o

covr up h awul flavors o bad bans. I avoid anyhing labld Frnch

roas.

I pulld up an onlin inrviw wih a ca wair, who said i your no

looing, hyll on rus coffe grounds. I anyon in Ialy did ha,

hyd b ossd o h ral Mafia. Is no bcaus Im chap ha I sand

a h bar or my coffe (whr is inded chapr); is bcaus Im dis-rusul. I wach h barmn li a haw, and alhough Iv nvr sen any-

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ar ach and vry cup. From h as o hings, I doub hy vn do i

ar ach and vry monh.And Parisian barmn mus hin h ampr is hr or dcoraion, sinc

hy rarly us i. Evry im hy dump som coffe ino h filr holdr and

is i closd undr h opning o h machin, I wan o lap ovr h

counr, waving my arms, Sop! Sop! Prss ha coffe down firs! Tir-

en ilos worh o prssur! Tas wha ha litl round mal hing is or!

Bu I ep qui, drop a sugar cub in h murk blac sludg, and sip

i whil grimacing, wondring i mayb dony piss migh b an improv-mn. I youv vr wondrd wha all hos pnsiv hinrs ar pondr-

ing in h cas, ha migh b i, oo.

Frusrad, I go mysl a bulk Ialian-mad sprsso machin and nrolld

in h Univrsi dl Caff sprsso-maing school a Illy Caff in Ialy.Tr I larnd all h componns or pulling a prc sprsso: how o

grind h bans o a fin powdr, fill h filr holdr wih jus h righ

amoun o ground coffe, hn amp i down wih propr prssur. Each x-

racion ha cam dribbling ou o h machin was chocola-brown

manna fom havn. I was so xciing I couldn slep a nigh hining

abou all Id larnd. (Or, mor lily, i was h nin or n shos o sprsso

I downd ach day.) I cam hom wih a suicas pacd wih coffe, andvry im I go o Ialy, I bring an mp on o rsoc my lardr.

Howvr, I was finding i difficul o susain my coffe-running opraion

across h bordr. Fd up, and armd wih my nwly acquird nowldg

and a prossional sprsso mar a homI hadd up o h nih

arrondissmn, o h highly rgardd Brlri Jordain. (I nedd litl n-

couragmn o go hr, sinc is convninly locad jus nx door o

Boulangri 140, whos bric ovn urns ou som o h bs brad in Paris.)I old h ownr, who was also h coffe roasr, my pligh. Im loo-

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ass jus li Ialian coffe. T ownr o h shop, considrd on o h

bs placs in Paris o buy coffe, wrinld up his nos and rplidWarn-ing: I your Ialian, plas don rad h nx snncWhy would

you wan your coffe o as li Ialancoffe?

Good Lord. Im no vn a singl bi Ialian, and Im offndd. Imag-

in i an xpr on chocola sniffd a you, Why would you wan choco-

las ha as li Parianchocolas?

So I sic wih coffe impord fom Ialy as much as possibl and ry

o drin my brw a hom, sinc I don hin many Parisian wairs wouldloo vry indly upon m i I plund a hrmos down on h abl and

sard pouring. Bu mayb I should: hy migh g h mssag.

Bu ls say you don hav a coffe machin, or don wan o ris h

wrah o an unsympahic wair: how do you ordr coffe in Paris? I you

jus say, Ill hav a coffe, h wairs going o bring you a small cup o

express. And don corrc m. In Franc, is splld wih an x. I now, I

now. Ty can vn g h splling righ.Is usually h momn h wair ss down ha iny cup o brown

sludg and dashs away ha mos visiors rcoil in surpris. Tn hy

spnd h nx n minus rying o flag h wair down or mil. I can

se no undrsanding ha hy don auomaically bring mil h firs

w ims, bu ar a whil, youd hin ouriss would g wih h pro-

gram. I man, dosn i sin in ha mil isn brough wih coffe and you

hav o as whn you ordr i in Franc ar i happns h nh im? Noons eping a masr lis around hr o how ach visior as his coffe.

Sharp minds figur i ou vnually, hough, and mos popl who

wan o down a hy mug o milk coffe will ordr a ca au lai, which

lirally ranslas as coffe wih mil. Jus so you now, ca au lai is

srvd only a braasa homsippd wih popl youv spn h

nigh wih. Cas don srv ca au lai, xcp rndy Frnch-sl cas

in Nw Yor and Brly.An hons-o-goodnss ca au lai is a larg, saming-ho coffe wih

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so your no lily o g any raisd ybrows h way you onc migh hav.

Bu wha you rally wan o as your wair or is a caf crme. Unlss yourwaing up nx o him, which is nirly possibl givn hir rpuaion.

I ha happns, I can giv you much guidanchas ou o my

rang o xpris, bu unli maing coffe, i is on sill ha h Frnch

do xcl a.

CAFE FRANAIS

Should you plan on drining your coff in cas, no in srangrs

homs, Im happy o hlp you ou.

Caf expressSomims calld caf nor, caf naure, or caf normal.

his is a small, sprsso-syl coff. (Calling i an sprsso would

rais h ir o Ialians vrywhr.) I you simply say you wan a

ca, his is wha your going o g. Evry im.

Caf serr A igh caf express, mor concnrad sinc is mad

wih lss war han a caf express.

Caf allong A caf express mad wih xra war during h x-

racion. I your in a ca and you wan o lingr longr, ordr on

o hs.

Caf lgerA caf expresswih ho war addd ar is xracd.

No rcommndd. A all.

Caf noisette Caf express wih a hazlnu-sizd dollop o

samd mil floaing on op. Rcommndd i you find h as o

Parisian coff off-puing. D riguur o ordr on lauoroueor on

rains, whr h ood, li coff, will challng anyons prcp-

ion ha vryhing in Franc is dlicious.

Caf dcafin Onc upon a im ordring anyhing dcaffinad

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a lam Amrican. Now hy all ordr i, oo, and simply say undca.

All coffs can b ordrd dcaffinad by simply saying

dca a h nd o your ordr. Bu i your oldr wair gruns whn

you do, you migh b up lar han youd li.

Caf amricain Amrican-syl coff is somims calld caf filre,

which is brwd or filrd. Cauion: Somims youll b givn

ward-down caf express. Commonly srvd a hol braass

or a hom.

Caf soluble or caf instantan Insan coff. Avoid a all coss.

Caf au lait Caf express or srong brwd coff lighnd wih

warm mil, srvd in a bowl, only a hom, or braas. Or in

rndy bisros in Amrica or $6.50.

Caf crme A caf express srvd in a cup wih warm (gnrally sr-

ilizd) mil addd. Availabl in normalorpe, in which cas you

as or un pe crme.

Cappuccino A caf express srvd in a cup wih los o rohy,

samd mil. Som cas will pu i in a ooy glass mug, add a ligh

dusing o brown powdr, and charg a whol lo mor han hy

should or i. I you rally wan a cappuccino, go o Ialy.

Caf viennoisCoff wih whippd cram, a drin youll usually

find in an ic cram shop or a salon, alhough som cas will

whip on up. (Alhough is unlily hyll whip up ral cram or

i.) I you g on in h righ plac, as h whippd cram bor

adding i o your coff; Frnch whippd cram is so good, you may

wan o sip h coff undrnah, which will ruin i.

Caf frapp or caf glac Procd wih cauion sinc is no rally

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and is gnrally ooh-achingly sw and srvd in a chinzy por-ion, wih on hal-assd ic cub bobbling on op. I will invariably

b oo xpnsiv or wha you g, so don g your hops up. You

do g a cool sirrr, hough.

A w mor cavas: Ar a mal, hin o coffe as a d puncua-

ion mar ha signals h clos o a mal, no an opn-ndd inviaion osay wih rfill ar rfill. A caf crmeis nvr srvd ar lunch or dinnr,

alhough is bcoming mor commonplac as an arnoon drin, sinc

is lingr-findly. Coffe is srvd only ar a mal, nvr during, and

only ar dssr. Youll nvr g i a h sam im sinc is no con-

sidrd correc. And you always wan o b corrc, non?

Las, in cas your a coffe lovr and com o Paris, hrs always

a, which was somhing I nvr rally undrsood h appal o unil Imovd hr. Now Im drining i mor han vr. Who would hav hough

ha living in Paris would acually ma m mor Ialian?

S H A K E R A T O

BLENDED ICED COFFEE

M A K E S 2 S E R V I N G S

Youd hin popl who word around coffe all day long would b ird o h

suff. Bu h mploye coffe bar a Illy in ris was h busis plac in own.

T woman bhind h bar didn hav any nos rings or aoos. In ac, shlood as i sh could b somons Ialian grandmohr. Bu boy, could sh

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caugh my y. I was mosly an wih h nam, which I lovd, and h ida o

a wll-mad fost coffe drin was hard o rsis.

Hr Iv addd liquur o giv h sharao a bi o a ic, which I saw

bing don in a w caffsin ris. Frnch popl lov Bailys, which hy pro-

nounc Bay-layz, bu your wlcom o play around wih ohr liquurs. I you

wan o sip h liquur aloghr, rplac i wih a w gnrous squirs o

chocola syrup.

2 medium scoops vanilla or coffee ice cream, softened slightly

2 or 3 shots strong espresso, cooled

1/2 cup (125 ml) Baileys Irish Cream

A few ice cubes

Unsweetened cocoa powder or grated chocolate

1. In a cocail shar or blndr, combin h ic cram, sprsso,

Bailys, and ic.2. Sha or blnd vigorously, unil h ic cram has mld and is

smooh.

3. Pour ino shor umblrs and sprinl h ops wih cocoa powdr. I

you us a blndr, hr may b ragmns o ic, which I don mind. I you

do, srain hm ou.

TARTE TAT I N , PO U R L E REG I ME

CARAMELIZED APPLE TART (LOW-FAT)

M A K E S 8 S E R V I N G S

Many Frnch womnand mnar obsssd wih le rgime, or hir di.

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avrag Frnchman gaind 11.8 pounds. (Forunaly hr wr no publishd

saisics abou h wigh gain o Amrican mn whov movd o Franc.) And

vn hough Frnch popl don obsss as much as w do abou wha hy a,

hr ar plnt o Parisians who will radily admi ha hyd li o los a w

ilos.

Tis is my di vrsion o h classic ar ain, an opn-acd ar o

caramlizd appls on a vry hin she o ak pasry. Sinc I us appls

ha hav los o avor, all has nedd is a pa o bur o add a bi o rich-

nss.I may b hoplssly Amrican whn I say his, bu a good accompanimn o

ar ain is a saming cup o sprsso, and Ill njoy hm oghr a hom.

Bu i you com o Paris, si in a ca, and ordr boh a h sam im, and you

g a unny loo, don say I didn warn you.

For the dough

3

/4 cup (110 g) flour1/4 teaspoon salt

11/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch (2-cm) cubes

and chilled

3 tablespoons (45 ml) ice-cold water

For the apples

8 firm, tart baking apples

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted or salted butter

1/2 cup (120 g) packed dark brown sugar

1. o ma h dough, combin h flour, sal, and sugar in a ood

procssor, sanding mixr, or pasry blndr. Add h bur and mix unilh bur is in pa-sizd chuns. Sir in h war and mix jus unil h

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2. o ma h ar, quarr, pl, and cor h appls. oss h pics

wih h lmon juic in a big bowl and s asid.3. Ml h bur in a 10-inch (25-cm) cas-iron sill. Sir in h

brown sugar and rmov rom ha.

4. Arrang h appl quarrs in h pan roundd sid down, wih hir

cord sids acing upwards. ighly pac h appls in ovrlapping con-

cnric circls. Rally cram hm in. I may sm li a lo, bu hyll coo

down, so don worry.

5.

Coo ovr mdium ha or 20 o 25 minus. Do no sir or movh appls whil cooing, bu gnly prss hm down slighly wih a spa-

ula as hy son.

6. Whil h appls ar cooing, prha h ovn o 400F (200C).

Posiion a rac in h uppr hird o h ovn.

7. Roll h dough on a lighly flourd surac ino a 12-inch (30-cm)

circl. (I will b hin, bu don worry.) Drap h dough ovr h appls,

ucing in h dgs, and ba h ar on an uppr rac o h ovn or 35o 40 minus, unil h dough is goldn brown.

8. Rmov rom h ovn and invr a baing sh ovr h ar. Hold

h sill in plac waring an ovn mi and flip boh h sill and h

baing sh simulanously, bing carul o any ho pan juics. Li off

h sill, loosn any appls ha may hav suc, and runi hm wih

h ar.

SERVING: Srv ar ain warm, wih a scoop o vanilla ic cram or

crm rach (pag 193). A Brhillon in Paris, h amd ic cram shop,

hy srv a picur-prc vrsion in hir a salon wih a scoop o

caraml ic cram, which is ovr-h-op good.

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