Taillevent

Photos by Jet Tila

Dining at the one of the best restaurants in the world was an experience I will never forget. After making a reservation 2 months in advance, we then had to call the morning of our lunch reservation to confirm. From the time we were met by the doorman at the entrance, we were guided through to our seats by 3 different hosts with absolute precision.

The meal commenced with the famous Taillevent cheese puffs followed by breadrolls shaped like little pods of goodness, made to perfection and of course served with real French butter.


Although we were originally going to dine from the lunch menu, we decided to indulge in the tasting menu as it may be a while before we return to Paris. This is how it proceeded...

The amuse of cauliflower foam with shrimp infused ice cream
topped with a wee shrimp and green oil

Petits pois virtuels
A la Francaise

Royal d'asperges vertes de Provence
Infusion de morilles

Epeautre du pays Sault en risotto
Homard et curry

Bar de ligne poele
Compression de legumes safranes


Canard de la Dombes roti
Aux dragees et a Phydromel


Souffle glace de vieux Comte au Chateau Chalon


Fantaisie au fraises des bois


Creme gourmande au cafe
Glace au Marsala


... and finally...

...the lovely Petit Fours that we asked to take with us as we couldn't possibly fit another morsel in!

I will not be so presumptuous as to comment on the food other than to reveal which dishes I preferred however the whole experience - the service, the wine paring, the quality and the combination of dishes was incomparable from anything I have ever experience and tasted. All the desserts were amazing, but that would be my sweet tooth talking! The Royale d'asperges and Epeautre du pays dishes were my equal favorites, while Jet's were the same in addition to the Canard.

To be honest, I expected the staff to be a little snobby, but to my surprise, they were making jokes with us as they translated the menu, made conversation about where we were from, graciously allowed us to take a menu with us, and even offered to take a photo for us! There were 4 captains running the floor, and ours was by far the best and most charming. Each staff member wore ties of various colors, which showed their designation so it was clear who was running the show.

There was only one blip during this whole event, and that was the arrival of some diners who did not bother to adhere to the dress code of tie and jacket. Instead they turned up in jeans, trainers, t-shirts and tracksuit jackets. The staff did not seem to notice however, so I guess that makes me the snob in this instance!

After this amazing 3 hour lunch, we strolled the streets of Paris and made our way up to the Arc de Triomphe.

From Cambridge to Paris, the Start of the Super-Fast European Adventure

Photos by Jet Tila

Bonjour! We have made it to Paris, after surviving my driving in England. Apparently I drive much better on the left hand side which is thoroughly believable since I have been doing that for significantly longer than driving on the right! On arrival in Cambridge, we were quickly welcomed back into the Hagard family and fed one of my favorite English dishes, Coronation Chicken!

It is a very strange feeling to be a tourist in a city that you were once a resident... it's almost like groundhog day from when I first arrived in 2004! I even got sentimental about the baked potato stand that was once the major contributor toward making my clothes too small...

Other people punting on the River Cam (just so you get the idea)

We went punting on the river and got some Cambridge history under our belts, indulged in a Cornish Pasty, indulged further in a Chelsea Bun then hit the Asian market for some supplies for dinner. Jet prepared some Vietnamese rolls which my family demolished in record time, complimenting him on his prowess in the kitchen! But we knew that already... He had multiple sous chefs and even had me working and getting my hands dirty! I know that there is photographic evidence of this, however I don't have any at the moment. I'm sure it will appear in a history book sooner or later.

A Chelsea Bun

On Saturday we attended the party in Ely at the Riverside Inn and we caught up with my crazy and fabulous extended family! As the day came to an end, I realized how much I missed them all - even though I didn't see them that often while I lived in the UK. I guess I just knew they were there. We also organized to trade Indian & Thai recipes with the Mehta family when we are back in London!

After the party, we again hit the Asian market and Jet made some vegetarian dishes, while Miche prepared some haggis! Haggis is liver, kidney, heart and a bit of barley, cooked in a sheep's stomach and should be enjoyed with whiskey and a special haggis poem. We got to enjoy the whole package as Spencer produced not only whiskey, but the poem as well! After a dubious taste, I had to admit, that it was actually quite tasty.

Haggis!

We are just back from enjoying a tasting menu at Taillevent, however that demands a blog all of its own...

Matzo Ball Soup

Although I am completely resistant to most things Judaic, I cannot resist matzo ball soup.

This craving only comes about once year, and it happens whether I attend a seder or not. So last night, after I stayed at home with my dog, and did not attend a seder, I insisted that Jet take me out to Jerry's Deli for matzo ball soup at 10:30. Just as he arrived home from cooking a seder meal for one of his clients.

There are two kinds of mazto balls. Some camps decide that just one big ball is better, others think that several small ones are the way to go. It's a little like gall stones! I personally prefer the smaller ones, purely because that's what my friends' parents made and it has a certain familiarity to it. But really, it is completely dependent on who made them and how they were made.

Then you have the soup part. Do you add noodles to the chicken soup? Do you make it cloudy or clear? Do you leave the chicken pieces and the vegetables in? Everyone is different and everyone has their own secret to making the perfect soup. These secret recipes are passed down through families for generations. And every family believes that theirs is better.

Amazingly I can say that no-one in my family has ever made this traditional dish. I grew up eating it at everyone else's houses and actually, no-one in my family really liked matzo quite as much as I did anyway. I love it. I'd eat it all year if I could. Jet thinks it tastes as dry as the desert that the Jews were lost in.

So this is the week I get my matzo fix! And as I am eating it, I will recall happy memories of Passover dinners with the Smiths. Maybe this year I will find the aficomen and win my prize. Actually... I think I have already won.

My attempt at adding pictures...

I did it! I added a picture!

So here it is. My latest portrait... Daisy Mae Tila. Isn't she beautiful?

My first blog!

At the insistence of my Sensei, I've created a blog! Her reasoning was simply that I must get my art online, but whilst chewing on this idea, I had an epiphany. I can use it for everything! Down with Facebook and up with blogging!

My boyfriend Jet and I are going to Europe next week. Our first trip together out of the country. His first trip to Europe. And not only that, he gets to meet some of my family. As the eternal optimist and constant dreamer, I will say now, that I expect my blog to be filled with mirth... If not mirth, then Los Angeles, be worried!

With the US Dollar at an appalling low, we are just covering the obligatory sights and waiting until the next trip to do more extensive travel. I am keeping with Markham family tradition and cramming as much into a 2 week trip as earthly possible. Cambridge, Paris, London. In that order.

I've also had to bribe and coerce my friend and former colleague into looking after my impossibly naughty pooch for the time we are away. She also looked after Charlotte when I was in Australia just last month and said then that she couldn't have her again - she was just too bad! My unemployment situation changed her mind, and she took pity on me and my unruly pet, but I'm sending over the crate as reinforcement this time. No hunger strikes during Passover!

So that ends the news for my first blog. I have to work out how to post pictures as that was the original intention! I sometimes feel like my generation falls between the cracks of X & Y. Might I use a word made known to me by Abigail Adams and suggest that my generation is "hermaphroditical"?