From breakfast in the bush to breakfast in Paris
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14 November, Friday
On our last day in Ngala, we had breakfast in the bush. We drove up to a natural clearing with a few people, and a beautiful table was set up. Being in the wild really gives you an appetite! I was looking forward to the freshly brewed coffee, eggs and bacon.
Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Africa, but I was quite excited to be heading to Paris. We flew overnight to Zurich and then on to Paris. Isaac and the boys came for the day to see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and drink hot chocolate at Chez Angelina. The hot chocolate there is like a thick sauce; the boys loved it.
That evening, my mum and sister came to meet me, and Isaac and the boys went home. It was mum’s 60th birthday, and we had been talking for ages about a girls’ weekend in Paris. Finally, we said we had to do it. Mum used to work in fashion, and she used to go to Paris to buy quite a lot. She said she missed her little trips to Paris. We stayed in the 6th arrondissement, near Saint Germain des Pres, which was the perfect area for walking everywhere. We just wanted to eat in little Parisian cafés and brasseries, the kind of thing that’s easy to find in Paris.
We had delicious coffee and croissants at the famous Café de Flore. And we had fantastic steak frites at Le Relais de L’entrecôte. It’s the typical example of what you find in Paris. They serve the same thing over and over, and everyone flocks there because it’s so good. People queue up for ages to get in. It’s unpretentious; they know exactly what they’re doing and it’s perfect in its simplicity. I had a wonderful salad with walnuts and mustard vinaigrette. The entrecôte steak had an amazing green sauce, which was like a smooth salsa verde with capers, herbs, anchovies and maybe some spinach. They wouldn’t tell me how to make it; they said it’s a secret!
We did lots and lots of wandering around. We went to La Maison du Chocolat. I am ashamed to admit that I ate everything I bought there and didn’t bring anything back! I did buy some gifts at Ladurée, which has looked the same for years. In the front you buy pastries and their famous macaroons in the most exquisite boxes. In the back there is a salon de thé, which also serves breakfast with gorgeous preserves.
Then we went to a great farmer’s market, the Saxe-Breteuil. It’s typical French, complete with the Eiffel Tower in the background. The atmosphere is really amazing as you see the French do their weekly shop. It reminds me that French cuisine is so naturally seasonal. They would never fuss with strawberries in December. They don’t go with trends. They’re so confident with what they do, and that’s just that. I love the simplicity of it.
That evening, my mum and sister came to meet me, and Isaac and the boys went home. It was mum’s 60th birthday, and we had been talking for ages about a girls’ weekend in Paris. Finally, we said we had to do it. Mum used to work in fashion, and she used to go to Paris to buy quite a lot. She said she missed her little trips to Paris. We stayed in the 6th arrondissement, near Saint Germain des Pres, which was the perfect area for walking everywhere. We just wanted to eat in little Parisian cafés and brasseries, the kind of thing that’s easy to find in Paris.
We had delicious coffee and croissants at the famous Café de Flore. And we had fantastic steak frites at Le Relais de L’entrecôte. It’s the typical example of what you find in Paris. They serve the same thing over and over, and everyone flocks there because it’s so good. People queue up for ages to get in. It’s unpretentious; they know exactly what they’re doing and it’s perfect in its simplicity. I had a wonderful salad with walnuts and mustard vinaigrette. The entrecôte steak had an amazing green sauce, which was like a smooth salsa verde with capers, herbs, anchovies and maybe some spinach. They wouldn’t tell me how to make it; they said it’s a secret!
We did lots and lots of wandering around. We went to La Maison du Chocolat. I am ashamed to admit that I ate everything I bought there and didn’t bring anything back! I did buy some gifts at Ladurée, which has looked the same for years. In the front you buy pastries and their famous macaroons in the most exquisite boxes. In the back there is a salon de thé, which also serves breakfast with gorgeous preserves.
Then we went to a great farmer’s market, the Saxe-Breteuil. It’s typical French, complete with the Eiffel Tower in the background. The atmosphere is really amazing as you see the French do their weekly shop. It reminds me that French cuisine is so naturally seasonal. They would never fuss with strawberries in December. They don’t go with trends. They’re so confident with what they do, and that’s just that. I love the simplicity of it.
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