Watch Your Language Blog

My Travel Words and Phrases: French Food

Part II in Shaina's installment of essential French words and phrases covers the best part of traveling to Paris: food.

1) une carafe d'eau (a pitcher of water) [oon kah-rahf doh]

A pitcher of non-bubbly tap water. You can order it at basically any sit-down place, such as a café or restaurant. Your wallet will thank you — paying for an expensive bottle of Evian water is not a necessary Parisian experience.

2) une demi-baguette (half a baguette) [oon duh-mee bah-geht]

Full baguettes are great, but they're bigger than you think and they go stale pretty quickly. Order this instead if it's just for you and even one or two other people. It's cheaper, you'll actually be able to finish it and it's just as delicious! And don't worry, it still has that fun top that you can break off and eat as soon as you've left the bakery.

3) cassis (black currant) [kah-sees]

This is a very popular French flavor and you'll see it in lots of desserts, in everything from ice cream to pastry (and, of course, liquor). It's pretty intense and very fruity, like a highly concentrated version of "mixed berry." Be adventurous, try it!

4) macaron (macaroon) [mah-kah-roh(n)]

These are not those coconuty, canned, lopsided star-shaped things that you see in the US (my apologies to anyone who likes these). The ones in France are chewy and dense, kind of like round, gourmet, almondy versions of a blondie brownie.

They come in about a gazillion flavors — ranging from vanilla, chocolate and caramel at most pastry shops, to lemon and cassis (see number 3 on this list) at gourmet food places like Ladurée, to olive oil and jasmine tea for the really adventurous at shops like Pierre Hermé — so there's something for everyone. And you will see them in many, many pastry shops.

If you get a chance, try one. Sure, you might not like them, but who ever thought spending a few extra bucks on French pastry was a waste? Take the money you saved by going up to the top of Montparnasse instead of the Eiffel Tower (see my previous blog entry) and enjoy a great French pastry tradition.

Check them out here at Ladurée, a French pastry shop famous for its macaroons. (SHAINA)


June 26, 2007