Paris Journal 2014 – Barbara Joy Cooley Home: barbarajoycooley.com
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More often than not, the restaurants where we dine in Paris play American music on their sound systems. Frequently, the music is jazz; sometimes it is rock. I must say that those young men at Bistrotters did a particularly good job of selecting some remarkably good Dixieland and early jazz music the night that we dined there. While we are fiercely proud of American jazz, we are also embarrassed by how often it usurps French or other European music in the restaurant scene here. So last night, we were delighted to be listening to North African music as we dined on North African fare at Restaurant Tipaza on the rue Saint Charles. I notice that a couple reviewers (in French) complain that the cuisine at Tipaza, which is supposed to be Moroccan, is not really authentically Moroccan. I’ve never been to Morocco, so I do not know if these complainers are correct or not. Maybe Tipaza is serving a Frenchified Moroccan cuisine, but I don’t really care, because I like it so much. Whatever they’re doing, they’re doing it right, as far as I’m concerned. I’d reserved a table via Lafourchette.com, so the staff was expecting us. I didn’t expect them to remember us from July 28 (two weeks ago), but they did! They’re such kind and friendly gentlemen. I convinced Tom that this time he should have a tagine or a couscous, and to stay away from fries and grilled lamb chops, which he can have at so many other places. Go for the specialties of the house, I say. First we were given an assortment of marinated carrots, potatoes, olives, and more as complimentary hors d’oeuvres while we perused the menu. I’d had the Tagine Dolma last time, so this time I wanted to try the tagine d’agneau aux pruneaux confits et aux amandes grillées: lamb tagine with roasted plums and grilled almonds. Tom ordered the same dish. The tagines arrived at the table piping hot, followed immediately by a pot of fluffy, light semolina and plates on which to assemble the semolina with the tagine contents. Next to the salt and pepper shakers on the table is a little covered pot of the kind that French bistrots often use for mustard. At Tipaza, this dish contains Harissa – a hot sauce made with chili peppers, paprika, and olive oil – which I have come to love. I’m going to have to learn to make Harissa at home; I bet I can use the food processor to do this. My guess is that Frenchified North African cuisine is made blander to suit French taste buds, just as Indian food is in Paris. By adding some Harissa to my tagine and semolina, I like to think I am bringing it back up to the level of spiciness it should be. The tagines were absolutely delicious, and generous. For dessert (ordering two courses each is mandatory with the Lafourchette discount), Tom ordered the Berber pastries. The waiter brought out a three-tiered server stacked with these delicacies. Tom selected three (the amount allotted for one dessert). They were yummy. My dessert was a Mystère Flambé au Grand Marnier. This little concoction had an outer layer of honey and ground nuts. This was over a ball of ice cream that had a tiny meringue hidden in the middle. The server brought the Mystère to the table, poured the liquor over it, and lit it up, making sure I was not too close as he did so. That dessert was dramatic while flaming, and delicious when the flames died out. By the time we left the resto, the rain had stopped falling. During our entire walk to the restaurant, it had been raining, but we were still in a great mood when we finally arrived there. Work had gone well for Tom yesterday, and that makes a difference. Temperatures have cooled so much that it was easy to don a scarf the size of a shawl as well as my raincoat last night. Tom wore his navy blue raincoat, too, and I think we looked a little Parisian – maybe just a little – as we strolled down the avenue, umbrellas open, in the rain.. When I’d gone out early in the day for a dash to Monoprix, the skies had been clear. That’s good, because juggling a heavy bag of groceries and an umbrella as the wind blows and rain pours is no fun. Tom had fun, too, when he went to Dia on his own after we returned from the Petit Palais on Saturday. At this discount grocery, he bought a potted lily with lots of buds on it for only 3 euros. It is so nice to have a hubby who likes to buy flowers. We’ve enjoyed watching the buds open up, one by one, over the past few days. The beautiful lilies make me think of our recently departed friend, Norma, a lovely woman and fine cellist who lived a full and happy life. We will miss you, Norma. RIP.
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Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Part
of the interior of Restaurant Tipaza on rue Saint
Charles (see also July 29). Below, the painting hanging above our table
– same table both nights.
Semolina
comes out in a separate pot. The Tagine Dolma from July 28, above, and
the Tagine d’Agneau
aux Pruneaux, below.
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