Sunday, January 8, 2012

Lazy Sunday, à la façon Parisienne

Hello! To the entire blogosphere, I wish you a happy and healthy New Year, or Bonne Année! I can't believe it's 2012! I am back in Paris, after having spent a wonderful holiday break in the States (only complaint: far too brief). I'd like to guide you through my lazy Sunday here in Paris. Step 1: Wake up way early at 6:30am, unable to fall back asleep (thanks, jetlag.) Commence the day by watching episodes of Downton Abbey (best new show on television...Maggie SMith is a hoot). Then proceed to actually get some work done with grad school applications and registering with the American Embassy. Step 2: Get out of bed finally, at about 10:00. Step 3: MAKE AND DEVOUR A LARGE CUP OF COFFEE. YOU CANNOT SKIP THIS STEP. Step 4: Go to local market. Try to return a vegetable chopper that was purchased several weeks ago, but find that alas, the woman selling kitchen products today does not sell said chopper. Fail. Keep useless kitchen utensil, for you do not want to throw it out, yet it doesn't work and you can't clean it properly. Evidence of red peppers remains in it's grate. Step 5: Do shopping. Buy merguiz sausages for dinner, enough Gala apples to suffice for the week, paté and cheese. The paté and cheese may seem superfluous, as you can find them at the supermarket, but don't be fooled. The quality is not the same. Finally, on the way out, buy some choucroute garmie, or saurkraut with bits of ham and sausage mixed in. Notice that the nice lady at the charcuterie stand gives you a huge chunk of ham to go with it. How nice! Step 6: Go home, but on the way stop at the boulangerie (not the best, but it will suffice) to buy a demi-baguette à la tradition. Step 7: Arrive at home. Realize that you haven't eaten yet today, and proceed to have a lazy sunday breakfast. Otherwise known as, having a little bite of everything you just bought at the market (sans merguiz and apples), just to make sure it's good. Have a few bites of saurkraut, and some paté and cheese with bread. Feel deeply satisfied with the French way of life. Done. Repeat as necessary on forthcoming Sundays.