Bar Hemingway

The hotel Ritz has always been a favorite of many of the world's wealthiest people and famous people that include King Edward VII, Elton John, Princess Diana, Greta Garbo and Charlie Chaplin. Luxurious suites have been named after some of its previous guests such as Coco Chanel who made the Ritz her home for more than thirty years and Ernest Hemingway who had a bar named after him.

The Bar Hemingway that was named after Ernest Hemingway, as it was his best loved bar, has been restored to its original appearance, with rich wood panelling on the walls and deep leather arm chairs. Adorning the walls there are original photographs that were taken by the author and they provide a record of places that inspired this famous writer.

The Bar Hemingway at the Ritz has been ranked as the best bar in the world by Forbes magazine, plus it is situated right in the heart of Paris near place de la Concorde square.

Under a sweeping decree in 2006, smoking has been banned in every commercial corner of “entertainment and conviviality” — from the toniest Parisian nightclub to the humblest village cafe.

No matter that cigarette is a French word. Or that the great icons of French creativity — Colette to Cocteau, Camus to Coco Chanel — all smoked. Or that Paris boasts a Museum of Smoking.


“We are not taking sides,” said Colin Peter Field, the head bartender at Bar Hemingway who was voted the world's best barman in 2001. The bar will continue to sell 40 to 50 types of upscale cigars and is studying plans to renovate its outdoor spaces to accommodate smokers.

To date there is no ban in effect on porcelain cigars....

Apricot Confiture

Fresh apricots are plentiful and at the their peak in June in France. Apricot jam is one of the easiest jams to make because apricots have a medium amount of pectin so they do not tend to underset or overset. Jam making is a tradition well worth keeping when produce is in season to extend a little bit of summer all year long.



Apricot Confiture [kawn-fee-TYOOR] French for “jam” or “preserves”

2 1/2 pounds apricots, just ripe
3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup of water
1 lemon, juiced

Place a few small saucers in the freezer to use to check the setting point.
Cut the apricots in half and remove the pits. Reserve four or five pits, and discard the rest. Cut the apricots into 1-inch pieces. Wrap the pits in a kitchen towel, and hit them with a hammer to break the hard outer shell, but keep the soft inner seed, which resembles an almond, intact.

Note: In France, the apricot pits are used in confections and confiture for flavoring. Remove them from the jam before ladling them into the jars, however, as they are poisonous if eaten.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or jam pan, combine the apricots, sugar, soft inner seeds and water. Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring occasionally with a long wooden spoon skimming foam as necessary, until reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Test the jam when the juice has thickened and the bubbles are large. The setting point has been reached when a drop placed on a chilled saucer forms a skin that is visible when lightly pushed. Remove from the heat and ladle into dry, warm jars and process as normal.

The Fragrance of Grasse

Grasse has been a perfume town ever since the 17th century, and today as the world's perfume capital, its reputation speaks for itself.

Despite being so close to the fine sand beaches of Cannes, with their stifling heat in summer, Grasse at an altitude of 300 - 400 meters enjoys a fresher climate all year round. The plentiful sunshine and mild temperatures make the town and surrounding areas ideal for flower growing, and thus ideal for the production of perfume.

Every year some two million tourists arrive from all over the world to visit the perfume museum, perfume factories and perfume shops. The three historic perfume manufacturers - Fragonard, Galimard and Molinard - open their doors to provide free guided tours. You will learn all about the mysteries of how a perfume is made, from the raw materials to the perfume itself, by means of distillation and enfleurage.


Chanel No.5 is the best-selling perfume in the world and its principal ingredients are rose du mai, jasmine, and a synthetic musk. A few years ago jasmine production was disrupted by bad weather and Chanel took the precaution of buying their own farm in the Grasse area. Run by the Muhl family it produces 20 tons of jasmine and 50 tons of rose du mai annually, exclusively for Chanel.

Initially, scents were only the privilege of the wealthy, but François Coty from Ajaccio in Corsica changed that by making perfume affordable for the masses in the 1900s. A first cousin of Napoleon de Bonaparte, he studied for a year under the expert tutelage of perfumers in Grasse before opening the 1st mass-production perfume factory on the outskirts of Paris in 1905. After the 1920s many other countries began to manufacture perfume but French perfume is still regarded as the best in the world by scent connoisseurs.

The World's Most Famous Brandy - Cognac

Cognac is not just a drink, it's a city in southwest France that's filled with cobblestone streets, museums and shopping. And, of course, there's also cognac. The town of Cognac sits on the banks of the Charente River, about a three-hour TGV train ride southwest of Paris. The region may be known for its brandy, but you don't have to look far for its other charms.

The pace is enjoyably slow, the climate pleasantly mild. The river winds through the countryside, its tranquil waters reflecting images of vine-covered hillsides, small towns, well-tended farms and weathered châteaux framed by geraniums, pink roses and oleander bushes.

Tours of one of the great Cognac houses: Hennessy, Martell, Rémy Martin or Courvoisier range from about $10 to $25 --
including tasting... The region's Cognac houses play host to
about 200,000 visitors a year, many of them Americans.

All cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is cognac. Like champagne, cognac has to come from a designated area of France by law —the Charente region near Bordeaux. It is also made according to strict, legal guidelines. Once blended, cognac has to be matured in oak barrels for a minimum of two years. The spirit’s quality is measured by the average age of maturation—VS is usually aged 2 years and is perfect for mixing with soda, ginger ale or as part of a cocktail. VSOP (Very Special Old Pale) is aged around 4 years and can be enjoyed mixed or neat. The highest grade, XO (Extra Old), is aged a minimum of about 10 years and should be savoured on its own.

Le Soufflé Paris

There are few things more quintessentially French than the soufflé. So, when in Paris…eat lots of them! Many seasoned travelers to Paris know the 1st arrondissement as the district where the Louvre, one of the most famous museums in the world, is located. Yet a fine dining experience awaits you at a small restaurant that is only a ten-minute walk away from the museum.

Named Le Soufflé, the restaurant serves the world-renowned French specialty called the soufflé. This delicate dish is often served as a warm dessert, with chocolate or Grand Marnier as the dominant flavor. But soufflés may also be served as a savory main dish, prepared with meats, vegetables, fish and cheese.

This is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach; one gets the sense that the waiters enjoy parading past carrying soufflé after puffy soufflé, incorporating an element of performance into grandly delivering and preparing the dishes at the table.

Strawberry Soufflé with Sliced Strawberries
Recipe from Epicurious

Ingredients:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 12-ounce baskets strawberries, hulled
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
4 large egg whites

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 6-cup soufflé dish with vegetable oil spray. Coarsely puree half of berries, 3 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch in processor. Transfer to small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 3 minutes. Whisk in peel. Cool completely.
Slice remaining berries. Transfer to medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon sugar; toss to blend. Beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 3 tablespoons sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Fold puree into whites in 3 additions. Transfer to prepared dish. Bake until soufflé is puffed and golden, about 18 minutes. Serve immediately with sliced berries.