The Birth of a New Friendship, Me and Soup

I have the opportunity to rent the apartment of my French tutor’s son for 600 euro/mo. He is a 21 year old smoker so it is a little disgusting. But with a deep clean, it could be great and cheap. She has also hooked me up with a job as a cook at an innovative local restaurant, Le Pre Verre, where I dined one afternoon for research. The food is traditional with a global twist and the prices are totally reasonable. Their cream of cauliflower soup whispers of Moroccan spice. Coriander, cumin, and turmeric gossip about the cauliflower with the cream and butter in delicious harmony. It may have permanently changed my mind about soup, and my lifelong opinion that I don’t drink my food has withstood clam chowder, tomato bisque, and minestrone. The roast chicken was delightful, but the mashed potatoes were inspired by the pancetta and butter. At first I was disappointed with dessert, tiramisu with endive. Don’t get me wrong, it was creamy, sweet, and delicious, but I feel that if you are going to put something as quirky as endive in your dessert, it should bring something to the table. It didn’t. However, I’m impressed that the chef was able to put a little vegetable in my dessert without ruining it. Food for thought. If you go, make reservations and don’t let them put you in the basement.

Back to my future, McFly. I could get a student VISA, go to Le Cordon Bleu pastry school, live in the cute studio, and work at the restaurant under the table. It sounds great, but not the right path for me right now. When the best part about a major life change is the soup, you may want to reconsider. Besides, Paris is a tough town, and I think I would be lonely. Now if I could populate Paris with Italians that would be an opportunity. Of course then it wouldn’t be Paris.