A Fork And A Suitcase

A short addition to my Poilane post. Poilane Comptoir, formerly known as La Cuisine de Bar, is a lovely spot for breakfast, lunch or a solid snack.  It is next door to Poilane and offers a great opportunity to taste their famous sourdough bread in the form of a tartine, an open-faced sandwich.   The large slices of bread are placed in broilers, and once golden and crispy, are dressed up with delicious toppings like salmon, avocado, mozzarella, or wagyu beef. My mom and I got the combo (16 euro), which comes with either miso soup or a salad, a tartine, cold drink, and tea or coffee. Mom got the miso soup, but I always order their salad since the mustard dressing is spectacular. My smoked salmon and cream cheese tartine was delicious. Mom enjoyed her avocado tartine. The avocado arrived with soy sauce, olive oil, chives, and chili flakes on top. Comptoir Poilane 8 rue du Cherche Midi Monday-Saturday - 8:30 - 7 S...

Pierre Poilane started his baking business in 1932, creating beautiful and large loaves of sourdough bread using stone-ground flour, natural fermentation, and a wood-fired oven.  Lionel Poilane began working at his father's bakery when he was just fourteen years old, and eventually took over the business by 1970.  Focusing on quality and the same true and tried ingredients and baking techniques, Poilane expanded the business. Many years ago, I sat in my pajamas and watched my favorite Sunday morning show on TV.   In this particular segment, Dorie Greenspan, a bonafide baking authority, was interviewing Lionel Poilane in the basement of his shop on rue du Cherche-Midi.  He was showing her how to make his famous punition cookies. They stood there, in a dimly lit room; the fingers of his right hand were gently mixing in flour, eggs, and sugar.  The movements of his hand were slow, confident, and clearly, well practiced.  True love for the art for...