Gourmet September 2008 “Paris on a Budget” Issue: on Newsstands August 19, 2008

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In “The Last Time I Saw Paris” (pages 20-31), Gourmet’s editor in chief, Ruth Reichl, tells the story of how she discovered that you can live stunningly well in Paris for very little money. “Thanks to the new young chefs, Paris is reclaiming its title as food capital of the world,” says Reichl. She stayed in inexpensive hotels, rode the métro, attended free cultural events, and enjoyed great meals that did not cost a fortune. Best of all, Reichl found that innovative cooking from the new guard of Paris chefs has once again made this a must-visit city for those who love food. Addresses are on page 160.

In “The New Left Bank” (pages 66-77), Alexander Lobrano, Gourmet’s Paris-based correspondent and the author of Hungry for Paris: The Ultimate Guide to the City’s 102 Best Restaurants, heads deep into the double-digit arrondissements, finds that the food scene has moved across the Seine, and gives us a glimpse of the new hot neighborhoods, the quartiers that the French themselves consider the Paris of the 21st century. Address Books are on pages 68, 73, 76, and 77.

For “A Parisian Room of One’s Own” (page 78), Gourmet’s travel editor, William Sertl, checked in to and out of hotels across Paris to find places that offer everything except a hefty bill: Hôtel Particulier de Montmartre; Hôtel de l’Abbaye; Hôtel du Commerce; Familia; Hôtel des Saints-Pères; and Murano Urban Resort; plus apartment-rental companies HomesAway and Chez Vous. “More Chic—and Affordable—Addresses” (page 82) lists six other hotels that won’t break the bank.

In “Chefs and the City” (page 36), we asked food luminaries Eric Ripert, Joël Robuchon, James Peterson, Laurent Gras, and Laurent Tourondel to divulge their preferred addresses in Paris. They tell us where they eat, shop, and stay.

Drinks: In “Foreign Vin-Vasion” (page 44), Gourmet contributing editor Colman Andrews investigates the wine bar phenomenon firsthand at Willi’s Wine Bar and Il Vino d’ Enrico Bernardo and finds that some of the best wine bars in Paris aren’t even run by the French. “More of Our Favorite Wine Bars” (page 48) recommends Au Sauvignon; Le Baron Rouge; La Cloche Des Halles; L’Écluse; L’Enfant Rouge; Juveniles; Le Mesturet; and Le Rubis. In “We’ll Always Have Cocktails” (page 52), Julia Langbein splurges at the legendary bars of some of Paris’s most luxurious hotels: Hôtel Le Bristol; Hôtel De Crillon; Hôtel Le Meurice; Hôtel Plaza Athénée; Hôtel Raphael; and Hôtel Ritz.

In First Person, four writers describe why they love Paris: “Benedictions” (page 116), by Aleksandra Crapanzano, a screenwriter who recently adapted the international best seller Reading Lolita in Tehran, is a story about one young woman and her dog setting out to satisfy a uniquely Parisian hunger. “In Pursuit of Happiness” (page 130), by Holly Brubach, former style editor of The New York Times, recalls the once lovelorn author’s move to Paris, where she found a city that not only restored her to her senses but also taught her how to savor the texture of everyday life. In “My Cherry Amour” (page 138), Monique Truong, author of The Book of Salt, remembers discovering Paris in her teens. In “Seductress on the Seine” (page 150), Jay McInerney, author of Bright Lights, Big City and The Good Life, explores how, in Paris, people fall in love with the food, with the wine, and even with the people they’ll someday marry.

Gourmet Entertains includes two menus. “Smooth Operator” (page 118) offers dishes from Raquel Carena, the self-taught Argentinean who opened Le Baratin in the then unfashionable district of Belleville, in the 20th arrondissement, in 1987. Le Baratin has become a favorite of many Parisians and of the city's chefs on their night off. Carena seamlessly melds French bistro cooking with the flavors of Italy and Spain. Recipes include: Sautéed Fennel with Almonds, Raisins, and Saffron; Braised Duck Legs and Sautéed Duck Breast; Vanilla Panna Cotta with Fresh Mango Compote; Quail Escabeche; Beef Cheeks Braised in Red Wine with Orange Zest; Celery Root and Potato Purée with Chervil; and Mocha Mousse with Sichuan Peppercorns. “An Antique Table” (page 140) offers an urban flea-market menu inspired by the French spirit of putting lunch before work, with updated classic dishes: Country Pâté with Mango and Pineapple Chutney; Butternut Squash Soup with Chestnuts; Fricassee of Game Hen with Creamy Leeks and Vadouvan; Chinese Black Rice; Watercress and Frisée Salad with Green Apple and Celery Root; Camembert with Apple Butter; Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate Tart; and Scarlet Poached Pears. “Treasure Hunting: Editors’ Favorite Flea Markets” (page 146) lists our top Paris flea markets by arrondissement.

Gourmet Cookbook Club (page 42) highlights this month’s selection, A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes, by David Tanis, the chef of Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California, who spends six months of the year at the restaurant and the rest of his time in his apartment kitchen in Paris. Included is a recipe for Grilled Halibut with Indian Spices and Yellow Tomatoes. A video of the author, more recipes from the cookbook, and a forum are at gourmet.com.

In Obsessions (page 60), Gourmet’s editors reveal cool French products and services they can’t imagine living without, from mineral water to a Paris guidebook to Pierre Hermé’s confections.

In Seasonal Kitchen: “A Leg Up” (page 132), Gourmet food editor Paul Grimes prepares homemade duck confit in just 45 minutes. The simple process yields elegant results, with recipes for: Confit Duck Legs; Quatre Épices; White-Bean Soup with Duck Confit; Creamy Sauerkraut Gratin with Duck Confit; Duck Confit with Oranges and Watercress; Asian Noodles with Barbecued Duck Confit; and Duck Confit with Potato-Leek Ragout.

The Last Touch: “A Toast” (page 164) highlights recipes for tartines, the open-face French sandwich: Ham, Manchego, and Fig Tartines; Eggplant Tartines with Hummus and Arugula; Beet and Goat-Cheese Tartines; Smoked-Salmon, Wasabi, and Pickled-Ginger Tartines; Ricotta Tartines with Spiced Marmalade and Pine Nuts.

New at Gourmet.com

Exclusive content includes: the launch of the first of gourmet.com’s city guides, Paris City Guide, which offers additional restaurant and hotel suggestions, Paris-inspired recipes, archived articles on Paris, maps, and more on the City of Light; Buy This, Make That, a new section featuring Web-exclusive recipes (developed by the Gourmet Test Kitchen) that utilize leftover ingredients from recipes that appear in the magazine; veteran reporter and columnist for the Rapid City Journal Sam Hurst’s The Four Farmers Project, a weekly series following four different farmers through the fall harvest, a critical season for American growers now struggling with cost increases; and the ongoing “Gourmet Cookbook Club Cookbook-a-Day Giveaway,” in which visitors to gourmet.com first register for the Gourmet Cookbook Club and can then enter daily for a chance to win a copy of a future Gourmet Cookbook Club selection.