Category: Culture

Anthony Bourdain’s Greatest Triumph Was Calling B.S. on French Food

It took more than a century but who can now seriously believe that French chefs have no equal? Bourdain’s one-man odyssey to Parts Unknown finally put that to rest.

It’s strangely poignant that Anthony Bourdain should end his life in France, because nobody did more than he did to end the long hegemony of France over international cuisine.Few of those who followed him on CNN as he relished exotic entrails, smelly noodles, the most inflammatory spices, will have realized that not so long ago all these pleasures were virtually shut out of any chance of recognition as serious food by the belief that only France could decide what counted as world-class dining [ . . . ]

Continue at THE DAILY BEAST: Anthony Bourdain’s Greatest Triumph Was Calling B.S. on French Food

Where to Eat French Food in Boston

French food – especially in its most buttery and decadent forms — is a treat, and there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to a little continental magic from time to time. Who doesn’t love a plate of stinky cheese, cassoulet, or beef bourguignon?Also worth remembering: Not all French food is heavy. Provence is famous for the vegetable casserole ratatouille, you can’t think Côte d’Azur without thinking tapenade, and the favorite dish of the Marseillaise is a fish stew called bouillabaisse. You can eat a pound of butter while eating French, but you don’t have to.

Tip: While this map focuses on full-service restaurants in Boston proper, the Boston area also features a number of outstanding French bakery and cafe options worth exploring. Start with Cafe Madeleine in Boston’s South End and then move beyond the city to Ma France in Lexington (a French grocery shop with baked goods, charcuterie, cheese, and lots more), Clear Flour Bread in Brookline (serving French and Italian breads), and Mamadou’s Artisan Bakery in Winchester and Arlington.

Here’s where to eat like the French without getting on an airplane [ . . . ]

Source: Where to Eat French Food in Boston

‘Rodin’ Shines As A Story Of Both Artist And Art : NPR

While many biographies of artists focus on their tortured personal lives, Rodin maintains a close focus on sculpture itself and what makes it last.

Deep into Rodin, Jacques Doillon’s quietly satisfying portrait of the famed French sculptor, a group of stuffy sponsors circles Auguste Rodin’s almost completed statue of France’s beloved novelist Honore de Balzac. Rodin (Vincent Lindon) has given the writer an enormous gut (he used a pregnant young woman and a draft horse rider as models for the belly), which the artist made capacious enough to house, in his imagination, the teeming characters who peopled the 19th-century writer’s stories. And, perhaps, his appetites.[ . . . ]

Continue at NPR: ‘Rodin’ Shines As A Story Of Both Artist And Art : NPR

Where to Stay in Paris: The Best Neighborhoods and Hotels for Every Type of Traveler

Whether a long-planned holiday or spontaneous weekend trip, your first time or fifteenth, an important question before traveling to Paris is: where should I stay? Known for its village-like neighborhoods, there are many quartiers with both boutique hotels and the grand dame addresses that will appeal to all kinds of travelers. The great thing is that almost every neighborhood in Paris is the best neighborhood to stay in Paris [ . . . ]

Source: Where to Stay in Paris: The Best Neighborhoods and Hotels for Every Type of Traveler | Travel + Leisure