One of the great things to do in Paris is to wander. I'll often catch a film, search for a monument, of just mètro to a far-off neighborhood...then walk.
The 13th arrondissement of Paris is a real cross-cultural quartier.
Part of it is the quartier Chinois, where there's huge and small shops selling exotic Asian fruits and vegetables, as well as unidentifiable cuts of meat (that are perhaps best left unidentifiable...)
Many Asians set up shops and restaurants in the area during the 1970's, when the neighborhood was neglected and rather dingy. But now there's much to be said for this area: there's the little village of Butte aux Cailles, a tiny village with convivial restaurants, and cafés and there's a fabulous natural-source piscine (swimming pool) where I've cooled off on more than one swelteringly hot summer afternoon in Paris. (Bathing caps are mandatory in public pools in Paris...even for men...even if you're bald!)
On a recent stroll through the neighborhood, I stopped by one of my favorite out-of-the-way boulangeries, Le Grenier à Pain and found these whimsical chocolate-covered Pain d'Epices...
Almost before I could get out of the shop, I ripped into the sack, plucked one out, and took a bite. And boy, were they superb! Chewy and spicy-brown cake, fragrant with cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, all enrobed in a thin layer of bittersweet dark chocolate.
I turned around, considered getting another bag but instead spotted a beautiful loaf, le pain aux ceriales, on the wooden rack behind the counter.
Of course, when I got it home I immediately sliced into the irregularly-shaped loaf. It was excellent and just like I imagined it would be. Rich with whole-grains, deeply-flavored with sour levain, and a firm crust, and wonderful paired with an assortment of cheese I had just selected from the fromager. I smeared the slices with a luscious and dangerously unctuous Délice de Saint-Cyr, a triple-cream raw milk cheese from the region of Brie I'd just selected on the excellent recommendation of my favorite fromager.
Le Grenier à Pain
52, avenue d'Italie
M: Place d'Italie or Tolbiac
Tel: 01 45 80 16 36
(Other locations throughout Paris.)
Those look good, a perfect gouté. I found Le Grenier à Pain about four months ago near me in the 15th, and have since realized that he has a few around Paris. Another in Monmartre that I know of. Have you tried the Pain Mendiant? It's a good thing.
There are few things on this green and pleasant earth that I love more than chocolate covered gingerbread, lebkuchen or pain d'epices (although fantastic bread and gorgeous cheeses are right up there, too). These look and sound marvelous. Now I'm going to have to go home and break out my last hoarded holiday packet of chocolate-covered Elisen Lebkuchen...