FAQ

In this section, you’ll find answers to some of my most commonly-asked questions, including…

Cooking Classes & Internships: If you’re looking for advice about taking a cooking class in Paris or France, I don’t have any specific recommendations. But here’s a list of cooking and pastry classes where you’ll find them all listed, with links and specialties. Down below you’ll find information and links to places where I offer advice about professional cooking schools and internships.
Get Togethers: Because of my various projects and writing, my schedule doesn’t leave time for get-together with visitors—I barely have time to see my friends! But I host get-togethers in Paris & elsewhere, which I post on my blog and Schedule page when they occur and are great ways to meet up.
Links & Exchanges: There’s a lot of terrific blogs out there but I can’t mention them all, so I don’t take link requests. If you want to add your link to my site, you can do it at Food Blog Links. My policy on link exchanges is similar to this.
Restaurant Write-Ups: Restaurants and shops that I mention on the site are generally places that I recommend, unless otherwise noted. I don’t do traditional “reviews”, which involve research, taking notes while I’m eating (which probably sounds as fun to you as it does to me) and multiple visits. On the site you’ll find impressions of places I’ve been to, and most likely enjoy. Hours, addresses, chefs, and menu items may change without notice.
Recipe Queries: I’m unable to assist with questions about recipes that aren’t mine. I suggest you contact the author or chef as they’re best-suited to answer your questions and help you out. For questions (and answers) about making ice cream, you can find helpful tips and post your question here.
Sending Products & Reviews: If you wish to send me a product, if I do accept it, I may or may not write about it on the site. I appreciate your understanding that this is my personal blog I don’t allow others to influence what gets published here, and I don’t accept products in exchange for a positive review.
Food Photography: If you’re interested in what camera equipment I use & how I take the photos on the blog, you can read the post—My Food Photography Gear.
Finding Canned Chicken Stock in France: Sorry, you can’t get that here. You have to make your own.

(Which really is so much better anyways…)

If you have specific inquiries that aren’t addressed or answered here in the FAQs, or just want to say hi, you can do so on my About page.

Living In Paris

Q: Why did you move to Paris?

A: Because I was tired of people being nice to me all the time.

Q: Did you speak French before you moved to Paris?

A: No.

Q: Aren’t Parisians rude?

A: I’ve seen more tourists be rude to Parisians than the opposite. I don’t know if the French have cornered the market on rudeness. (Although I’ll admit, sometimes it might seem that way.)

Q: How long do you plan to live in Paris?

A: I dunno. Probably about as long as you plan to live where you live now.

Q: How do you stay so thin?

A: I don’t eat junk or highly-processed foods (except M & M’s, but those don’t count…do they?) For the most part, I eat a well-balanced diet and don’t deprive myself of anything. I consume a wide variety of things: real butter, wine, bread, meat, vegetables, fresh fruit, cheese, chocolate, ice cream, and once in a while, a pain au chocolat, but do so in moderate amounts. I avoid stupid fad diets and don’t obsess about what I eat.

Q: Ginger or Mary Ann?

A: The professor. Or maybe Little Buddy—if I’ve had a few drinks.

Vacationing in Paris

Q: I’m coming to Paris! Can you give me restaurant or hotel suggestions?

A: Why not? You’ll find many of my personal suggestions already here on the site for hotels, restaurants, and my favorites shops. Search in the Paris Travel Tips as well as My Paris for restaurants and places to eat.

You can also use the search engine for specific suggestions as well as the Categories for shops, bakeries, chocolate shops, and markets.

Q: I’m too lazy to search your blog for tips. Can’t I just ask you?

A: No, you can’t.

Q: We’re coming to Paris and want to meet you. Can we meet?

A: Geez, I barely have time to see my friends, so I’m generally unable to greet new folks. Although I can be bribed with a fancy dinner: minimum one-Michelin star, but the more stars, the more likely that I’ll be available ; )

Q: Where are all the outdoor markets in Paris?

A: You can find a complete list of them in English here.

Q: We want to book a private tour with you. When are you available?

A: I no longer offer day-long chocolate or market tours in Paris. If you’re looking for a tour, you may wish to visit my pals at Context Travel.

I do offer week-long tours once or twice a year and you can read more about them here.

Q: What foods can be brought back from France to the US?

A: Fresh meats, fruits and vegetables are prohibited for sure. Often you can bring back raw-milk cheeses as long as they’re in quantities obviously for personal consumption and not resale. Many cheese shops in Paris will pack them sous vide, cryo-vac’d, for transport, which I highly recommend doing. (There is often a small surcharge for that.) Foods packed in cans are normally fine and some things in jars are, but occasionally meat products in glass, like foie gras, can be iffy. Personally, I’ve not had problems with chocolates, either filled or tablets.

Rules change frequently, and without notice, but here’s the latest information that I know of for bringing foods home from abroad.

There’s also an excellent article in USA Today, which has more tips and helpful links.

Q: Do you know those guys from Chez Panisse who do the supper club in Paris?

A: Yes, I do. You can get more information about Chien Lunatique and contact them here. They are part-time residents of Paris so they may not respond to emails if bookings are unavailable.

There is also another supper club in Paris, Hidden Kitchen, which does private dinners as well.

Q: We’re looking for romantic restaurants. Any suggestions?

A: Yup! You can find suggestions on the site here.

Q: Do you have any recommendations for cooking classes and schools in Paris?

A: You can find my list of cooking schools & classes, as well as wine-tastings here.

Q: Can you give some advice about the professional cooking schools in Paris?

A: I only attended one, so I can’t offer advice about those I haven’t attended. But there’s a pretty good discussion on eGullet from folks who’ve attended the others.

Q: Can you recommend a private chef in Paris?

A: Since I haven’t had the need to hire a private chef here, so I can’t vouch personally for their services. But two people you may wish to inquire with are Braden Perkins (of Hidden Kitchen) and Edward Keller.

Q: Can we use our mobile phones in Paris?

A: Not being much of a techie, it’s best to contact your provider at home to ask. To avoid roaming charges, you can rent a phone from Context Travel during your stay.

You can also buy a sans abonnement phone (no subscription, sometimes called ‘Mobicarte’ with France Telecom), where you purchase the phone for around 30€, then add minutes by buying the numbers which you punch into the phone at Tabacs and phone stores. If you travel to Paris frequently, you can use the phone forever and just add time whenever you come back. (Although you lose your phone number if you don’t use it after a certain amount of time, often 6 months, but you can get another number on your next trip.)

France Telecom has also introduced a temporary mobile phone, too.

The three major phone companies which provide mobile service are Orange Mobicarte (France Telecom), Entrée Libre at SFR, and Nomad at Bouygues. Virgin Mobile is making inroads into France as well with similar service. There are mobile phone shops all over Paris, such as Phone House, as well as in the major department and electronics stores such as Darty and FNAC.

Here’s more advice about which kind of cell phone coverage might be best for you.

More Tips For Paris Travel

Chez Panisse

Q: How long did you work at Chez Panisse?

A: I started in 1983 and worked there until 1998, but I took a few years away to be the pastry chef at Bruce Cost’s Monsoon restaurant and to consult. I was there for a total of 13 years.

Q: What’s Alice Waters really like?

A: Alice employed me for many years and as a cook, I could not ask for a better place to do that than Chez Panisse. Alice made sure the ingredients we used were the best available, and unlike many other well-known chef’s today, she isn’t interested in endorsing products or capitalizing on her name, except to promote sustainable agriculture and her various causes through the Chez Panisse Foundation.

It’s difficult running a restaurant and café with over a hundred employees, and I give Alice immense great credit for being able to keep up the restaurant’s high standards and for putting her philosophy on the plate day-after-day. You can read more I wrote about Alice here.

Living and Working in Paris

Q: I want to move to Paris. Can you give me any advice?

A: The process is complicated and time-consuming, much more so than you can possibly imagine. The first step is to visit the web site for the French Consulate which is nearest to you. Follow the instructions, but be prepared for things not to go quite as you might expect. It’s a long process, but basically, the first step is applying in the United States if you’re an American.

You can find some information here (in French).

Once that’s approved, when you come to France, you have to re-apply using the same paperwork. Photocopy everything at least five times and always carry along everything you might need for all your appointments; photos, bank statements, lease, electricity and phone bills, proof of health insurance and finances, birth certificate, etc…all translated. I never hand over everything at once, but instead hand over each document as requested since they will invariably ask you for something you don’t have. (And never, ever throw anything away, no matter how trivial you think it is. Someone is certain to ask you for it later.)

You’ll need to make an appointment at the Préfecture de Police after your arrival in Paris, which can take months, and will certainly be an eye-opening experience. Plan on things not going quite as anticipated, and remember there’s a reason the French have so much red wine at their disposal.

Once you get your Carte de Sejour you’ll need to re-apply each year; the rules and qualifications changing each time depending on who’s behind the counter when you show up. There are no exact answers and the process changes frequently. If I had more definite answers, I’d probably have a bit more hair instead of having pulled it all out.

Cooking Schools

Q: I want to be a pastry chef. Should I go to culinary school?

A: In general, my first response it to go work somewhere and see if you like the work before committing yourself financially, or otherwise, to any program. But you can read my post Should You Go To Cooking School? for much more on that topic.

Q: Did you go to cooking school?

A: I attended two cooking schools in Europe after I’d worked in restaurants for many years. One was Ecole Lenôtre near Paris, and the other was Callebaut Academy to study chocolate in Belgium.

Both programs are intended for professionals and I highly-recommend them.

For home cooks, you’ll find a list of cooking classes in Paris here and a discussion of professional programs in Paris here.

Products and Ads On The Site

Q: I’m looking for a certain product that you mentioned on the site in America. How can I find out where to get it?

A: When I mention a product, I try to put a link to where it can be obtained it in the US, since that’s where many of my readers are. But you can also use Google to locate it, or Amazon, or ebay to find availability as well, which are the same search methods that I use.

Unfortunately I don’t know where things may be available in your particular community, or region, but I am open to offers to come visit! (When getting the ticket, please get me an aisle seat. Business-class, preferably.)

Q: Can our company send you a product to try and review on your site?

A: In general, I only try products that are related to what I do, which share a similar philosophy to mine. (If you take a moment to read through various blog entries, you’ll get some idea of that.) I love trying new things, especially from small companies with artisianal products, and I love trying new chocolates, but I never commit to writing about them. I appreciate your not insisting that I do.

My philosophy is to only recommend products that I like and use personally. I don’t often write negative reviews since I think most people are trying their best and it’s hard to criticize them. (Although there are exceptions.) I’m not paid to recommend anything by anyone, so things I write about on the site and blog are products I know from my personal experience.

Please note that I live in Paris, which is in France, which should be evident, but isn’t to some pr folks out there.

I strongly urge marketers to read Elise Bauer’s article, Do’s and Don’ts of Marketing to Bloggers which gives guidance on how to pitch products to food bloggers.

Q: Why are there ads on your site?

A: Most of the ads are for my books, which I hope readers will buy…and use!; that’s how I make a living. There are also GoogleAds and some from BlogHer, a women-oriented online network. All are clearly marked and I try to keep them as unobtrusive as possible. The modest amount of revenue from them pays for site hosting and storage fees, web design, and updates to the site.

I also have an Amazon Store, filled with products that I use and recommend. Similarly, revenues from that are used for site upgrades and to offset costs.

The Blog and Blogging

Q: How come I can’t leave a comment?

A: Because of filthy, dirty spam, I had to turn off some of the comment feature for older posts. Sorry.

Q: I left a nasty comment and it was deleted. What the f$&%k!?

A: I subscribe to the comment policy espoused here. And reserve the right to delete or edit comments. Please remember this isn’t a democracy—it’s my dictatorship. Dissenting opinions are fine, and constructive comments are always welcome. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me (although it would sure be nice…), but don’t be a dick.

Q: What kind of camera and photo gear do you use?

A: I’ve listed all my gear, and a few tips, at my post: My Food Photography Gear.

Q: Can I use one of the photos on your site or Flickr page on my site, or in our magazine?

A: Because the blog is protected by a copyright, you shouldn’t use anything from my blog without my permission. Same with images from my Flickr page. In general, I may let others use an image provided they’re not for commercial, profitable purposes, and give appropriate credit and a link. Please ask first.

If I do give permission to use an image for a profit-making venture (magazines, newspapers, etc), I normally expect some kind of compensation unless credit is applied to one of my books or the site. In any event—please ask before using any pictures, images, or text from my blog or Flickr page.

Q: Why are there typos in your blog entries? Can’t you spell?

A: I write for a living, and when I do an assignment for a book, for which I get paid, I have the luxury of taking the time to proof and re-check my copy before it’s submitted for publication. The blog is intended to be light-hearted and a place for me to share my stories about life in Paris. Since I do this for fun, I can’t give it the same attention that I do for my paid work.

Lighten up…it’s a blog!

(If you’re interested in error-free text, buy one of my books.)

Q: How do I get added to your links page?

A: As you can see, there’s lots of links already there. It started out mostly being friends, but it’s blossomed into a long list of food blogs that I wanted to share as well. At this point, I’m not adding any more links.

So if you’re not on the links page, it doesn’t mean I don’t like you, nor does it mean I don’t like your blog. There’s plenty of blogs I read and enjoy, but aren’t necessarily on my links page. A good way to get readers is to leave a good comment, and put your URL in the appropriate field, where the site automatically links to it.

Q: I want to start a food blog, or make mine better. Can you give me any suggestions?

A: A blog of any sort is a personal diary so what works for me may not work for you. A general rule would be to look closely at blogs you like and read regularly, see what they do, and figure out why you find them interesting. Is it your humor, your photos, or your recipes? Take inspiration from others, but make it your own.

A few things you may wish to concentrate on are: design of the site, good content, and expressing your voice. The most important advice I can give is to edit.

Most writing is improved when it’s distilled down to the best nuggets: less is more. On the internet, people have limited time to read, and to me, a post should be easily readable in 2-3 minutes.

Still, I advise you not to take it too seriously. It’s not a popularity contest and if it’s not fun, don’t do it.

You can get helpful tips at these links:

* Food Blog S’cool * ProBlogger.net * How To Start A Food Blog * Adam’s Blogging Advice * delicious:days Foodblogging Do’s and Don’ts * 9 Tips To Start Blogging Successfully * 26 Steps to 15,000 Visitors a Day

Q: I want to write a cookbook. Can you help me?

A: Sure…click here to read my tips.

Q: How can I contact you?

A: There’s a form on my About page that you can use.

Q: I sent you a message and never got a response. What kind of jerk are you?

A: Unfortunately I’m not always able to answer each message as I’d like to, so I apologize. Also sometimes I can’t provide an answer. I do read all my messages and appreciate any and all feedback.

Q: I don’t agree with something you wrote on your blog. What should I do about it?

A: While I wish that everyone agreed with me all the time, unfortunately that doesn’t always happen. These are just my opinions and ramblings and I welcome constructively-written, friendly counter-opinions in the comments area. I will delete any personal attacks or insane remarks…unless they’re especially well-written.

Hey, I’m just a cookie baker and what I say isn’t worth getting anyone’s knickers in a knot.

Q: Can I stalk you?

A: Not unless you’re Toni Collette or Justin Timberlake.

Web Design and Maintenance

Q: What blogging platform do you use?

A: I use Movable Type 4, which is more challenging than other platforms, but more versatile and can handle the heavy traffic the site frequently generates.

Q: Who designed your site?

A: Jesse Gardner of Plasticmind, who I highly-recommend.