Petit Dej

I think we can all agree that I should spoil myself for the next week or so, right?  But for me, pampering isn't just about bubble baths and watching reruns of Law and Order: SVU - it's also about food.  The right food can comfort you in crappy situations, whether it's a favorite meal that brings back happy memories or a stodgy standby that allows you to wallow.  Since I'm trying very hard to be healthy at the moment, these aren't really options that I'll be going for (not often, anyway) though that's not going to stop me admiring gorgeous images of meals and mouthwatering websites with recipes!

First up: TheKitchn featured the perfect tartine in a post yesterday courtesy of Pret a Voyager.

As you may know, I lived in Paris for eight months as an undergrad.  My first flat, shared with two other American students, was in the 5th arrondissement, right next to the Sorbonne and just around the corner from the Jardin du Luxembourg.  It was an absolutely gorgeous location.

picnicking in the Jardin on Easter Sunday 2007

One of my favorite parts of living there, though, was becoming a regular at a café on the corner of the Rue St. Michel just by the gardens.  I went almost daily, at first because my flat didn't have internet and the café was wireless, but then maintained my patronage through the months as I became friends with some of the waiters (oui, c'est possible!).  Sometimes, when my classes didn't start until later in the morning, I'd stop by first thing for a café au lait and some breakfast, usually a tartine.  I have such lovely memories of sitting by the window in the café, the sun just rising - it's always early spring, of course, in these memories - with my laptop on one side of the little round table and a plate on the other, little jars of honey and jam sprinkled around and my hot mug cradled in my hands as I considered my next blog post.

I won't repeat here how to make a tartine - you should check out either TheKitchn or Pret a Voyager, links above, for instructions - but I did want to share the mouthwatering photos with you, so thanks for indulging me.  Thanks, also, for taking this trip down memory lane with me.  It does help to have company, you know!

Bastille Day, Paris 2007