A brief respite from trotting Europe.

A brief respite from trotting Europe.

I was back in Paris for four days between my return from Lyon and going away to Guethary for a long weekend. It was a much-needed interlude from all the traveling I've been doing, and it felt good to not live out of my suitcase again, even if it was for a short period of time.


This is a simple lunch I tossed together after raiding the fridge on Monday afternoon: scrambled eggs scented with Roman truffle oil, and shredded sundried tomatoes. I was digging around hoping to find cheese or ham, but the usually well-stocked fridge was filled to the brim with beer. Leftovers from the football match on one the nights I was in Rome, ah well. Haha.


On Tuesday evening, B had his friends over for dinner and drinks, and I zealously put together a (faux) Asian menu at Nicolas' request. And I just had to take a picture of the Botero-like apron I bought in Rome.

Starters

• Shredded sesame chicken on crackers
• Curried chicken cubes on chappatti with melted cheese (my recreation of MiCafe's chicken cheese frankie!)

Main Course

• Bacon and egg fried rice. This didn't turn out as well because I had to wait for B to come home and cook the rice (I don't know how to, don't laugh) and the lack of time for the rice to settle resulted in a slightly gooey dish. The flavours were there, but it could definitely be improved.

Dessert

• Caramelized bananas and vanilla ice cream. I'd initially wanted to make jempuk jempuk (fried banana fritters) but the thought of the apartment smelling like oil (plus the additional work involved) made me settle for the easier option.
  

I'd met most of them except for Diego, who wowed me with his Australian adventures. He'd worked and traveled his way around Australia for seven months in his caravan a few summers ago. Ahh. And he got paid 13 Aussie dollars an hour to farm cucumbers, haha. Good money eh.

The next day, I finally got around to spending the later part of it with Sooling, who was in Paris for the week. We strolled around the Mouffetard Market and settled down in a park with our pastries to catch up and simply talk. Despite having not seen each other for almost three years, there was no awkwardness but instead a lot of rib-tickling laughter.

And after, we walked around and settled down in a cafe to speak somemore. It was here that she ordered a citron-presse, and exclaimed "OH" really really really loudly after a first sip of the sour drink. HAHA. Her candidness and ease of self leaves me half-tickled and half-envious.



I had to return to the apartment after our afternoon date (that included a quick run to Longchamp for the sales) to let B in, but after a quick shower, I was out again to meet her for dinner at the Latin Quarter. We settled for Chez Clement, a popular chain serving pretty good food. For a picky eater, the woman sure eats a lot of butter. I believe it's the infatuation phase, her having realized the wonders of butter on bread only a few days ago. Yes, seriously.

We walked off our dinner in the brisk night air, and sat in the warmth of one of the cafes facing the Notre Dame. I sipped my hot chocolate while she nursed yet another cold drink (I'm starting to wonder if there is a positive correlation between one's butter intake and thirst level), and talked about the most inane things like the cereal diet and eating cereal with orange juice. I realized just how little I knew about her in the past, and in just one day in Paris, I learnt so much more, like her fussy food preferences and vain love of bags and wallets (and the expertise she revealed when we were in Longchamp).

On this night in the snooty Paris that often leaves me floundering a little, I felt right at home with my old friend from Singapore, and hearing that familiar loud guffaw that hasn't softened at all over the years.