🇫🇷 Boulangerie, Bistro or Brasserie? 🤷‍♀️

At the table in the Champagne Region 

I am still glowing from our recent trip to France. We flew to Marseille, then boarded AmaWaterway's AmaCello for a 7-day river cruise on the Rhone and Saône Rivers, then went to Lyon, Reims, and Paris before returning home.

This was our first overseas trip in more than 2 years and honestly, it was easier than I had anticipated. Things are still in a state of flux, with countries in the EU changing their entry requirements almost day by day. I'm hopeful that things will continue to get easier.

While in France I realized that I needed to be more familiar with the various types of eating establishments and I did a bit of research. It seems we ate in nearly every type of eatery - I hope you enjoy this little research project.  And when you're ready to plan your own culinary journey to France, please let me know - I'd love to help you!  

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Boulangerie, Bistro or Brasserie?

France is arguably the foodie capital of the world. Food is revered and many cooking styles and techniques originated here. While food is greatly appreciated, it's also takem very seriously - here's a list of the various types of eateries found in France - and where possible, I've shared a representative photo from our recent travels.

CAFÉ - Cafés are typically neighborhood spots serving hot drinks - coffees, tea, chocolate chaud (hot chocolate), and alcoholic beverages. They offer light fare - sandwiches, salads, and so forth. They are typically open from morning until evening without closing mid-day. It's fine to come in and just have a drink - although you may be directed to a specific table or bar. This was L'Opera Café in Avignon; we ducked in here seeking shelter from the very chilly Provençal wind. (And I learned that in France Tulip-shaped glasses are preferred for serving sparkling wine - the shape of the glass enhances the bubbles and the aroma.)

BISTROT - A casual setting with reasonably priced, relatively simple food. Typically smaller and more informal than other restaurants. Bistrot are usually open for lunch and dinner, closed in between. They frequently have wicker chairs on the sidewalks in front of the restaurant, facing the street. Menu choices may be focused on seasonal ingredients and may also feature fusion with Asian or Middle Eastern cuisines. This was taken at the outdoor oyster (Huitre) shucking station at Les Antiquaires in Paris.

BISTROT ROTISSERIE - A bistro specializing in roasted meats. While in Lyon we had dinner at Cafe Terroir - which also offered foods typical of Lyon. Restaurants specializing in Lyonnaise food are also referred to as Bouchons - with lots of sausages, beef, pork, and fresh cheeses on the menu. (Since we had been on a tasting tour earlier in the afternoon, all I had room for was some lovely roast asparagus)

BRASSERIE - The root word here is Brasser which refers to the process of brewing beer. Unlike microbreweries in the US, very few brasseries produce their own beer, but they are likely to have a decent selection of European beers on tap and in bottles and a good selection of wine. Traditional, moderately priced French food is on the menu and the hours of operation are typically "service continu" - meaning that food is served all day. This lovely onion soup was served at La Feuillée in Theizé in the Beaujolais region.

BRASSERIE TRADITIONELLE refers to historic restaurants that have been in business for decades. Many feature elaborately decorated dining rooms dating back to the late 19th and early 20th century (the Belle Epoque) - the setting is a bit more formal and pricing is a little higher than a simple Brasserie. This is the dining room at Au Pied du Cochon; this restaurant has been in operation since 1946 and serves food 24/7.

AUBERGE loosely translates to "inn" and this type of eatery is typically part of a rural hotel or bed and breakfast. An "Auberge Terroir" uses certified regional (AOC) products. Food choices tend to be quite limited and are often part of a set menu. Small hotel restaurants may also be referred to as TABLE D'HÔTE (translates to Host's Table) and meals may be served family-style at a communal table.

Exterior of Hostellerie Due Vieux Pérouges; we stopped here for a snack during our day in Beaujolais.

This establishment is well known for their local specialty - Galette Péourgienne or Pérouges flat cake - basically sugar pizza

A homey lunch served at Les Boulles Dorées - roast asparagus nestled in asparagus mousse next to a poached egg in cheese sauce with a parmesan crisp.

The lovely dining room at Les Boulles Dorées overlooks a beautiful garden

A RESTAURANT typically offers multicourse meals including an Entree (starter/appetizer,) Plat (main course,) cheese, and dessert. Some combination of these courses is frequently offered at a fixed price. Restaurants are usually open for lunch and dinner, and offer an extensive wine list and elegant service. This restaurant, Severo, focuses on dry-aged beef - it's run by a former butcher (Boucher)

RESTAURANT GASTRONOMIQUE - higher-end restaurants, many with at least one Michelin Star. They are frequently associated either with a celebrated chef or a luxury hotel. Expect to pay a minimum of €100 per person, not including wine. Set menus may be available for lunch; lunch pricing is typically more reasonable. We had dinner at Leon de Lyon; my chicken (Volaille du Bresse) was seriously one of the best dishes I've ever had.

There are several additional types of eateries in France, including:

• BOUILLON - traditional restaurants that cater to laborers and offer good food and great value
• BAR A VIN (Wine Bar) - typically offering a very simple menu, for example, bread, cheese, and charcuterie.
• TRAITEUR - originally "traiteur' was the nickname for the Guild of Cooks and Caterers who, over time, claimed exclusive rights to prepare dishes that were more sophisticated. Today the term broadly refers to caterers, but it also refers to a food shop selling prepared food for carryout or take away.
• BOULANGERIE - is a French Bakery, distinct from a pastry shop. While pastries may be available, their primary product is bread which must be baked on the premises.
• PÂTISSERIE refers both to French Pastry and the shop in which pastries are sold. To be a Pâtisserie in France, the pastries must be made by a licensed Mâitre Pâtissier (a master pastry chef.)
• VIENNOISERIE refers to flaky pastries typically consumed at breakfast and baked in the style of Vienna, Austria. Brioche and croissants are both categorized as Viennoiserie.

One final thing I learned during our trip - France has a competition among chefs called Meilleurs Ouvrier de France (MOF) which translates to "the best craftsman in France." Chefs who win this competition are permitted to have a special collar on their chef coat, featuring the tricolor red, white and blue of the French flag. During our food tour in Lyon, I noticed a chef in a butcher stall who was also depicted in a huge photo - he was awarded the MOF for his butchering skills in 2016. Another MOF we came across in Lyon was François Pralus - who earned this honor in 1955 for chocolate pastry. He invented the Praluline - a brioche studded with pink praline - candy-coated almonds and hazelnuts. Delicious!

Rendering of François Pralus with his MOF collar

Delicious Praluline!

Didier Massot, MOF for his butchering skills, in his stall at Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse

Joan Qualls, Owner / Travel Advisor joan@tastefulvoyages.com

CST #2123649-40

Golfin' On The River

What are you looking forward to as spring approaches? I know that many of you play golf, and also that many of you are interested in river cruising. Wikipedia says: “Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not utilize a standardized playing area, and coping with the varied terrains encountered on different courses is a key part of the game.” Golfer friends of mine delight in playing courses new to them while traveling. But did you know that there are river cruise companies which offer rounds of golf as excursions during their European itineraries? How special would it be to combine a river cruise with hitting the links in totally new destinations? This article introduces a couple of options to do just that! FORE!

PS - if you have golfer friends who might be interested in combining a river cruise with a unique golf experiences, please share this article with them! Thanks!

Challenging Golf Courses. On the River. In Europe?

Yes Please! With the May 2019 introduction of the AmaMagna on the Danube River, a comprehensive Golf Concierge program will be available to cruise guests. This program includes transfer from the ship to the country clubs, transfer of your golf clubs from course to course, cleaning the clubs, greens fees and golf carts, and some meals at the course. The itinerary includes games at up to five courses (depending upon whether the guest chooses a land package before or after the river cruise.) Courses included are:

• Pannonia Golf and Country Club, in Hungary: https://golfpannonia.hu/en
• Penati Golf Resort, Bratislava: https://www.penatigolfresort.sk/en/
• Diamond Country Club, Austria: https://www.countryclub.at/
• Hartl Resort, Germany: https://www.quellness-golf.com/en/golf-resort.html
• Albatross Golf Resort, Czech Republic: https://albatross.cz/cs/

The Concierge Golf Program is offered on 21 sailings during 2019 - and if not everyone is a golfer, not to worry - the daily activities offered on board are available for the non-golfers in your party.

If that's just too much golf, Uniworld offers a single round of golf during many of its Paris and Normandy itineraries, at the Golf de Etretat Marine Course in Normandy: https://golfetretat.com/

Of course when not on the course, you'll be staying in a beautiful floating hotel room as you travel between towns and villages, and be treated to excellent dining experiences and local beers and wines. If you are part of a regular foursome, or active at your golf club, think how much fun it would be to share an experience like this with your golfing partners?

Golfing is one of many special experiences now being offered by river cruise companies - they've historically offered cruises focused on beer, wine and even cognac - as well as more culinary focused themes. There are river cruises geared toward family travel (including a Disney partnership,) Jewish Heritage Cruises, and during December, cruises stopping at many of Europe's charming Christmas Markets. There's really something for everyone - I've truly enjoyed my two river cruise experiences and am really looking forward to the next two I've already got on the books (and really hoping to experience the Christmas Markets myself, too!)

I would love to help you choose a river cruise - please call or email when you're ready to plan.

See you on the river,

Joan

Oberammergau: Excited for Travel Planned 2 Years in the Future? YES!

Yesterday I did something I'd never done before - I planned a trip more than two years in advance.  Crazy, right?  Not really...

As a travel expert, one of my very favorite things is networking with my colleagues, and learning from them.  While I had heard the term "Oberammergau,"  I had no idea what it was, until a friend, who specializes in Religious Travel, described in detail this once-a-decade spectacle that has been created and performed in the town of Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany since 1634.  Fascinated, I decided that my husband and I must experience this.

Wikipedia explains that in 1634, a native of the town returned home for Christmas, infected with bubonic plague, which typically spread quickly and had a high mortality rate.  The townspeople made a vow that if God spared them from the epidemic, they would perform the Passion Play every ten years.  The scope of the epidemic was limited, and since then, with few exceptions, the inhabitants of the village have produced this spectacle every year ending in zero.

The performances is staged in an open air venue, and the scripts and music have been compiled from material written during the 15th and 16th centuries.  Over 2,000 of the town's 5,000 citizens participate in the event, performed over a five-month period in the designated year.

This unique experience generates worldwide interest, with a corresponding great demand for tickets.  Many tour operators offer trips including attendance at performances of Oberammergau, but these offerings consistently sell out well in advance - ergo my decision to plan really, really far in advance. Personally, for an event like this, my preference is to delegate the arrangements for tickets, lodging and transportation to a company with experience in handling the details to provide a seamless experience.

We've chosen to take a Danube River Cruise which combines a land portion to take in the Passion Play; there are many options offered by multiple tour companies.

If you too would enjoy a unique performance like this, I would be delighted to assist with (very) advance planning.

I've attached a short video taken during the 2010 event - hope you enjoy!

Happy Travels -

Joan Qualls
Owner and Vacation Designer
Tasteful Voyages
joan@tastefulvoyages.com

Amsterdam, Cheese and Windmills

We arrived in Amsterdam on Friday morning and were delighted to learn that our room was ready when we checked into Hotel Sofitel Legend the Grand.  What a way to exceed expectations, right from the start!  We had a lovely two-level room.  We headed out to get a few provisions and our Amsterdam neighborhood was JUMPING!  After taking a quick nap, we headed out for dinner to the Amsterdam branch of Jamie Oliver's Fifteen. The restaurant is situated on the river, and we actually spotted our ship, the Tauck MS Swiss Jewel, docked nearby.

Bridges just steps from our hotel

Beautiful tea service at the Sofitel Legend the Grand

Little bud vases with tulips were everywhere in the lobby

This striking arrangement was in a hallway

Saturday morning we had a lovely buffet breakfast in the hotel, and started to meet our fellow travelers.  We headed out on our own to the Van Gogh museum.  Visitors start on the top floor and work their way around and down in galleries which hug the perimeter of the museum.  The paintings are arranged chronologically and follow the course of Van Gogh's life.  They are interspersed with artifacts from the homes of Van Gogh and his brother Theo, as well as artwork from other artists involved either with influencing the career of Van Gogh, or working alongside him.  The museum is well worth a visit.  We felt smart having booked ahead online and being able to "skip the line."  On a side note we used Uber all over Amsterdam - it was an easy and economical mode of transportation.

Later that afternoon we met our Tauck Tour Directors, Paul and Joeri, and had a short walk from the hotel to our coaches which took us to the ship.  I learned that ship is the correct term (vs. boat) - because a boat moves if you lean on it, while a ship does not.  We were warmly greeted on board by the Cruise Director, Tea, and staff members with whom we would be very familiar by the end of the week.  Passengers assembled in the Panorama Lounge for a welcome glass of bubbly and passed hors d'oeuvres.  We had our photos taken for our key cards and were shown to our cabin.  The space was tiny but very smartly designed; nevertheless I was grateful for the genius tip provided by a very seasoned river cruiser - namely, to bring along an over-door shoe rack in which we stored all of the items which would have been loose and creating clutter in our cabin.

View down the cabin lined hallway

The Tauck MS Swiss Jewel, our home for a week

Sunday morning we headed out bright and early for the Keukenhof Gardens, truly a highlight of the voyage. The gardens are open for only 8 weeks, during the height of Tulip season.  We learned that 7 million tulip bulbs are planted, at three different depths, in order to maximize the blooming season.  The gardens are spectacularly delightful - a real bucket list item for flower lovers.

Sea of Tulips just inside entrance to Keukenhof Gardens

Windmill on the grounds of Keukenhof Gardens.  Visitors climb two flights of stairs to look over flower fields. 

Detail of one of hundreds of varieties of Tulips in bloom

At the conclusion of our visit to the gardens, we returned to the ship for a quick lunch.  It's worth mentioning that the weather during our visit was wild - we experienced some of the coldest temperatures in 30 years - and the chef responded with having wonderful warming soups on the menu every time we came in from the cold.  After lunch, we took a short walk to a dock near our ship and boarded a glassed-in Amsterdam canal boat to travel from our ship to the Rijksmuseum.

View from the boat of one of Amsterdam's canals

The Milkmaid - Jan Vermeer 

Detail of Rembrandt's Night Watch

Detail of Rembrandt's Night Watch

The Threatened Swan, Jan Asselijn

The Syndics, Rembrandt

Panorama, Entrance Hall, Rijksmuseum

The Jewish Bride, Rembrandt

We had a fabulous guide who narrated the history of the homes and canals as we passed, and then transformed into an Art History lecturer inside the gallery.  We spend a lot of time with the Dutch Masters.  Would love to return to this museum on my own time!

We returned to the ship for our Gala Dinner, during which the ship started sailing for the first time - a very exciting moment.

The Bar area in the Panorama Lounge

Clever napkin fold for the Gala dinner

Monday morning we were up and at 'em early again.  I had heard that River Cruising is not the most leisurely, relaxing type of trip - and this was proving to be true as we had very full days with nicely curated activities.  We started this morning heading to the Geisslander Dairy Farm - a family operation with about 300 cows.  During the drive we learned about the Polderlands - the swampy below sea level land that the Dutch have reclaimed from the seas and canals by using Windmills to pump water out.  Our visit to the farm started with a walk thru the dairy barns where the "girls" were enthusiastically chomping on cut grass.  The cows are milked twice daily, and technology is key - their milk output is measured and charted as any variabilities could indicate illness or other issues.  We learned that mama cows are separated from their babies as soon as the babies are born, but they are milked of their colostrum which is then hand-fed to the calves.  Female calves are kept - boy calves may not have such a happy future...

From the cow station we headed to a cheese aging room, and learned about the various types of Gouda (pronounced Hoodah) produced here.  We had the opportunity to sample and purchase cheese.

Cheese aging room.  The cheeses have a waxy coating hand applied by a sponge before being set on a rack to age.

Yours truly with a 25-pound wheel of Gouda!

From the farm we headed out across the polderlands again, setting out for Kinderdijk, a UNESCO world heritage site populated with working windmills.  If conditions are right, one can see 19 windmills at one time.  

Five of the windmills at Kinderdijk

A "blocker" windmill - the entire house rotates on top of the mill

Eel traps in the canals alongside the windmills

It was truly fascinating to learn about how the windmills operate, to continually drain water from the land.  The function once assigned to windmills has now been transferred to the most part to electric pumping stations which pull the water out and deposit it elsewhere, to keep some of the land available for farming. 

We returned to the ship for dinner - and an optional excursion to go for a walk on old ramparts in a town to which we had sailed.  Honestly most of the guests were too tuckered out to do anything - and that evening we were entertained by a wonderful jazz trio who came onboard to perform in the Panorama lounge.  After a lovely concert, we set sail for Belgium.