Food is just as susceptible to trends as fashion and some tried-and-true dishes that have been mainstays on Parisian restaurant menus have worn out their welcome with fickle French diners.
“Couteaux” are the next big thing and we mean ‘razor clams’, not knives. There may be some tough reasons for this former junk-shellfish’s new vogue: lower food budgets and some nasty plagues that have decimated the oyster business. But there’s no doubt that these geometric shells add a touch of visual drama to the plate and that may be enough to jump-start their popularity.
Le Figaro has predicted the “end of gazpacho” and we hope that Chef Sebastien Gravé doesn’t read that because we’re still dreamy about his version served atop Basque ossau iraty cheese flan at Pottoka (October 2011). However, a Spanish subsidiary of Tropicana has been making a knock-out gazpacho that’s available in French supermarkets. Chefs who can’t improve on the ready-made soup are wise to abstain.
We noted the rise of the club sandwich over 2011, but perhaps we underestimated how quickly this American country-club staple was overtaking the familiar croque monsieur on Poilâne sourdough bread. Our club sandwich round-up of last April – which was handily won by Ralph Lauren’s boutique eatery – is already overdue for an update as more French chefs try their hand at sliced bread.