Detours. A French expat’s insider's guide to exclusive food, chocolate and travel experiences in Sydney, Australia.

A la Mère de Famille: meet the Veuve Clicquot of Parisian chocolate

Forget about Le Louvre and Versailles. For a slice of true Parisian history, skip breakfast, grab your shopping bag, rob a bank and head to ‘A la Mère de Famille’ on rue du Faubourg Montmartre, in the heart of the 9th arrondissement.

The heritage-listed, family-owned confectionery store celebrates its 250th anniversary this year. It is an absolute must-go destination for chocophiles and food lovers in Paris.

Think dark wooden cabinets, an old-school cash register, artisan jams and honey, deliciously retro regional specialties such as ‘nonnettes au miel’ and ‘orangettes’, and row after row of antique glass jars filled with more candies than Marie Antoinette could ever dream of.

The store also offers a stellar range of artisan chocolate, including a really good selection of single-origin chocolate bars from Madagascar, Ecuador, Venezuela and more. Icing on the cake: the brand’s very chic orange & brown packaging – think Willy Wonka meets Hermès – makes perfect gifts.

A la Mère de Famille (‘at the family’s mother place’ in French) was founded in 1761 by Jean-Marie Bernard. It is named after one of the later owners of the store, the beautiful Marie Adelaïde Bridault, mother of four, who decided to take over her husband’s business after he died in 1807. 

A mere two years after a certain Madame Clicquot became a widow herself and went on to create one of the world’s most famous Champagne labels, Marie Adelaïde unleashed her entrepreneurial spirit, focused on higher quality products, appointed new suppliers and single-handedly took the store from a local favourite to a global gourmet icon. Go girls!

A la Mère de Famille: 35 rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris (flagship store). Visit website www.lameredefamille.com for online orders and other stores, including the Printemps Haussmann corner.

Going 'ART Cycling' with Art Month Sydney

When comes to cycling in Sydney, I'm a total newbie. I don't have a bike, to start with, and I'm a bit scared of being run over by a reckless cab driver.

However, I've recently embraced the joys of cycling thanks to Paris' fantastic 'Vélib' street bike hire scheme, one of the first and largest schemes of its kind in the world. Such a fantastic way to re-discover the city - especially comes spring and summer, when you can ride to your favourite sunny cafe terrace while perfecting your tan (and keeping your carbon emissions down). 

The Bourke St cycleway; at Sullivan + Strumpf Gallery

So when I read about Art Month Sydney's free "ART Cycle" guided bike tours, I jumped at the opportunity to explore Danks St, Redfern and Waterloo by bike. It looks like cycling is the new black these days, and I didn't want to be missing on that trend!

First item on the list? Finding a bike. Quite essential for a bike tour...

So I headed off to one of my favourite cafes in town, The Commons on Burton St, Darlinghurst. 

In addition to serving world-class coffee on their lovely outdoor terrace, The Commons have partnered with the Humble Vintage Bike Hire Co, a really cool bike hire company initially from Melbourne, the brainchild of brilliant Matt Hurst. For only $30 a day, you can rent a nice-looking bike, and the helmet, lock and light are included.

At Sullivan + Strumpf Gallery, checking out the Arlene TextaQueen exhibition and listening to photographer Darren Sylvester tell us about his latest work

Once I was all geared up, I rode to the relatively new Bourke St cycleway. Very safe for riders, very convenient - I loved it. The City of Sydney has invested a lot of money and efforts lately towards promoting cycling and making Sydney a cycling city. You can even sign up for free safe riding courses. Really great initiative championed by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

Barry Keldoulis talking about collecting contemporary video art

And then the rest of the day was pure bliss - cycling from one art gallery to another checking out new exhibitions, with inspiring artists and curators talks galore.

The conversation with friends and artists Paul Higgs and Ivor Fabok at Stella Downer gallery, Danks St, was a definite highlight - really fascinating insight into the creative process and being inspired by jazz. Check out their exhibition if you get the chance, beautiful, beautiful work... 

At the Danks St Waterloo arts hub

Hats off to Art Month Sydney and everyone involved in ART Cycle for putting together such a brilliant event!

Speaking of which, there's another ART Cycle tour in Paddington and Woollahra next week, if there's any spot left I strongly urge you to make a booking, you won't regret it!

So tell me dear reader, which type of rider are you? Are you more "Lance Amstrong meets Cadel Evans", or "Brigitte Bardot meets Carrie Bradshaw"?

Painter / mixed media artist Paul Higgs and sculptor Ivor Fabok in conversation with Stella Downer at 2 Danks St

All mapped out

I'm loving these crumpled city maps!!

 
Travellers frustrated by flimsy paper maps will appreciate "Crumpled City", a soft collection of Rome, London, New York, Paris and Berlin maps you can crumple up and stuff in your pocket. 

The maps are waterproof, durable and weigh 20 grams. They feature an index of major sights and a selection of 10 ‘soul-sights – places that are extra special and unique. The range of cities should expand in the near future.

 
Why didn’t someone think of this brilliant idea before? It's a super smart way of not looking like a tourist anymore and sparing oneself of the usually frustrating exercise of unfolding and refolding maps constantly...

Available online at Design for Use ($29).

The ultimate cheese shop in Paris

Dear friends, you want in on a little secret?

Laurent Dubois is my all-time favourite cheese shop or 'fromager' in Paris. The crème de le crème of brie and camembert, the Coco Chanel of cheesemongers. 

Dubois opened his first cheese store about 15 years ago and hasn't looked back. Nowadays people travel from all over Paris - and beyond - to stock up on his amazing cheeses. So it's a place you can't miss, if you love food and are planning a visit to Paris!

 
What makes the place really special is the sheer variety of cheeses on offer, with many cheeses sourced direct from some of the best regional producers in France. Think Morbier, Roquefort, Epoisses, Gruyère, Fourme d'Ambert, Saint Nectaire, Reblochon, Brillat Savarin, Vacherin, Comté, Saint Marcellin - and many many more.

Dubois also sells a pretty unique range of vintage cheeses, matured for up to several years in his own ageing cellars.

Another draw card is the store's really elegant design and displays - nothing like what you'd expect from a typical cheese shop (note to my Sydney friends: Dubois is kind of doing with cheese what Woollahra's über chic butcher Victor Churchill is doing with meat). 

Last but not least, you should know that Dubois holds the highly coveted "MOF" title (for Meilleur Ouvrier de France, or Best Craftsman in France).

MOF is a competition held every 3-4 years, designed to single out the best craftsmen and artisans in France, across a number of trades. This competition requires months, sometimes years, of preparation - with the winning candidates retaining their title for life. Kind of like winning the Oscars of cheesemaking.

So tell me, dear reader, are you cheese lovers yourself, or do you run away at the mere mention of smelly cheese? Which type of cheese are you partial to? 

Laurent Dubois Fromager: 47 ter Boulevard Saint Germain on Place Maubert (75005 Paris) and 2 rue de Lourmel near the Eiffel Tower (75015 Paris)

www.fromagelaurentdubois.com

It's National Crêpes Day today!

Today’s Candlemas - a Catholic holiday and traditional feast which occurs 40 days after Christmas to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus.

 
In France, Candlemas (or La Chandeleur in French) is celebrated with crêpes, which must be eaten only after eight pm - and in great quantities. Just my kind of dinner!! La Chandeleur brings back plenty of happy childhood memories, I used to love these 'tres naughty' all-sweet dinners.

On that night, we also do a bit of fortune telling while making the crêpes. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family is supposed to be prosperous for the rest of the year. It takes a bit of practice to get it right - hence the ‘great quantities’ part of the equation, to account for all the crêpes which inevitably end up on the floor or ceiling!

 
French crêpes are very thin pancakes, usually made from wheat flour. While they originate from Brittany in the northwest of France, their consumption is widespread throughout the country. They’re traditionally served with a variety of fillings, from the iconic “beurre sucre” (butter & sugar) to Nutella and the most elaborate crêpes Suzette, flambéed with Cognac or Grand Marnier.

Feeling like having crêpes tonight? Check out this great crêpes recipe on Chocolate & Zucchini!

So tell me, dear reader, have you ever had a go at making crêpes? Do you sometimes indulge in all-sweet dinners?