54 Comments

Your weakness for the lovely flea market find is so relatable. I volunteer for an organization that runs a thrift store to support local youth programs. I work there several times each month. It takes real willpower to resist coming home without half the store. I fail more often that not. My latest find was an oval terrine and a set of The Good Cook series. There is always something. I would have a hard time avoiding flea markets and vide-grèniers in France!

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David

I totally get your collection of Le Cruset. I have the same collection of Nambe. I have so many platters and bowls + candle holders and other things I couldn't live without. I finally found a use for the huge Nambe platters, I am going to use them at my daughter's wedding for the cheese and meat boards. Good luck with the move! Gail

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Oh gosh, even I have a cafe au lait bowl for Guy when he's here. It's big so he can dunk his toasted baguette slathered with jam in it.

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Sorry about the sink! I feel your pain on the downsizing that goes with moving or remodeling. I found new homes for many things, but appear to filled the void with new things to take up new space! Love those vintage Raymond Loewy coquelles. Keep them, you never know when you will need to make multiple batches of poule au pot!

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I’m so glad you mentioned the cafe au lait bowls. I was very lucky to stay with a family in the suburbs outside paris, rueil malmaison, when I was 15, 1979, for a few weeks, and the first time I saw the papa in the morning he was drinking coffee and milk out of a bowl! He said, yes, this is how we do it. I did it too, and was glad for it. (I miss the Grenier family and wish I could thank them for their kindnesses.) your mention brought back so many memories.

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It was funny that someone tried to call me out on that, but it is the internet and people find the funniest things to pick on...I recently saw someone explaining to Jacques Pépin what "steak tartare" was😉..which I'm pretty sure he knows.

It is common to drink café au lait out of bowls and I have somehow managed to amass quite a few of them! Next time you come to Paris, we'll do breakfast here.

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You signed dl, my initials too :)

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David, you are a Saint concerning this kitchen renovation. I'm certain I would be in a French prison by now.

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You got me with Joni Mitchell - amazing. Thank you for posting.

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Our induction stove showed an error code. We simply turned our breaker off then back on (outside) after a few seconds it worked! Or you might unplug it if you have access (we didn’t thus the breaker). I don’t believe it was covered in the manual so I had called the manufacturer’s customer service line. So glad it worked! Good luck!

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Thanks Debbie. I tried that and it didn't work. According to the error code, it's the connection so have to get the contractor back to fix that.

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I'm moving to Portugal later this year and will start gifting many thinks to friends. I also appreciate the odor-free laundry detergent. I was in Portugal for the month of April and could not find and odor free detergent. I did find a very mild scented detergent for babies and it worked. I may be bringing big supply of detergent sheets with me.

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Where do you answer our questions, David, say about your Salted Butter Caramel Sauce?

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I answer questions in the newsletter as they're written but there isn't a way to go back and check all the previous newsletter posts as there are a lot of them at this pojnt!

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Oh, I get it. So, you cannot tell me how to make the salted butter caramel sauce less bitter.

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You can cook the caramel less. The farther you cook the sugar, the more "cooked" flavor it'll have. Some consider that bitter, so the trick is getting it to the point where it starts to smoke, but doesn't burn. I included step-by-step photos in the post which hopefully help!

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Ok, I get it and it makes sense that I overcooked it. I shall try again tomorrow.

Thanks so much,

Carol

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I’m searching for an Enzo Mari Le Cruset pot and am having no luck. My Paris apartment needs one but i can only find them on Ebay in America. Looking for French source do i don’t have to put one in my suitcase and schlep it to Paris! Any suggestions welcome.

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I see them at flea markets on occasion but try Le Bon Coin (in France) or Etsy.

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Oh, how I wish I could have been at your "garage" sale. Your dishes and glass wear are so wonderful. Thanks for sharing the photos.

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I want one of those gorgeous coquilles!!! Absent that, I will settle for the small NANTAIS (AI CH changes it to something unintelligible), with port in the center. Heading to the Savoie region in a while - could I find any of these gorgeous casseroles (with recessed handle, yet!) in France? So glad you are rounding bases and are almost home. L. Bouchez

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Wonderful newsletter! And, as always, a gentle reminder that it is a new month!

Little did I know, upon opening it, that I would be seized by a fierce desire to own at least one Raymond Loews coquelle! (Which I had no clue existed 15 minutes ago! Let the search begin!!!!

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Although I cannot imagine you standing outside cooking on a grill, would you? It would be interesting to see David Leibovitz barbecue recipes!

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We would love a grill but unfortunately people don't like the smells of outdoor cooking here; there's actually a form one can fill out online to report a 'Nuisance olfactive" or cooking smell from a neighbor grilling.

That said, I'd like to find a solution, perhaps something like an Ooni oven!

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Of course, I should have thought of that! Just last evening we were having cocktails on our outdoor deck with neighbors and could smell a barbecue somewhere in the neighborhood. We all thought it smelled delicious! An Ooni sounds great but may cause the same “nuisance”!

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