I was in Paris in December and tracked these down both at Monoprix and Lafayette Gourmet (less expensive in Monoprix, unsurprisingly). Those are definitely caraway seeds - as a New York Jew with a lifetime of eating seeded rye bread, I definitely know a caraway seed when I taste one. ;-)
I brought home four boxes of these and am trying to stretch them out until I can get back to Paris to buy more. They are terribly addicting!
For me a small guilty pleasure in travel (back when we could, you know, travel) is sampling the wilder varieties of different countries' chips/crisps flavors. Sometimes they are authentically tasty, and sometimes they are a weird window into what a culture values, which is almost as good.
Alsatian brasseries often serve muenster avec cumin, so I've always assumed that is the word for caraway. Will look for those Oboles in the supermarches here in Paris.
Yes have bought these when staying in SW France from the more "gourmet" snack aisle in l'hypermarché E.Leclerc in Cahors. I agree re the caraway. And they are delicious.
Found this online…”Caraway, also known as meridian fennel and Persian cumin” which appears to explain the package’s “Au Cumin des Prés”. So caraway it is.
Reminds me of the southern treat called Bene wafers, equally croustillantes with sesame seeds, love those but these with caraway sound interesting. Thanks for sharing David
They do look like the 34 Degrees product which is really good. Trader Joe’s also has a gluten free rice version they call Savory Thins. Someone needs to plan a Paris thin cracker swap!!
Yes, are very similar to the 34 Degrees product. I love 34 because they are very sturdy. They have expanded their flavors quite a bit - savory and sweet. They have an online 25% off sale now. https://34-degrees.com/
Those look delicious! I checked Amazon and sure enough I can buy a package on line for $41+ shipping! So, Oboles should be weighed as they are worth more than gold per ounce!
Oboles are going on my Monoprix list for whenever it will be that I get back to Paris. Thank you. FYI Tapping on the green words 'communion wafers' led to the video explanation how the nuns make the wafers (in their spiffy white tennies with contrasting black laces.) Tapping on the triangle within the picture of the nun led to a video with a discussion about communion. I figure anyone weighing out 5 chocolate chips would want to know this. Great post.
Whole Foods in NYC and numerous cheese shops (e.g., Murray's) have been selling similar wafers for the past several years. Can't recall the name on the box but they look identical to the Oboles and have recently been offered in an expanded variety of flavors. They are delightful.
I was in Paris in December and tracked these down both at Monoprix and Lafayette Gourmet (less expensive in Monoprix, unsurprisingly). Those are definitely caraway seeds - as a New York Jew with a lifetime of eating seeded rye bread, I definitely know a caraway seed when I taste one. ;-)
I brought home four boxes of these and am trying to stretch them out until I can get back to Paris to buy more. They are terribly addicting!
For me a small guilty pleasure in travel (back when we could, you know, travel) is sampling the wilder varieties of different countries' chips/crisps flavors. Sometimes they are authentically tasty, and sometimes they are a weird window into what a culture values, which is almost as good.
Alsatian brasseries often serve muenster avec cumin, so I've always assumed that is the word for caraway. Will look for those Oboles in the supermarches here in Paris.
Yes have bought these when staying in SW France from the more "gourmet" snack aisle in l'hypermarché E.Leclerc in Cahors. I agree re the caraway. And they are delicious.
I think I have actually had these! So exciting when I recognize something you mention or recommend., silly me.
Found this online…”Caraway, also known as meridian fennel and Persian cumin” which appears to explain the package’s “Au Cumin des Prés”. So caraway it is.
Reminds me of the southern treat called Bene wafers, equally croustillantes with sesame seeds, love those but these with caraway sound interesting. Thanks for sharing David
Oboles de Lucerne are known as Kimmel crackers in the States (and in Israel.) Kimmel is the German word for caraway.
Maybe Cumin des Prés and cumin are different (https://www.grainesdefolie.com/tous-les-aromates/544-carvi-cumin-des-pres.html), thanks for this interesting aricle!
Re museums, there is the sugar museum in Morey-sit-Loing. Probably opened in the 1960s and never changed.
They do look like the 34 Degrees product which is really good. Trader Joe’s also has a gluten free rice version they call Savory Thins. Someone needs to plan a Paris thin cracker swap!!
Yes, are very similar to the 34 Degrees product. I love 34 because they are very sturdy. They have expanded their flavors quite a bit - savory and sweet. They have an online 25% off sale now. https://34-degrees.com/
Those look delicious! I checked Amazon and sure enough I can buy a package on line for $41+ shipping! So, Oboles should be weighed as they are worth more than gold per ounce!
Oboles are going on my Monoprix list for whenever it will be that I get back to Paris. Thank you. FYI Tapping on the green words 'communion wafers' led to the video explanation how the nuns make the wafers (in their spiffy white tennies with contrasting black laces.) Tapping on the triangle within the picture of the nun led to a video with a discussion about communion. I figure anyone weighing out 5 chocolate chips would want to know this. Great post.
They reminded me of these too. Lots of interesting flavours.
https://34-degrees.com/products/seeded-crisps
Whole Foods in NYC and numerous cheese shops (e.g., Murray's) have been selling similar wafers for the past several years. Can't recall the name on the box but they look identical to the Oboles and have recently been offered in an expanded variety of flavors. They are delightful.