French Market

 I would still consider myself far from being a French cuisine connoisseur, yet at least I can say I've had my fair share of cheese, fruit and bread to be able to distinguish the good from the bad. The markets here in France are definitely where you can find the good of anything. Although it's crowded and causes me some anxiety from my lack of the French language, my last Saturday market experience was a success. 

My Weekend in Paris

Over the weekend, I got to spend 3 whole days in easily one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Filled with brilliant architecture and years upon years of history, walking through Paris is nothing short of dreamlike. Sure, trying to find your way around the massive city is a challenge and, at times, quite strenuous, but its hard to feel tired when surrounded by such beauty.

Recipe #1: Avocado, Tomato & Lemon Quinoa Salad

 With all the bread, wine, and chocolate I've been thoroughly enjoying these past few weeks, I decided it's probably time to start trying to eat a little better... sigh. When I get the chance, I try to make my own food so that I know exactly what I'm eating in order to make things healthier, and in my tiny kitchen, easy recipes are the best recipes. I love quinoa but I've never actually tried making it myself, so I decided I would finally try to experiment. Like rice, quinoa is so versatile and can be used in recipes for baking, lunch/dinner, as a side, or even for breakfast! Unlike rice, however, quinoa is incredibly healthy and keeps you full.

Loire Valley

It seems that I still cannot wrap my head around the beauty that I am witnessing here. Yesterday was our last excursion, and we drove 2 hours from Angers to the Loire Valley to visit Le Chateau de Villandry, the Chateau du Clos Lucé Parc Leonardo da Vinci (Leonardo Da Vinci's house), and the Chateau d'Amboise.

My Simple French Dinner

Honestly, who doesn't love cheese or bread. I certainly do, and fortunately so do the French. I've been dying to make myself a classic meat and cheese platter, and I decided to accompany my meat and cheeses with a fresh crusty baguette, some cherries I got at the local market, and some herbed green olives. For the cheeses, I got some Brie de Meaux from the market, a slice of Comte, and a pungent yet buttery cheese called Vieux Pane. Voilà!

Normandy Excursion

I was fortunate enough to take some steps into history yesterday and witness some of the most beautiful, historic, and devastating monuments in recent history. I visited Normandy, where we went to a WWII/Dday museum, the American cemetery on Omaha Beach, and Pointe du Hoc.

Ice Cream, Musée de Beaux-Arts & Quernons d'Ardoise

By the looks of my title you may think I know more French now. But don't be fooled. I get out of class by 10:30 on Thursdays, so that leaves the rest of the day completely free for me. I decided to make some good use of my time and visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Angers, which is the art museum located in the heart of Angers, about 15 minutes from my residence. The museum, which originally opened its doors in 1801, was modeled by the Louvre. Between 1999 and 2004, there were massive renovations done to the museum, and I could definitely tell the difference between the older and the newer parts of the museum. While most of it was new, there are still some beautiful historic aspects in tact like the detailed arc ceilings.