Earlier this week, the Notre Dame cathedral suffered a devastating fire. The cathedral is not only a World Heritage Site, it's a profound piece of history, art, and literature. The loss of such a magnificent building is devastating. These days, it is possible to rebuild and restore more things, but this loss will cost billions of dollars and decades of work to recover from. We will never get the original Notre Dame back.
Paris is the city of my heart and the images from the scene nearly had me in tears. I want to remember the beauty of the cathedral by sharing two classically French items.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the most well-known classics in literature. Victor Hugo's work tells the story of Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bell ringer of Notre Dame. His looks ensure that the general public fears him, so Dom Claude Frollo looks after him but also neglects to protect him from public torture and ridicule. Then the gypsy Esmerelda steps on the scene to defend the bell ringer. Drama ensues. The great novel of the romantic era is a classic that has been adapted time and again and whose lessons still hold sway today.
French cuisine is known for it's richness and depth of flavor. One meal that is known the world over is coq au vin. This is a take on Julia Child's recipe for the dish courtesy of The Endless Meal. Coq au vin combines chicken, wine, bacon and vegetables for a hearty and flavorful dinner. The chicken is marinated in AND braises in the wine leading to a rich, savory sauce. You can enjoy this dish on it's own or with a side of mashed potatoes or even egg noodles.
Paris is the city of my heart and the images from the scene nearly had me in tears. I want to remember the beauty of the cathedral by sharing two classically French items.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the most well-known classics in literature. Victor Hugo's work tells the story of Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bell ringer of Notre Dame. His looks ensure that the general public fears him, so Dom Claude Frollo looks after him but also neglects to protect him from public torture and ridicule. Then the gypsy Esmerelda steps on the scene to defend the bell ringer. Drama ensues. The great novel of the romantic era is a classic that has been adapted time and again and whose lessons still hold sway today.
French cuisine is known for it's richness and depth of flavor. One meal that is known the world over is coq au vin. This is a take on Julia Child's recipe for the dish courtesy of The Endless Meal. Coq au vin combines chicken, wine, bacon and vegetables for a hearty and flavorful dinner. The chicken is marinated in AND braises in the wine leading to a rich, savory sauce. You can enjoy this dish on it's own or with a side of mashed potatoes or even egg noodles.
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