A crepe in the pouring rain...

A quick update on a delicious Parisian late night meal - absolutely to be enjoyed in the pouring rain, while walking down the Rue de La Roquette which just so happens to be full of little bars and cafe's where the smart people are gathered under the awnings with a glass of wine, or tucked inside the bistrot at candlelit tables. The not-so-smart people (um...me) are getting funny looks from the warm, dry people, while I'm juggling an umbrella, getting soaked, and fully committed to trying to eat a most delicious jambon-fromage crepe, folded into a perfect triangle, crispy on the outside, with delicious goey emmenthal cheese, ham, salt and pepper on the inside...while walking. I finally gave up when realizing that my attempt to eat and stay dry was impacting my ability to enjoy the crepe to its fullest. I took cover under the awning of a bookstore and enjoyed my crepe from there while perusing the Tintin and Voltaire book covers (an odd and so typically french book selection).  

So this isn't me - it's from 'Midnight in Paris' Woody Allen movie, but it felt like this with the rain! 

I did think that I would share a few key learnings from this experience:

1. If it starts raining just as you're nearing the metro and you decide to walk home anyway thinking 'it will stop soon'...know that it won't, it will actually start to pour (that being said, it was gorgeous walking by the seine and seeing the rain poor down past the streetlights and old buildings)...so maybe the learning is to walk anyway, just don't forget your umbrella, and if you do, don't wait 10 minutes before caving an buying one at a street corner.

2. When ordering a crepe, ALWAYS ask for them to make you a fresh one. They generally have stacks of prepared crepes next to the crepe plates, that they then heat up with your toppings - do not fall for this. Kindly demand that they make you a fresh one. It is a thousand times more delicious. 

3. When ordering a crepe, chat up the nice crepe-making man. In this case, his name was Mahmoud, a nice half algerian and half dutch gentleman who has been in Paris for 5 years. Unfortunately he did not fully appreciate my french explanation of the difference between 'strategy consultant' and 'admin assistant'.  During the time we were chatting, my crepe became perfectly melted and hot all of the way through - a key to a great french crepe experience (even when made by Mahmoud, who is clearly not french). 

• Relish: A ham and cheese crepe - a staple in Paris. As mentioned, make sure it's freshly made. 
• Quaff: Usually best consumed after a few glasses of wine en-route home at the end of a night, or to kick off a night of wine tasting 
• Feel: There are a few crepe places as you head down Rue de la Roquette just after the Bastille - I passed about 5 until I settled on this one. Unfortunately I do not remember the name, but what drew me to it was that Mahmoud, despite the stacks of prepared crepes beside him, was just finishing up making a fresh one at the little window-counter with the crepe elements facing the street. What's funny is that most of these places also sell some combination of shawarma / hamburgers with their crepes...do not be turned off by this, but go for the crepes.

Enjoy!