Breaking Paris Intelligence from David Lebovitz

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On his blog davidlebovitz.com, David Lebovitz, our friend and favorite Paris food expert, lets the sun shine on a newer cafe named Echo Deli. He writes:

I was a little bouleversé (bowled over) by the drink selection on the wall, not knowing what a Dirty Chai was, and a few others things. But there’s also turmeric-ginger beer, cucumber-rose and grapefruit-clementine juices, as well as Lebanese iced tea. I was surprised to see La Croix flavored water, from the U.S., which for years I’d assumed was French. (As in, one of those French things that’s available in the U.S., but not in France.) But it’s from Wisconsin, and that was another thing Matthias from his time in the States.

Although it’s not the focus of the café, careful consideration is paid to what’s vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free. I eat, and drink, just about everything, so I was safe. Although I still feel really bad about being invited to dine at someone’s house, who set a big casserole of squid stew in the center of the table, which was dinner. I politely declined, and made a note to let hosts know of my aversion to anything with tentacles in the future.

But I love me some vegetables, any and all kinds, especially when they’re pickled. Another thing that Matthias told me he loved about Los Angeles was the interest in fermentation. While the French have their own much-cherished pickles, les cornichons, it’s lovely when someone takes fresh, local produce and lightly pickles it, not enough to overwhelm, but to compliment the flavors of the vegetables.