La Grande Epicerie de Paris

I’m just settling into my little “cottage” in the Loire Valley.  Well, it’s actually more like an apartment that has been built into the ancient fortification or remparts of the city, but, from the courtyard, it looks like a little farmhouse, which until yesterday didn’t have any internet.  So I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long, but before I start writing about my new life in Blois (pronounced Blwah), let me go back and tell you about some of my discoveries in Paris…

La Grande Epicerie de Paris (38 rue de Sèvres) is exactly what you would expect from the name.  It’s a large grocery store or épicerie, but, unlike most regular shops, you can find an unlimited amount of gourmet items that would inspire any chef – professional or not.  It is located right next to Le Bon Marché, where one goes to see the latest trends in fashions, but, if you’re anything like me, you’ll skip the clothing and head straight towards the rather trendy food.

While in Paris I always stop at La Grande Epicerie , because I’m guaranteed to discover a new specialty.  There is a wide selection of imported and exotic food that you simply can’t find anywhere else.  They even have some American specialties, such as barbecue sauce and caesar dressing (gourmet of course), which is a welcome sight for the numerous expatriates who are longing for a taste of home.

During my last trip to La Grande Epicerie, I discovered a new twist on table salt – rocks of salt, about two inches wide, that were packaged up and sold with a small grater. These diamants de sel are made from rose salt, which are fossilized crystals of sea salt that formed more than 260 million years ago.  They are extracted from the Khewra mines of the Himalayas in the Pakistani region of Kashmir.  The salt was actually discovered around 350 BCE by Alexander the Great, who had them brought back to Europe where they were served to dignitaries and emperors.

Of course you don’t have to be an emperor anymore to have these rocks of salt on your table.  They have a nice flavor that works for any dish, but they also are a fun table decoration.

For more information visit Terre Exotique.