Lyon Eats

Found: Saltine-type crackers!

2008-08-23T03:38:00.001-07:00

These 'Crackers salés' from Leader Price are by far the closest relative to a Saltine I've seen in a long time. They come sealed in 20 snack-size packs for a very reasonable 1.19 euros.

Other honorable mentions worth trying from Leader Price:

- Sauce Barbecue

- Ramen-type noodles

- Microwave popcorn

- Bacon (tranche de poitrine fumée)

New SUBWAY opens in Villeurbanne!

2008-08-20T03:37:00.000-07:00

The SUBWAY® brand arrived in France in 2001 with the first location opening in the historic Bastille district in the center of Paris. Since the beginning, the SUBWAY® brand has continued to grow to more than 90 restaurants in France.

One of the newest franchises opened recently in Villeurbanne's Gratte Ciels neighborhood. It is located on rue Michel Servet, very near the newest Starbucks in the Lyon area.

SUBWAY at La Part Dieu

All images from SUBWAY® Reastaurants International

Now open in Villeurbanne: Starbucks!

2008-08-10T01:01:00.000-07:00

Now you can get your Starbucks fix in two places in the Lyon area!

In addition to the Starbucks at 2 Rue de la République near the Lyon Opéra, a new store has recently opened in Villeurbanne at 40 rue Henri Barbusse - not far from the new SUBWAY® restaurant.

Need to bruch up on how to order your favoorite Starbucks drink in French? Go here.

What's in store at Starbucks in Villeurbanne?

Espresso
Smooth and versatile Espresso Roast is the soul of Starbucks® with a rich flavor, lingering aroma and caramel-like sweetness. While an espresso shot is the building block of most beverages at our store, in some countries espresso shots are sipped straight for a more intense experience in flavor.

Espresso Macchiato
A dense and caramelly-sweet espresso shot marked with a small amount of foamed milk. (Macchiato means marked.)

Espresso con Panna
A dense and caramelly-sweet espresso shot softened with a dollop of whipped cream.

Coffee of the week

Caffè Latte
Rich, full-bodied Starbucks® espresso in steamed milk lightly topped with foam.

Cappuccino
Rich, full-bodied Starbucks® espresso in a small amount of steamed milk, with a deep layer of foam. With less milk than a latte, the classic and complex cappuccino offers a stronger espresso flavor and luxurious texture.

Caffè Mocha
Rich, full-bodied Starbucks® espresso combined with our proprietary bittersweet mocha syrup and steamed milk. Topped with a cloud of whipped cream.

Caramel Macchiato
A signature Starbucks® beverage. A creamy mix of vanilla and freshly steamed milk marked with intense Starbucks® espresso, topped with velvety foam and our own proprietary buttery caramel sauce.

Caffè Americano
Rich, full-bodied Starbucks® espresso combined with hot water for the European alternative to American-style brewed coffee.

"Our festive blend of bold Asia/Pacific coffees and crisp and lively Latin American beans is back to spread holiday cheer all season long. We give this coffee a joyful, spicy warmth with a very special and rare ingredient: aged Indonesian beans."

Key term: Spicy

From many lands, one blend

Every coffee bean carries a distinctive taste that is particular to its land of origin. By carefully blending beans from different regions, our coffee experts have created an interesting interplay of aromas and flavors.

(from http://www.starbucks.com/)

Java Chip Frappuccino® Blended Coffee
A decadent combination of chocolate and java chips combined with Starbucks® Latin American coffees and milk, blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional) and chocolate drizzle, a chocolate lovers dream.

Caramel Frappuccino® Blended Coffee
A decadent treat of buttery caramel combined with Starbucks® Latin American coffees and milk, blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional) and a swirl of caramel sauce.

Mocha Frappuccino® Blended Coffee
A delightfully sweet and creamy combination of chocolate, Starbucks® Latin American coffees and milk, blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional).

Coffee Frappuccino® Blended Coffee
Starbucks® original Frappuccino®, Starbucks® Latin American coffees and milk, blended with ice.

Vanilla Bean Frappuccino® Blended Crème
A deliciously creamy, classic combination of Vanilla bean and milk, blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional).

Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino® Blended Crème
Rich chocolate, chocolate chips and milk, blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional), and chocolate drizzle.

White Chocolate Frappuccino® blended crème
Deliciously decadent White Chocolate Mocha combined with milk and blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional).

Hot Chocolate
Choice of steamed milk with mocha syrup, vanilla syrup and whipped cream. A classic hot chocolate - sweet and creamy - made with steamed milk, mocha syrup and topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle (optional).

Tazo® Chai Tea Latte
A spicy drink of black tea infused with cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and star anise added to freshly steamed milk.

Tazo® Tea
The finest, full flavored teas offered in Black, Green, and Herbal Infusions, steeped in hot, filtered water for your enjoyment.

Found: Skippy peanut butter!

2008-07-31T10:36:00.001-07:00

Skippy Peanut Butter, one of America's favorite brands was first sold on February 1, 1933. Today, almost 90 million jars are sold annually - almost 3 jars every second! More Skippy has been sold than any other peanut butter in the world! You can even buy it in France. Not is the large, family-sized jars of course, but it is available in a perfect 'I need a treat from the US' size.

Most of the peanuts used to make Skippy peanut butter are grown in Georgia, Texas, Florida and Oklahoma. So depending on where you're from in the US, it may actually taste like home!

Where to find it? Try Monoprix, Auchan or Carrefour, usually in the imported food section.

Found: dried cranberries!

2008-07-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

Spotted at LIDL in bags of 200 grams for 99 centimes.

Why should you eat dried cranberries? They provide antioxidant vitamins and flavonoids, and they also have an anti-adhesion quality that keeps certain bacteria from sticking to cells in the urinary tract, the mouth and stomach.

Lidl is a European discount supermarket chain of German origin that operates 7,000 stores.

Found: Yellow squash!

2008-07-04T04:24:00.000-07:00

Just last week I told a friend that I hadn't seen yellow squash (also called summer squash) since moving to Lyon three years ago.

Today I am happy to report that huge baskets of the bright yellow beauties are available at Monoprix for 4.90 euros/kilo. They're imported from Holland and sold as courgette jaune.

Need some recipe ideas? Go here.

Happy Fourth of July!

2008-07-02T05:59:00.001-07:00

Just in time for this weekend's picnics, Mark Bittman has come up with 101 picnic dishes that can be prepared in 20 minutes - and most of the ingredients are easily found in Lyon.

Read his full article in the New York Times here. Or, read by category:

9-19: Raw Vegetables

20-30: Cooked Vegetables

31-42: Bean, Rice and Grain Salads

43-54: Potato Salads and Egg Salads

55-60: Fruit

61-70: Seafood

71-80: Meat and Poultry

81-90: Sandwiches

91-94: Cold Noodles

95-101: Desserts

New SUBWAY opens at Perrache!

2008-06-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

The SUBWAY® brand arrived in France in 2001 with the first location opening in the historic Bastille district in the center of Paris. Since the beginning, the SUBWAY® brand has continued to grow to more than 90 restaurants in France.

One of the newest franchises opened recently at Perrache on the upper level. Up next, a new opening at Gerland! These are in addition to existing locations at Place des Terraux, rue St Jean in Vieux Lyon, Part Dieu 4th floor, Charpennes, and Place Dorian in St Etienne.

"The city of Lyon, home to the famous Museum des Beaux Arts, the National Opera house and the magnificent “Hotel De Ville,” with its tall clock tower and blue-domed pavilions, is considered by many to be the food capital of the world! The heart of Lyon’s social life can be discovered at La Place Des Terreaux; where “cool” has been turned into an art form in the bars and the cafes. You can also find a Subway restaurant at La Place des Terreaux. It is across from the Palais des Artes and just behind the famous, “Fountain of Liberty" – a granite and iron masterpiece created by the renowned French sculptor Bartholdi, who also created the Statue of Liberty. Customers of the Lyon SUBWAY restaurant are greeted by the chain’s new Tuscany decor, framed in stone arches and massive oak beams. The setting, as well as the menu, has set SUBWAY® restaurants apart from other Quick Service Restaurants."

-- From the SUBWAY website

The sub of the day special is a 15 cm sandwich for 2.95 euros.

Monday: roast beef
Tuesday: tikka
Wednesday: ham
Thursday: Italian BMT
Friday: tuna
Saturday: turkey
Sunday: meatball

SUBWAY at La Part Dieu

All images from SUBWAY® Reastaurants International

Auchan's got a secret: Pop Secret!

2008-06-14T02:39:00.000-07:00

Auchan at St Genis Laval now has Pop Secret!

Centre Commercial, St Genis 2
Les Basses Barolles
BP 60
69563 St Genis Laval

Open Monday - Saturday from 8:30am to 9:30pm

Cheesy popcorn balls

8 cups popped popcorn
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely shredded Gouda cheese

Place popcorn in a large bowl. Melt butter and cheese in a small pan over low heat, till just melted. Dribble the butter and cheese mixture over popcorn and mix thoroughly to coat. Form mixture into balls, using about 1/2 cupful for each. Serve immediately or wrap and refrigerate.

Tex-Mex popcorn

8 cups popped popcorn
2 teaspoons ground chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup cubed Gouda cheese (about 1/4 inch cubes)

Keep popped popcorn warm. Mix seasonings together and toss with popcorn. Add cheese and mix thoroughly.

Popcorn de Provence

8 cups popped popcorn
1/4 cup butter
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoon Herbes de Provence

Melt butter in small saucepan; add garlic and cook one minute. Stir in Herbes de Provence. Place popcorn in large bowl. Toss flavored butter mixture over popcorn and serve immediately.

Caramel popcorn

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
12 cups popped popcorn

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. In a large bowl, mix popcorn with butter mixture until evenly coated. Arrange on a large baking pan. Bake in 350-degree oven for about 8 minutes or until crisp. Serve warm.

Dress up your salads: Wish-bone!

2008-06-07T02:14:00.000-07:00

Auchan at St Genis Laval now has Wish-Bone Caesar and Wish-Bone Blue Cheese salad dressings!

Centre Commercial, St Genis 2
Les Basses Barolles
BP 60
69563 St Genis Laval

Open Monday - Saturday from 8:30am to 9:30pm

The Wish-Bone story

For over 50 years Wish-Bone has been delighting consumers with a tremendous variety of vibrant and delicious salad dressings. It’s no surprise that Wish-Bone has been America’s #1 Italian dressing for over 30 years. Wish-Bone’s popularity extends from the East to the West as it is the #1 dressing in New York and Los Angeles. And when it comes to Blue Cheese dressing America’s top choice is Wish-Bone Blue Cheese.

The Hellmann's worldwide brand family, consisting of Hellmann's, Amora, Calvé and Wish-Bone, is the largest dressings business around the globe. Hellmann's is also the world's no. 1 mayonnaise brand.

All four brands are renowned for their quality products and have enjoyed long and successful histories. The Amora brand can trace its ancestry back to the late 18th century, becoming a mainstream family brand in the twentieth century. In the late 19th century, the Calvé brand was created by a visionary Dutch entrepreneur called Jacob Cornelis van Marken.

In 1905, a German immigrant named Richard Hellmann opened a delicatessen store in New York City and started selling mayonnaise using his wife's delicious recipe. In 1912, glass jars with the famous blue ribbons were introduced. Today, the ribbon has become an icon of product quality and proof of the enduring popularity of the mayonnaise.

The 'youngest' brand is Wish-Bone. Just after World War II, Philip Sollomi opened a family-style restaurant in Kansas City called The Wish-Bone, serving chicken specialities and spicy salad dressings, made by his Sicilian mother.
Wholesome & straightforward

Nowadays, Hellmann's and its sister brands cover a range of products varying from mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard to salad dressings and table sauces. We are dedicated to offering simple, uncomplicated products, made from wholesome ingredients. Our products are convenient and simple to use, adding taste, texture and pleasure to your meal, whether at the dining table, barbecue, picnic or on the move.

Source: Unilever website

Best cheesecake in Lyon: City Bagels

2008-06-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

Located conveniently downtown at 32 rue Férrandière (near Starbucks), their menu offers more than just freshly-baked bagels. Delicious cheesecake, plain or with raspberry, is also on the menu - and just as good as what you find in the US. The fresh bagels are pretty amazing too.

Bagels
(5 to 6 euros, with coleslaw or chips)

Wall Street: guacamole, lettuce, cucumber, mozzarella
Chinatown: cream cheese, salmon, cucumber, red onion, dill
Soho: mayo, lettuce, pastrami, tomoato, pickles
City: cream cheese, lettuce, magic chicken, onion crisp
Central park: tuna, mayo, tomato, red onion, lettuce
Little Italy: cream cheese, lettuce, smoked ham, goat cheese, honey

Philadelphia: cream cheese or peanut butter

Wraps
(around 4 euros)

Brooklyn: tuna, mayo, tomato, lettuce, corn, olive
Greenwich: guacamole, tomato, mozzarella, corn, lettuce, olive
Manhattan: cream cheese, tomato, magic chicken, lettuce, onion crisp

Salads

Coleslaw: white cabbage and carrots
Broadway: lettuce, tomato, salmon, corn, cucumber, surimi
Vegetable: lettuce, grilled eggplant, mozzarella, tomato, pine nuts
Madison: lettuce, smoked ham, goat cheese, tomato, fig, pine nuts

Paninis
(around 4 euros)

Chelsea: mozzarella, goat cheese, gruyère, cream cheese
Empire States: cream cheese, pezzicosa, magic chicken, tomato, gruyère
Big Apple: pesto, tomato, mozzarella

...and Hot Dogs!

Desserts

Cheesecake
Chocolate muffins
Brownie
Cookie
Fruit salad
Donuts
Crumble
Fromage blanc
Ben & Jerry's ice cream
Milkshakes

Drinks

Dr Pepper, Bud, cranberry juice, capuccino and flavored coffees, among the the usual selections.

* Open Monday thru Wednesday, from 8:30 am to 7pm, and Thursday thru Saturday from 8:30am to 9:30pm.

City Bagels
32, rue Férrandière, 69002

Updated list: found!

2008-05-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

A

Almond extract: arôme amande amère
Available at most grocery stores. Comes in a small glass bottle, usually near the vanilla and baking powder.

Artificial sweetener (saccharine): edulcorant
Available at most grocery stores. Comes in a large glass jar with red lid, usually near sugar and flour.

B

Bacon: poitrine fumée
I find what is labeled ‘bacon’ is more like what we call Canadian bacon. Poitrine fumée is like thick-cut country ham.

Baked beans
Heinz brand is available at most large grocery stores, usually in the import section. You can also doctor up a can of cheap Cassoulet beans (first take out the meat add-ons) with ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, bacon and liquid smoke.

Baking powder: levure chimique
Available in small packets (about 2 tsp) at any grocery store. Alsace brand is pink. Look for them near the vanilla-flavored sugar, ice cream toppings, and birthday candles.

Baking soda: bicarbonate de soude
Available in a blue and white box from Casino.
Update from K: also seen at Monoprix and Intermarché

Bagels
Now available in packs of 4 at Monoprix in the bread section. Frozen bagels are available from Raconte-moi la Terre or Picard. Bagel shops in town include Best Bagels at Terraux and the recently opened City Bagels in the 2nd.

Barley: orge
Available at a very reasonable price from Bahadourian.

BBQ sauce
Heinz BBQ sauce is available at most grocery stores. More Heinz products here.

Ben & Jerry’s ice cream
Select flavors available at Raconte-moi la Terre and City Bagels.
Update from C: Also available at Auchan, Champion and from Domino's Pizza.

Black beans: haricots noirs
Available at very reasonable prices from Bahadourian and the Asian grocery stores at the Guillotière.

Black mushrooms, dried
Available at very reasonable prices from theAsian grocery stores at the Guillotière.

Bratwurst sausages
Johnsonville's brand available at Carrefour and Ed.

Brown sugar: cassonade
This light brown sugar is available at most large grocery stores. (I actually cheat and bring maple flavoring from the US and add a drop or two per cup of sugar called for in a recipe. This way I only have to buy white sugar.)
Update from C: For brown sugar, you can actually get the soft brown sugar (light or dark) at the Hypermarches. it's called sucre viergoise- blond (light) or brun (dark).

Bread maker mixes
Available inexpensively from LIDL and also at most large grocery stores.

Buckwheat flour: farine de sarrasin
Available at most grocery stores.

Bugles
A good substitute is the 3D brand offered by PepsiCo. You can find sweet chili, cheese, plain, bacon, paprika, peanut, bacon and mozzarella, cheese and herbs, and other flavors at most grocery stores. More PepsiCo products here.

Bulgur
Available at a very reasonable price from Badhourian.

Buttermilk: Elben
I use fermented milk, called Elben. Works great in buttermilk pancakes and quick bread recipes. Available at most grocery stores in the refrigerated section.

Butternut squash
Seen at local market, called ‘Butternut’. Recipe idea here.

C

Campbell’s soups
See list of products here.
Update from C: Campbell's soup comes under 2-3 labels, including Liebig.

Cappuccino mix
Maxwell House brands available at Intermarche. Also vailable occasionally in bulk at LIDL.

Cheddar cheese
Available at Carrefour's cheese counter and recently spotted at Monoprix.

Cherry pie filling
Preserved cherries are available at Leader Price in glass jar, near applesauce. Need to add thickener and sweetener to make pie filling, but this is a good start.

Cinnamon sticks: canelle en baton
Available inexpensively at Bahadourian. Great for making wassail!

Cilantro: coriandre
Available inexpensively at the Asian grocery stores at the Guillotière, or from Arab men selling outside of Bahadourian.

Cloves: clous de girofles
Available inexpensively at Bahadourian. (I have not found ground cloves yet.)

Coca-Cola soft drinks
You can find classic Coke, cherry Coke, vanilla Coke, lemon Coke and caffeine-free Coke, as well as Coke Zero and Coke Blak (coffee-flavored), and Coca-Cola Light in regular, lime, orange, lemon and caffeine-free.

Cocoa: cacao non-sucre
Available in many places, but the least expensive by far is Leader Price.

Cookie dough
Prepared chocolate chip cookie dough has been spotted at Carrefour and Monoprix, near the pie crusts in the refrigerated section.

Cornmeal: semoule de mais
Available from Bahadourian and Africa Musso in large plastic bags, about 2 kilos each. Bahadourian has several choices of meal size, from rough to fine. The medium is excellent for making Southern Girl's cornbread.

Cottage cheese
Available occasionally at Monoprix. Look for a pack of two cottage cheese bowls in green packaging, near the yogurts.

Country ham
Added by W: Jambon fumé that you use for raclette tastes like Virginia Country Ham if you heat it in a frying pan.

Country sausage
See recipe here.

Cream cheese (Philadelphia brand)
Available at Monoprix, or on your bagel at City Bagels. You can also substitute Kiri cream cheese squares for carrot cake icing.

Cream of mushroom soup
Knorr brand in a liter box is available at most large grocery stores, or you can use packets of instant soup.

Crescent rolls in a can
Spotted at Carrefour and Monoprix, near the pie crusts in the refrigerated section. There is a brand made by Sara Lee that includes crescent rolls and pain au chocolat in a can. More Sara Lee products here.

Cumin
Available inexpensively at Bahadourian.

Curry powders and pastes
Available in the import aisles of most grocery stores, but a wider variety and cheaper prices can be found at Bahadourian and the Asian grocery stores at the Guillotière.

D

Dole fruits
The Dole France SAS product range includes bananas, pineapples, grapefruits, oranges, avocados, grapes, apples, plums, litchis, pears and clementines. Sourcing areas include Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Costa Rica, South Africa, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, Kenya and France... Dole France distributes products to leading wholesalers, national retail chains (Carrefour, Auchan, Leclerc, Casino, Monoprix, Système U, …) and hard discounters.

Doritos
Available at most grocery stores. The Nacho Cheese and Dippas Nature (plain) flavors have been around a while, but PepsiCo recently brought out Sweet Barbecue and Sweet Chili flavors.

Dried beans
Large variety available inexpensively at Bahadourian.

Dried fruits
Large variety available inexpensively at Bahadourian.

Dr Pepper
Spotted once a few years ago at a store carrying US products near Best Bagels at Terraux. Or you can make friends with someone going to Geneva or England.

E

English muffins
Both white and wheat, available at Monoprix in the bread section

F

Flour: farine
For all-purpose flour, look for Type 65. French all-purpose flour is more like what we call cake flour in the US.

French onions
Added by C: The powdered "gratinee d'oignon" makes a very respectable French onion dip when made with creme fraiche epaisse. Crush the croutons or they swell and get soggy.

Fried onions: oignons frits
Commonly used for topping green bean casserole, these little guys can be found at Leader Price and Intermarche for about 1.50 Euro. Also spotted in the Asian grocery stores at the Guillotière.

G

Granola
Carrefour has the best granola we've ever had anywhere - hands down. It's their generic Muesli in the green box. Or, a recipe here.

Ginger: gingembre
Fresh ginger is available at Carrefour in the international produce section. Dried ginger powder is available at most grocery stores with the spices.

Graham crackers
Not yet found, but Petit Beurre cookies are a good substitute for making graham cracker crusts.
Update from C: You can substitute the small cookies labeled "Biscuits Thé" for making s'mores.

Grits
Added by W: Polenta is close if you're a homesick southerner.

H

Heinz
In most large grocery stores you will find not only the original ketchup, but also Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, a wide range of mustards and mayos, tomato products, and a new line of purees, dips and a curry sauce (full list of products here).

Heath bar
Added by J: A great substitute is D'aim candy bars, which are available at IKEA in the grocery section. More details here.

I

Icing sugar: see powdered sugar

J

K

Kellogg's products
See list here.

Kettle Chips
Available at Monoprix.

Kraft products
See list here.

L

Lay's potato chips
Available in most grocery stores. You may not find your favorite flavors, but there are some yummy ones to discover! Lightly salted, barbecue, chicken and thyme, cheese, bolognaise, spicy, mustard and pickles, cheese and ham, caramelized grill, smoked ham, olive and rosemary, grilled onion...and the list goes on. More PepsiCo products here.

Lentils, dried
A wide variety is available inexpensively at Bahadourian.

M

Maple syrup: sirop d’érable
Available at most grocery stores, usually near sugar and baking ingredients.

Marshmallow cream
I never use it, but saw it once a few years ago at a store carrying US products near Best Bagels at Terraux. You can also buy cheap marshmallows, pick out the brightly colored ones that are flavored, and melt them down with butter to make caramel popcorn.

Maxwell House coffees
Added by J: Found instant coffees and capuccino mixes at Intermarche.
More information here.

Mint: menthe or nana
Available inexpensively at the Asian grocery stores at the Guillotière, or from Arab men selling outside of Bahadourian.

Minute Maid drinks
You can find canned orange, apple and red sensation 100% juice (without sugar added) or tropical nectar.

Mixed grain bread
You can find sliced bread all over, but Monoprix brand 7 céreales is really, really good.

Molasses: mélasse
Available in the bio sections or bio stores. Be careful though, it’s much stronger than molasses in the US. I use half mélasse and half honey for making molasses spice cookies.

Mounds candy bars
Added by J: Bounty bars are a great substitute! The blue packages are milkm chocolate and the red are dark chocolate.

Mozzarella
Available everywhere, but I find the kind sold in plastic-covered rectangles to be the most like American mozzarella. The brine-packed mozzarella balls are great for salads, but are too wet for using in pizza or lasagna.

N

Nestea drinks
Owned by Coca-Cola, white peach and light white peach are available in most large grocery stores.

Nutmeg: noix de muscade
Available both whole and ground inexpensively at Bahadourian.

O

Oats, rolled: flocons d’avoine
Available inexpensively from Bahadourian. They have both large and small rolled oats. You can also find Quaker Oats in most large grocery stores.

Oreos
Available in small packets at Monoprix and Carrefour.
Update from J: Found the “snack pack” wrapped oreo cookies in a box in her local 8 à 8.
Update from C: There is a Spanish market near metro Republique that carries white fudge covered oreos and oreo no-bake dessert. Directions in Spanish, but pretty easy to figure out.

P

Pancake syrup
Available at Bahadourian.
Update from W: Missippi Belle Pancake Syrup is available in the international section of Carrefour in the 6eme.

Peanuts: arachides
Available inexpensively at the Asian grocery stores at the Guillotière.

Peanut butter
Skippy crunchy is available at most grocery stores, but is pretty expensive. If you like natural peanut butter, it's available at Bahadourian and Africa Musso.
Update from C: The African/Asian market called Madras, near metro Saxe-Gambetta, has 3-4 different varieties of peanut butter for under 2 euros a jar. The cheapest is good.

Pecans: noix de pecan
Added by W: Shelled pecans are available near the baking supplies at Auchan, St. Priest.

Pepperidge Farm cookies
Select varieties available at Monoprix.

Pepsi
You can find Pepsi soft drinks in 33 cl cans, 50 cl bottles or 1.5 liter bottles. Choose from regular Pepsi, Pepsi Max (sweetened with aspartame), Pepsi Max Citron or Pepsi Max Capuccino. The pink bottled Pepsi Light (also sweetened with aspartame) is marketed for women, so back off, guys. For more products available from PepsiCo, see here.

Pesto
Available at most grocery stores, but I actually prefer Ed's cheap brand and find it to have more basil than filler. Here's a recipe to try.

Pita bread
Available at Bahadourian. Freezes well, by the way.

Plantains
Available at Africa Musso at the Guillotière or in the international produce section at Carrefour.

Popcorn
Available inexpensively and in bulk at Badhourian. Microwave popcorn is also available in a few stores, such as Leader Price.

Powerade drinks
Available in aqua plus, magma river, citrus, ice storm and orange dunk flavors.

Powdered sugar: sucre glace à saupoudrer
Brand name is 'Daddy' and it comes in a bright pink container, shaped like an hourglass. Available from most grocery stores.

Pringles
You can find original, sour cream & onion, paprika, hot & spicy at most large grocery stores. Some stores also carry barbecue, cheese & onion, salt & vinegar, bacon, jalapeno, Latin pepper, Mexican salsa, feta & onion, tomato & mozzarella and Thai sweet chili. In the light range, you have original, sour cream & onion, Greek cheese with avocado oil, spicy Thai with coconut oil and red pepper with oilve oil. Dipper chips include original and pinch of pepper and they go with Dipper sauces called salsa heaven, fiery salsa, sour cream & chive and sweet Thai.

Pudding mixes
Added by C: Various flavors (chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, etc...) are available at Super U grocery stores for 90 centimes a pack.

Pumpkin
For making pumpkin pies and quick breads I use courge, available in large wedges from grocery stores and markets. Here’s a recipe for pumpkin pie filling using courge.

Q

Quinoa
Available inexpensively at Bahadourian, both light and dark brown. I’ve found light brown in the bio section of large grocery stores.

Quaker Oats
The original Quaker Oats are available at most grocery stores. You can also find Quaker Oats brand crunchy cereals which are more like granola. Available with strawberries or chocolate, or plain. More PepsiCo products here.

R

Ricotta cheese
Available in most grocery stores, or you can substitute fromage en faiselle or chevre in some cases. Both work well in lasagne and ricotta cheesecake is a lighter dessert than its cream cheese counterpart.

Ritz crackers
Available in small boxes at Monoprix and Carrefour. But it should be noted that Tuc’s brand are very good as well.

Roasted chickens
I know these are available (and delicious) at the markets, but should be noted that Carrefour does a decent chicken too, and they cut the prices in half on Saturday evenings before closing!

Roasted red peppers: poivrons rouges grillés
Available for a reasonable price at most grocery stores in the import section. Check to see if they’re packed in water or oil as both are available. Also available frozen from Picard or at Intermarche. Or you can make your own!

Root beer
Spotted a few years ago at a store carrying US products near Best Bagels at Terraux. About 2 Euros a can, but hey – a craving can be serious business.

S

7up
Available in most grocery stores. You can find regular, light and tropical freeze flavors. See more PepsiCo products here.

Salsa
Doritos and Old El Paso brands available at most large grocery stores. Pringles makes Dippers called salsa heaven and fiery salsa. Generic and French brands are often sweet rather than spicy.

Sara Lee products
See list here.

Sesame seeds (toasted and plain)
Available inexpensively at Bahadourian.

Slim Fast
Available in the larger grocery stores.

Splenda
Available in individual packets at Carrefour, near the sugar.

Sour cream: crème fraiche
I actually use crème fraiche and think it works just fine. You can add a squirt of lemon to it if you prefer. Available at any grocery store.

Soy sauce: sauce soja
Available in bulk at the Asian grocery stores at the Guillotière.

Sun-dried tomatoes
Not yet found, but here's a recipe to make them at home.
Update from C: There are sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil at Carrefour on the "Apero" aisle with the olives in jars, along with artichokes and palm hearts. At Auchan (St. Priest) they are with the Plats du monde

Sweet potatoes: patates douces
Available at Africa Musso at the Guillotière, but check to be sure you’re getting the orange and not white variety. Also available (for a price!) in the international produce section at Carrefour.

T

Taco sauce
Old El Paso brand available at Carrefour.

Taco seasoning: see cumin

Tofu
Available at the Asian grocery stores at the Guillotière.

Tortillas
Available at most grocery stores. Cheapest at Ed.

Tropicana juices
Available at most grocery stores. The brand is owned by PepsiCo and you can find a wide variety of juices, including orange, pink grapefruit, mandarine, yellow grapefruit, apple, ruby red breakfast, orange-mango, mandarine-raspberry, apple-litchi, red berry breakfast, breakfast tonic, tropical wake-up, etc... More PepsiCo products here.

Turtle beans: see black beans

U

V

Vanilla extract: arôme de vanille
Vahiné brand available at most grocery stores, usually near sugar and baking ingredients.

W

Wheat bran: son de blé
Available inexpensively from Bahadourian.

Worcestershire sauce
Heinz brand is available inexpensively at most grocery stores.

X

Y

Yeast: levure
Available in individual use packets (Vahiné brand) from most grocery stores or in medium-bulk and mega-bulk at Badhourian in the back left wing. The brand name is SAF. Fresh yeast is available at Carrefour in the refrigerated section by the pastries.

Z

This week's spotlight: Eden Rock Café

2008-05-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

In the mood for onion rings? Maybe grilled ribs? What about buffalo wings with celery sticks?

Try Eden Rock Café, located between the Saone and the Rhone. Also on their menu are cheese tortillas, chicken fajitas, beef fajitas, shrimp fajitas, guacamole, fish & chips, and eight kinds of burgers. Take your pick, from the BBQ bacon and cheddar to the Double-double (over 1 1/4 lbs of ground beef!), all served with coleslaw and fries.

Eden Rock Café
68 rue Mercière, 69002
04 78 38 28 18

Gourmet bookshop: Badiane

2008-04-19T12:36:00.000-07:00

"Don’t leave place Bellecour before stopping off at Badiane. Lyon’s answer to Notting Hill’s Books for Cooks (London) offers a deluge of gastro-literature along with gadgety gifts that will astound even the most weathered foodie."
- Inflight by EasyJet, 2007

"Lyon also has a Gourmet Bookstore, Badiane where one can buy gastonomical books in English or French - a little piece of Lyon to take home with you!"
- TripAdvisor

Conveniently located at 1 place Bellecour, Badiane is foodie and booklover's heaven. You can shop their store or their online shop. Currently Badiane is offering flat priced shipping within France for 2.50 euros. Anthony Bourdain, Alain Ducasse, Gordon Ramsay, Paul Bocuse...all your favorite chefs are there!

A word from the owners, Marianne Vellieux-Motus and Catherine Guérin:
"Badiane is a one-stop-shop for all things food. We offer a wide assortment of books on cuisine (but specializing in the French genre, of course), cooking courses taught by renowned regional chefs, and an art gallery devoted to food. The wide selection of material, the convivial atmosphere and the helpful, bilingual staff make Badiane a must-see."

From Badiane's website:

Step into Badiane, the bookshop for every type of cuisine. You’ll discover thousands of books; a genuine feast of savours.

From floor to ceiling, the shelves are loaded with works, each describing dishes more succulent than the last, while the tables are laden with piles of books that evoke cuisine, wine, good products and healthy eating!

Next to the cookbooks, you can also leaf through novels, poems, stories, photo albums, essays, studies, biographies, dictionaries, and more besides.

Whatever your age, you’ll find something to chew over at Badiane!

Badiane: A book for every cuisine
1 place Bellecour, 69002
04 72 41 18 00

Open Mondays from 2 pm to 7 pm
Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 am to 7 pm

By métro : lines A et D - Bellecour
By bus : lines 28, 29, 30, 91 10, 14, 15, 88
By car : car parks at Bellecour, Célestins, Antonin Poncet, Saint Antoine

In the mood for Tex-Mex?

2008-04-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

In the late 1800s the Texas Mexican Railway was built to connect Corpus Christi, Texas to Laredo, Mexico. As Mexican laborers crossed the border into Texas, they brought with them their traditional foods. Vendors sold the foods to their new Anglo neighbors. The best vendors realized that in order to sell more, they needed to adapt to Texan tastes. From these adaptations a new cuisine was born...

Serving since 1985, Buddy Burd's is Lyon's original Tex-Mex restaurant. Nachos, quesadillas, chimichangas, chili con carne, tacos, guacamole, fajitas, margaritas - you'll find it all here!

Located next to Place des Terreaux, the restaurant seats 120 on two floors. The shaded terrace opens in summers. Buddy Burd offers take-out and delivery services. Fixed price menus range from 15 to 20 euros.

Buddy Bird's has been featured in Marie-Claire magazine as well as Promocash Magazine.

4, rue Rene-Leynaud, 69001

04 78 39 27 75

photos from www.buddyburd.fr

Taking coffee a step further

2008-04-05T04:33:00.000-07:00

The Paul Bocuse culinary institute and the coffee merchant Malongo pool skills to create the very first “Coffee Studio”, a dedicated teaching establishment on “coffee culture”. “Coffee studio” is part of the Institute of Culinary Arts in Ecully and offers several courses on coffee not only for the students of the Institute but also to professionals of the hotel and catering industry, and amateurs. Practical courses will give an insight into the historical and botanical aspects, the various harvesting methods, roasting, storage, as well as techniques and methods used to prepare various specialties and handling machines. The course also includes coffee tasting and sensorial analysis, coffee varieties and aromas, serving the right kind of coffee with food (deserts, alcohol, cigars, etc.), coffee and health.

Studio Café is thus an extension of Malongo’s commitment to vocational training and part of its awareness approach on the “coffee culture”. It is also truly in line with Paul Bocuse Institute‘s philosophy of passing on knowledge and supplements workshops on gastronomy, oenology and the art of dining.

Studio Café courses are offered in both English and French. See the course catalog here.

Source: Aderly Lyon

If a Studio Café course is a bit more than you're wanting, you can also visit the Malongo Café in Lyon-Ecully at the Galerie Marchande Carrefour, 69130. All the great arabicas are there, with some 45 pure origin coffees such as Guadeloupe Bonifieur, Haïtian Blue or Blue Mountain from Jamaica. They also offer more than 60 varieties of tea: black, green, smoked or flavoured teas.

This week's spotlight: Bahadourian

2008-03-29T07:39:00.000-07:00

You may be surprised to find that one of Lyon's greatest sources for groceries and fun ingredients is...a Middle Eastern supermarket! Bahadourian is a one-stop shop for staples such as dried beans (think black bean soup), nuts, flours (think flaky pie crusts), granola ingredients, cornmeal (think cornbread), spices and seasonings. And of course, it's great place if you're wanting to try something new and a little exotic.

20, Rue Villeroy, 69003 Lyon
04 78 60 32 10‎

166, Grande rue Guillotière, 69007 Lyon
08 72 98 85 55‎

102, Cours Lafayette, 69006 Lyon
04 72 84 86 86‎

102, Cours Lafayette, 69003 Lyon
04 72 84 84 84

This week's spotlight: Lyon's City Bagels

2008-03-15T03:51:00.000-07:00

"You have to go. You really have to."

While I admit that I haven't (yet!) visited the infamous City Bagels of Lyon, I've heard only great things from friends who have. Located conveniently downtown at 32 rue Férrandière (near Starbucks), their menu offers more than just freshly-baked bagels.

Bagels
(5 to 6 euros, with coleslaw or chips)

Wall Street: guacamole, lettuce, cucumber, mozzarella
Chinatown: cream cheese, salmon, cucumber, red onion, dill
Soho: mayo, lettuce, pastrami, tomoato, pickles
City: cream cheese, lettuce, magic chicken, onion crisp
Central park: tuna, mayo, tomato, red onion, lettuce
Little Italy: cream cheese, lettuce, smoked ham, goat cheese, honey

Philadelphia: cream cheese or peanut butter

Wraps
(around 4 euros)

Brooklyn: tuna, mayo, tomato, lettuce, corn, olive
Greenwich: guacamole, tomato, mozzarella, corn, lettuce, olive
Manhattan: cream cheese, tomato, magic chicken, lettuce, onion crisp

Salads

Coleslaw: white cabbage and carrots
Broadway: lettuce, tomato, salmon, corn, cucumber, surimi
Vegetable: lettuce, grilled eggplant, mozzarella, tomato, pine nuts
Madison: lettuce, smoked ham, goat cheese, tomato, fig, pine nuts

Paninis
(around 4 euros)

Chelsea: mozzarella, goat cheese, gruyère, cream cheese
Empire States: cream cheese, pezzicosa, magic chicken, tomato, gruyère
Big Apple: pesto, tomato, mozzarella

...and Hot Dogs!

Desserts

Cheesecake
Chocolate muffins
Brownie
Cookie
Fruit salad
Donuts
Crumble
Fromage blanc
Ben & Jerry's ice cream
Milkshakes

Drinks

Dr Pepper, Bud, cranberry juice, capuccino and flavored coffees, among the the usual selections.

* Open Monday thru Wednesday, from 8:30 am to 7pm, and Thursday thru Saturday from 8:30am to 9:30pm.

City Bagels
32, rue Férrandière, 69002

General Mills, and the rest of their army

2008-03-07T17:27:00.000-08:00

French consumers - and American expats in France - have been enjoying General Mills brands for nearly half a century. It began in the 1960s when General Mills purchased Biscuiterie Nantaise, France's leading sweet biscuit and sandwich cookie company. Over the next three decades, Green Giant vegetables (Géant Vert), Häagen-Dazs ice cream , Wanchai Ferry Chinese food and Old El Paso Mexican food were introduced to French consumers.

In 1996, The Pillsbury Company established offices in Vélizy to market retail and foodservice products in the country. General Mills acquired Pillsbury in 2001.

Click on the links above for more information on these General Mills products in your local grocery store.

Eat your (American) veggies!

2008-03-07T08:24:00.001-08:00

Green Giant®

Green Giant created the sweet corn category when the brand was introduced to France in 1960. Since then, they have introduced:

* Asparagus
* Hearts of palm
* Artichokes

Carefully selected and cultivated, Green Giant vegetables are well-recognized by French consumers for their superior taste, texture and appearance. Green Giant products are high quality, available year-round and provide a “hint of creativity” for everyday cooking.

Mmm...ice cream!

2008-03-07T08:17:00.000-08:00

Häagen-Dazs®

The finest ingredients, superior product quality, unique flavors and innovation have helped make this brand one of the leaders in the country in the super premium ice cream category. Häagen-Dazs super premium ice cream offers an unparalleled taste experience worldwide.

Häagen-Dazs can be found in retail and convenience stores as well as in more than 80 Häagen-Dazs Cafés, three of which are in Lyon!

Häagen-Dazs Lyon gare de la Part-Dieu
Terminal Frantour L. Par Dieu
Place C. Bereaudier
Lyon,69003
33 4 72 13 13 60

Häagen-Dazs Lyon Place des Terreaux
8 Place des Terreaux
Lyon,69001
33 4 72 10 03 28

Häagen-Dazs Lyon République
71 rue de la République
Lyon,69002
33 4 78 37 73 62

In the mood for Chinese?

2008-03-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

Wanchai Ferry

Introduced in France in 2006, Wanchai Ferry unlocks the mystery of Chinese cuisine to French consumers. With a range of shelf-stable meal kits, like Xiang Gu Chicken (chicken with Shiitake mushrooms), and iconic Chinese ingredients, such as soy sauce, Wanchai Ferry enables consumers to prepare easily authentic Chinese recipes at home.

Found: (More) Old El Paso!

2008-03-07T07:54:00.000-08:00

In 1986, a range of Mexican food products was introduced to French shoppers through Old El Paso, the current leader in the Mexican category in France. Old El Paso offers meal solutions for consumers and includes a full range of Mexican products, including:

Dinner kits for burritos, fajitas and enchiladas

Cooking sauces & Seasoning packets

Chips & dips

Look for them at your local Carrefour, Auchan, and most other grocery stores.