{"id":13020,"date":"2013-08-30T18:43:06","date_gmt":"2013-08-31T01:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/?p=13020"},"modified":"2013-08-31T13:57:50","modified_gmt":"2013-08-31T20:57:50","slug":"paris-day-trip-chateau-de-fontainebleau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/paris-day-trip-chateau-de-fontainebleau","title":{"rendered":"Paris day trip: Ch\u00e2teau de Fontainebleau"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"chef<\/span><\/p>\n

Paris day trip: Ch\u00e2teau de Fontainebleau<\/i><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

emperors, strawberries, and a canoe on carp lake
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recipe: summer strawberries with lime sugar and fresh mint<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Not far from\u00a0Paris<\/i>\u00a0is a ch\u00e2teau <\/i>rich in history. Yes, there are many. However, this particular\u00a0ch\u00e2teau<\/em>\u00a0was\u00a0<\/i>inhabited for seven<\/em> centuries by the royal and imperial French elite (most famously by \u00a0Napoleon I and Josephine). Surrounded by breathtaking courtyards, fountains, canal, gardens, a park, and a lake, it is a perfect Paris day trip. It is the\u00a0Ch\u00e2teau de Fontainebleau <\/i>and this week\u2019s recipe, summer strawberries with lime sugar and fresh mint<\/span>, <\/i>was <\/i>inspired by a visit to this ch\u00e2teau<\/i>. So until you get there in person – venez avec moi<\/span> <\/i>(come with me) – \u00e0 la Ch\u00e2teau de Fontainebleau.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Allez<\/i>\u00a0-y (let\u2019s go)<\/span> !<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

LM<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Two summers ago, I drove from the south of France back to Paris (I had too many variations of flour, honey, olive oils, and wine from Ch\u00e2teaunauf du Pape <\/i>to return to Paris<\/i> by train…another story for another time…). As I drove, I passed the signs for Fountainebleau<\/i> and\u00a0<\/i>wondered why I had never gone. There was no reason for it really. I had always heard wonderful things and it is not far from Paris. I made it a point to add the day trip to my 2013 “to do\u201d list. \u00a02013 “to do” list done.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The<\/span>\u00a0Ch\u00e2teau de\u00a0<\/i>Fontainebleau<\/i>\u00a0is in the town of\u00a0<\/span>Fontainebleau, s<\/span><\/i>outh of Paris. It is an easy one and one half hour train ride and you can purchase your tickets at the\u00a0<\/span>Gare\u00a0<\/i>that day (look at the\u00a0<\/span>SNCF\u00a0schedule\u00a0<\/span><\/a>for train times) to one of three directions:\u00a0<\/span>Montereau-Fault-Yonne\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0<\/span>Laroche Migennes\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0<\/span>Montargis<\/i>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Get off at the\u00a0Fontainebleau-Avon<\/i>\u00a0stop. There is a bus that arrives frequently to take you to town (exit\u00a0Poste-Ch\u00e2teau<\/i>). Here you will find the\u00a0Ch\u00e2teau<\/i>. It is easy.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The town itself is charming.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The fact that it has\u00a0Paul LaMotte,<\/i>\u00a0an\u00a0\u00e9picerie<\/i>, wine and gourmet ice cream shop in the middle of the shops and caf\u00e9s, is an added bonus and distraction (at least it was for me).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Like many of the medieval\u00a0ch\u00e2teaux\u00a0in France, the <\/span>Ch\u00e2teau de\u00a0Fontainebleau\u00a0<\/span><\/i>you see now is not the original. Only a portion of the original from 1137 survives.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The<\/span> Ch\u00e2teau<\/i>\u00a0was rebuilt and expanded throughout the centuries. During the French Revolution the furniture was taken but the buildings survived.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Ch\u00e2teau<\/i> houses a selection of art (paintings, furniture, ceramics) and includes four museums. My childrens\u2019 favorite was the Napoleon I Museum<\/i> with its collection of arms, weapons, uniforms, paintings, crowns, and the “Throne Room.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Ch\u00e2teau<\/i> is filled with wood-carved walls, ceilings and furniture. There are tapestries and wooden chandeliers everywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

While la Ch\u00e2teau de Versailles<\/i> (see here<\/a>) is filled with bright, gold and a rather impersonal opulence, Fontainebleau<\/i> is a woodsy, rich, tapestry of warm, primarily dark colors (by no means less grand than Versailles<\/i>, just different).<\/span><\/p>\n

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The grounds were my personal favorite: lush and inviting with deep greens and blues. Truthfully, I found it peaceful and less crowded than Versailles<\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Grand Parterre <\/i>is the largest formal garden in Europe. Jardin de Diane<\/i> (Diana Garden) is the smallest garden on the grounds. It is named after the goddess Diana (the huntress). It used to be the King\u2019s private garden and it was my favorite….down to the authentic stone hunting dogs in the fountain with Diana.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The<\/span> Pavillon de l\u2019\u00c9tang<\/i> (Pavilion of the Carp Pond) sits in the middle of\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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the\u00a0\u00c9tang aux Carpes\u00a0<\/i>(the Carp Pond) where the ducks and carp compete for attention and food.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Bring a picnic.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Canoe on Carp \u201cPond.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Feed the ducks.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage in the Park<\/i> or the Grand Parterre<\/i> or take a night tour under the stars. For a few weeks in the summer there are also concerts in the ch\u00e2teau<\/em>. I am confident that this is a day trip you will enjoy and want to return.<\/span><\/p>\n

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At the lake we snacked on fresh red summer fruit. I love it when strawberries are so fresh that they stain your lips red and mark the corners of your mouth when you bite into them. I suppose Lord Byron would call this “stung strawberry lips” (opposed to the “bee stung lips” he spoke of in his poetry when referring to sensual, full lips). <\/span><\/p>\n

This week’s recipe – summer strawberries with lime sugar and fresh mint<\/em><\/span> -reminds me of \u00a0our visit to the Ch\u00e2teau.<\/i> The red strawberries remind me of the\u00a0Ch\u00e2teau’s\u00a0most famous inhabitants –\u00a0Napoleon<\/i>\u00a0I<\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0Josephine.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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The fresh taste and color of the lime zest-infused sugar and the fresh mint leaves reminds me of the lush green gardens.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Together, the color and taste combination is perfect for a picnic at a ch\u00e2teau<\/em> or to the conclusion of a simple dinner at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

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And, a little musical pairing to take your thoughts back to these photos as you prepare your strawberries. The recipe is below.<\/span><\/p>\n

[click here for music]<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

I wish you a bon week-end<\/em><\/span> and my hope is that this post will give you something to bring to your dinner table tonight in more ways than one.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00e0 table<\/i> <\/span>(come to the table)<\/span><\/p>\n

LM<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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for more information, visit this site:<\/span><\/p>\n

Ch\u00e2teau de\u00a0<\/strong>Fontainebleau<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/i>77300 Fontainebleau<\/span><\/span>
\n 33 01 60 71 50 70<\/span>
\n http:\/\/www.musee-chateau-fontainebleau.fr<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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summer strawberries with lime sugar and fresh mint<\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

serves many happy people<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

you need<\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n

2 baskets beautiful, organic red, ripe<\/i> strawberries, sliced<\/span>
\n \u00bc cup granulated sugar<\/span>
\n 3 teaspoons fresh<\/i> lime zest<\/span>
\n \u00bc teaspoon fresh<\/i> lime juice<\/span>
\n fresh<\/i> mint leaves (as needed)<\/span><\/p>\n

how to<\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n