future food projects...

one thing i was excited to do in paris was look for some kitchen equipment/gear/possibly ingredients in order to extend the trip somewhat. so today, ryan looked up some kitchen supply stores, and we went searching....

this is a gnome mold for chocolate. i held it around the store for about 15 minutes before i decided that i never make molded chocolate, have no idea how to make molded chocolate, and probably can find this gnome mold online when and if i ever take up that hobby. plus, my rationale: "Ryan! i'll make our future children easter gnomes instead of easter bunnies! they'll love it!" didn't hold up in court. 

you also can make the eiffel tower...

i got some crazy cool salt, an escargot plate (not for escargot) and various other items that can't be named yet, due to the recipients' surprise being ruined. then we went to the food hall at the galleries lafayette, which is a lot like the food hall at harrod's, london. in other words-- i had a really hard time leaving. 

i love monin syrups. here are some crazy flavors: pistachio, black currant, green banana (as opposed to yellow), blue curaqao, honey, guava and i think black licorice. 

that on the far right is cucumber. ryan still didn't want to try it. 

rose and violet and lavender. my friend lauren once said, biting into a lavender flavored chocolate, "It tastes like i just bit into the aromatherapy shop next door. or a bar of soap." agreed. and i still don't get flower flavors. like soap plus candy. why not just the candy??

i feel that my mom would love this. 

3 types of preserved livers: 2 duck, 1 rabbit. 

snail supplies. 

the sardine aisle. ryan loved it. this is not the preserved fish aisle. this is just sardines. 

more sardines. 

that's bee pollen and honey candy. there were only about 45 (no, i counted) types of honey, but those photos are really blurry. 

these are so cute. you balance them on your cup; it's sugar. they also have butterfly, bird and balloon shaped sugar. you may also notice it's 17.5 euro's for some sugar cubes. a picture is all we have. 

this is the best tea in the world. i tried it the other night at auberge du clou (the gummi bear tea? that looked like a present?). and now i have 60 bags. you can't have any. 

pepper. not the spices. JUST the peppers. we got some people pink pepper, because it was there. 

salts. ryan picked out a himalayan salt that comes in big chunks with a grater, so we can grate our own.

spectrum honey. i loved this store.