Two things on my mind right now. First, how to keep warm. It's three-layered clothings, socks and even gloves on. The bedrooms are warm enough but not the living and dining rooms, and our dinky portable heaters are not keeping up with the high ceilings and stone walls. Wish we can kidnap the building's manager and make him experience for himself how cold the apartment really is. Seriously we've been on their case since June and all they've done is sent in people to make quotations. It's never cheap enough, yet they seem to have no qualms about collecting our very hefty rent. Hrmmph!
The other issue is hydration. The air is super dry and my skin gets so wrinkly and itchy that I have to apply lotion twice a day and turn on the humidifier when I sleep. It's not my habit to drink a lot so I've had to make sure we have lots of soups, teas and congees scattered in the weekly menu to boost the water intake.
Therefore, all thoughts turn to truly warming foods. Last night it was duck and vegetable curry. And stir-fried fresh scallops at the so-called bargain price of 15 euros for 3 kilos worth. Tonight we're having spice-rubbed fried lamb chops, I am on a grilled lamb phase right now. It'll go well with grilled marinated peppers and some clear vegetable soup I'm sure. Chicken congee for Friday night dinner. I'm organised and plan my menu early on in the week, a bit strange but well, that's how it is in our household.
Maybe this weekend we will go to our favourite Korean restaurant which serves a super-delicious spicy hotpot starring fish roe, lots and lots of it, accompanied by a riotous selection of other bits of seafood. The name is Odori, it's a bit out of the way in the depths of the 15th arrondissement but well worth the trek. Every dish that we've tried had ranged from good to excellent- pajeons layered thickly with scallions, generous helpings of banchans, slickly and slippery chap jae with loads of vegetables, homely stews all served with patience and smiles. I can't think of anywhere better for eating in this weather, well, save for my favourite noodle house, which has inexplicably stayed closed these recent weeks.
Odori, 18 rue Letellier, 15th. T: 01 45 77 88 12. M: Emile Zola oe La Motte Piquet Grenelle. Closed Mondays.
