Tartines from La Croix Rouge

Per Nana~

I have not had a tartine made with pain Poilâne, but I did have a 

croque monsieur, and there is nothing like it. Poilâne also makes 

wonderful croissants and I remember Tricia and I enjoying them for

 breakfast as we stayed in hotels nearby. 

This week's recipe was a bit of a challenge, but not because it was difficult.

 Jim does not eat smoked salmon and will not even consider rare roast beef. 

On top of that, I decided to give up bread for Lent (we'll see how far that goes)

 so I had to make this on Tuesday. 

At the deli counter I asked for a very small portion of roast beef and

 fortunately the salmon came in a small package. I used sourdough bread 

for the tartine, toasted under the broiler, and covering each with mayo or butter. 

I love capers and Cornichons, and each of these went very 

with the tartines. They turned out so delicious, I am not even 

ashamed to say that I ate them both for dinner.

Per Tricia~

While Dorie explains that the recipe's name refers to a Parisian café in her 

neighborhood, her discussions about "pain Poilâne" really got my attention.

  And brought back wonderful memories. 

I have eaten more croque monsieurs in Paris than I care to admit to, and

 gladly paid extra to have it served on the venerable bread from Poilâne. 

An early trip to that city and pilgrimage to 8 Rue du Cherche-Midi

 turned into a repeat event any time we are lucky enough to make it back. 

 I even bought a pillow at Restoration Hardware that had this street name 

emblazoned on it - and thought it was "such the find" .....

Close up of  Poilâne's charming door handle

 I am sorry to report however, that we have yet to make

 it to the attached "Cuisine de Bar" - the related and attached shop that

 sells tartines exclusively, in many varieties, on Poilâne bread. 

I'm a sucker for a vintage mini. Parked here, I couldn't resist. The well heeled elderly gentleman
who arrived in it (and whose younger blond nurse was driving...) was inside stuffing his
expensive blazer pockets with the free "punition" cookies when the clerk wasn't looking......

Clearly we need to get book a flight back there and remedy this oversight.  

Now, this week's "Around My French Table" tartines.

Deliciously easy, this week's tartines consisted of lightly toasting good quality

 hearty bread and topping one with rare roast beef, mayo and Cornichons 

while the second was treated to butter, salmon and capers. I purchased a

 dense loaf that I thought would be perfect (it was) at my favorite local

 bakery- le Bus, and topped per Dorie's instructions.

 No surprise on the recipe- the results were delicious.

 What was a surprise was my husband reporting that this is his "usual".

 I knew he liked roast beef but in going on 25 years of marriage, I never

 realized he ordered his with mayo AND pickles. That said, this combo

 from our local sub shop does not vaguely resemble the tartines created

 this week....but I still got a kick out of the revelation.

These shots are from the 2010 trip and lunch in a little café near

 the Bon Marché. Nana caught yours truly digging into one of the best

 lunches on record, which included the famed pain Poilâne. I actually

 have a photo of this sandwich at work. Enough said. 

Happy French Friday ~