Fall in Paris

France has been a huge part of my life. I studied abroad in the French countryside when I was 19. I visited my French cousins who grew up there. My first job in fashion sent me to France and other parts of Europe. After my mother’s marriage to my stepfather, I also gained three French stepbrothers who grew up in France. But it has been awhile since I’ve visited. I haven’t been back to Paris since my eldest stepbrother’s wedding in 2018. Then pandemic happened and I was weary about traveling so far abroad up until this year when I traveled to Italy and Portugal in April and decided I felt comfortable traveling again. One of my stepbrothers had a baby last month and my parents planned to visit. At the last minute, I decided to join them briefly so that I could see my French family and take my parents out to a Michelin-star dinner in Paris. They deserved it. Plus, how often do you get to take your parents out to dinner in Paris?

Prior to going to Paris, there were a lot of articles circulating about bed bugs in the city of love. This made me nervous because I booked a budget hotel in the 5th district to save money. It turned out to be basic and clean, but too small. I had a single bed and had to walk around it to get from my suitcase to the bathroom. The walls were thin and I could hear so much noise starting at 6am, the time that I would start to fall back asleep because of my jet-lag. I could never get comfortable with the thought of bed bugs in my mind. As a result, my sleep was horrible the entire trip. I was so tired and sleep-deprived, especially after walking 5-7 miles a day. I didn’t intend to walk that much. It just happened. I Ubered when I needed to, but there was so much traffic that it took forever to get anywhere.

On a positive note, I loved not having a real schedule or itinerary for this trip. I have visited Paris many times before, so there weren’t any must-see sights for me. Usually, I’m an extreme planner when traveling. This time, the only things on my list was to take my parents to Michelin-star restaurant Frenchie and to see my French stepbrothers. It was nice to have time to leisurely stroll through the city, peruse the markets, and shop. I never have time to shop when I travel! I took breaks during my long walks to stop for champagne and a snack or tea and Nutella crepes. It was lovely. However, I did not enjoy the temperature dropping after my first two days there. I am not made for cold weather.

On my first night in Paris, I decided to roam around the city and then grab drinks and dinner in the 11th district. I was hoping to wait in line for dinner at Clamato, sister restaurant of Michelin-star restaurant Septime. I had originally tried to get reservations for Septime, but it was impossible. As I waited for Clamato to open, I got drinks at Septime La Cave, their wine bar. I met an American expat who had a hookup at Septime and was able to get me a seat for dinner that night. Because I was curious about all the hype surrounding this restaurant, I immediately took him up on his offer. I was so jet-lagged though and was falling asleep at dinner. Seven courses is a lot of dishes to sit through when you’re tired. Septime had a lovely vibe, but I must say, I think it is completely overrated. The dishes were very veggie-forward, which is great, I love veggies. But I didn’t think it was worth the price tag, impossible reservations, and hype. The next night, I took my parents to the Michelin-star restaurant Frenchie. My parents and I enjoyed it very much! It was supposed to be five courses, but with all the little extras, it turned out to be twelve! The plating and presentation was beautiful. A lot more intricate than Septime. The dishes felt more elevated with a mixture of seafood, including lobster tail, duck, sauces, and multiple parts to each course. I highly recommend Frenchie over Septime.

I visited La Grande Epicurie in Saint Germain district. It’s a five floor gourmet market with artisanal food items, produce, seafood, butcher shop, wine shop, and kitchenware. It was heaven. So many goodies! I love how Europe has so many mini bottles and jars of everything. So cute! I wanted to buy everything. Definitely a must-do for foodies visiting Paris. I walked by Bread & Roses, a charming bakery/cafe, and wanted to stop there but didn’t get a chance. I would add this to my list for next time.

My youngest stepbrother hosted Sunday brunch. His wife made a feast for us. Cooking and an appreciation for food runs in our family. She loves to cook and is also a very skilled baker. She made everything from scratch. That same stepbrother and his wife also took me and my parents out to lunch at a Chinese restaurant called La Taverne de Zhao Opera that I really liked. They had great dumplings and noodles.

I can’t go too long without Asian food so I found myself seeking Asian food after only two days in Paris. There is such a thing as overindulgence and I felt that after my first two nights of Michelin-star dinners. My stomach was tired of eating and I just wanted comfort food, which for me is rice, soup, or noodles. I’m not that into bread and there are only so much tartines, croissants, and pastries that I could eat. I stopped at The Hood for Hainanese chicken and rice and Mirama for a bowl of Chinese wonton noodle soup. Mmmhmm. Just what my belly craved.

When I originally booked the trip, I felt guilty. I had already been to Europe earlier this year and I have my birthday trip planned for next month. But I had the time and time is currency you can’t get back. I’m happy that I took the opportunity to visit my family in Paris and spend more time with my parents because those experiences are priceless.

Pan-Seared Steak with Mushrooms & Asparagus

Sponsored by Aspen Ridge® Natural Angus Beef

I love a good steak and I especially love making it myself because it is super easy to do. It makes me feel kind of fancy and it looks really impressive too. I have partnered with Aspen Ridge® Natural Angus Beef to show you how to make a beautiful steak dinner at home. Their beef is Certified Humane®, has no added hormones, and no antibiotics ever. Because of its high quality, USDA Prime beef is generally sold in hotels and restaurants, but Aspen Ridge Prime beef is now available at your local Pavilions in Southern California!

I prefer a NY Strip cut and I like to cook my steak in a cast iron skillet to create a nice outside crust. It takes less than 10 minutes to cook the perfect steak at home! This is so much easier, more satisfying, and less expensive than dining out. Using Aspen Ridge Beef, you can create a delicious meal for that perfect date night in, special occasion, or celebration. In my case, it was a nice little weekend treat all for myself. My neighbor happened to walk past my door as I was cooking, and he immediately texted me to ask what I was making because he could smell my steak from outside and he thought it smelled so good! Even though I appreciated the compliment, I didn’t share my steak with him. I ate it entirely by myself! It was so delicious!

I paired my steak with a couple easy side vegetable dishes—sauteed garlic butter mushrooms and grilled asparagus. They cook quickly and complement the steak. If you have another vegetable you prefer or enjoy your steak with crispy roasted potatoes instead, that’s fine too. Pair your steak with whatever your belly craves.

Pan-Seared Steak with Garlic Butter Mushrooms & Asparagus (serves 2)

Steak Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of Aspen Ridge® Natural Angus Beef NY Strip, about 1¼ inch thick

• 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed

• 2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• salt

• pepper

Garlic Butter Mushrooms:

• 12 oz of mixed mushrooms (I use a combo of crimini + shiitake), stems removed and thinly sliced

• 2 cloves of garlic, diced

• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• ·¼ tsp ground black pepper

• ¼ - ½ Tsp sea salt

• 1 tbsp butter

• 2-3 lemon wedges

Asparagus Ingredients:

• ½ lb of skinny asparagus spears, bottom stems trimmed

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• salt

Directions:

Place NY strip on a plate. Pat dry. Season generously with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You may not need to finish the steak in the oven if your cut is no thicker than 1¼ inch and/or if you prefer your steak on the medium to medium-rare side. I like to have the oven on just in case the steak is thicker than I expected, or if the outside of the steak has already developed a perfectly brown crust but the inside is still not cooked to my desired temperature. Finishing the steak in the oven allows the steak to continue cooking without burning the outside.

Heat up a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with vegetable oil for about 5 minutes or until it starts smoking.

Place the steak gently on the hot skillet. Sear the steak for about 3-4 minutes on the first side, creating a deep brown crust.

Using tongs, flip the steak over and cook the other side for another 3 minutes. Add butter, garlic, and Rosemary to the skillet. Cook for another minute, tilting your skillet back and forth, so that the seasoned oil and butter fully coat the bottom of the steak. Turn steak onto its sides and sear all the edges as well. Flip the steak over a couple times. Repeatedly spoon the sauce over the top of the steak as it cooks.

Transfer steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes, loosely covered with aluminum foil, before cutting into it. This stove-top cooking method should yield a medium-rare to medium cooked steak.

However, if your steak has already developed a dark brown crust on the outside but the inside is still too rare for your taste, you can transfer the entire skillet to the oven and cook for about 5 minutes more. This is to avoid burning the outside of the steak on the stovetop while continuing to cook the inside. After 5 minutes, remove the steak from the oven. Transfer to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into it.

Meanwhile, in the same hot skillet, heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat for a couple minutes. Add trimmed asparagus spears. Sprinkle with salt and cook for about 2-3 minutes, flipping over halfway through. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a separate pan over medium high heat. Add mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly cook for a minute. Drain excess liquid. Add butter and garlic. Cook for another minute. Toss in parsley. Turn off stove. When ready to serve, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil.

Plate sliced steak with asparagus. Spoon over sauteed garlic butter mushrooms on top of the steak or serve on the side.

Note: According to foodsafety.gov, the minimum safe temperature is 145°F for steaks.