A scientific close-up of the best cereal ever.
Eating out in France is definitely something to write home (or blog) about. But I get even more excited when I’m here about buying “my products”. That includes orange flower Le Petit Marseillais body wash, spray bottles of organic argon oil, extra fine BIC Cristal pens (really–I bought 30 this week), Monoprix reusable shopping bags (I bought hot pink this week!), Carrefour coolers, and LU Petit Ecolier cookies that I can buy anywhere but only buy when I’m in France, because that’s how I justify the calories. I have to stop in Princesse tam.tam (best bathing suits ever–Emma Stone is wearing one in Vanity Fair), Petit Bateau (where I get half my striped tees), and Aigle (which I think is fair because they either don’t exist outside of France, or are much cheaper here–I’ve been to all three in Nice and in Aix and Toulouse). But, I admit, my travel companions may be family, but my French shopping obsessions try their patience, which may be beginning to wear thin.
It's in the bag.
Another thing I MUST GET (I got the extra large box!) is my favorite cereal OF ALL TIME: Special K Feuilles de Chocolat Noir. Now don’t go rolling your eyes at me that Special K is Special K. This is different!
This is the box to find, and buy!
The flakes are different–really multigrain and hearty. And then there’s the chocolate. I started eating this cereal I think about 13 years ago, before chocolate became healthy in the States. I thought it was so cool that you could buy a healthy chocolate cereal. Feuille de chocolat means “leaves of chocolate,” and it’s like some took a vegetable peeler to a block of good dark chocolate and dropped millions of chocolate curls in among the flakes. They melt on contact with your tongue. They are just sweet enough. I thought when our American Special K Chocolaty Delight came out, it might be a new name for the same thing. Do NOT be fooled. Different flakes. Different chocolate. On the whole, inferior. Feuilles de chocolat is where it’s at, and it’s being 8:46 in the morning Toulouse time, I believe I will go pour myself a bowl.
You have to your hands on this stuff!
Note: I just suggested the cereal to Mr. English, and he said “Cereal?! I can have cereal in London.” That’s what he thinks. Let him have his French bread. Is the word “ignoramus” too harsh? He approves ignoramus. More for me!
Petit Bateau
for striped tees and nightgowns
Princesse tam.tam
for bathing suits and pajamas (the summer sales are killer here)
Aigle
for fashionable rain boots and sportswear
Monoprix
for little household goods, reusable "green" bags in cute pouches, for great pears and eggplant caviar, for my organic argan oil spray bottles
Carrefour
Because it's the Target of French supermarkets. I buy neon cooler bags, BIC pens, Petit Marseillais body wash, and, of course, my Dark Chocolate Special K. And a million other things!