Chocolate Bliss Part 3

I can't believe we drank the whole thing... and with whipped cream too!

So I met my house guests at Angelina's across from the Tuileries Gardens in Paris.  I was running late so they had already ordered thick, rich hot chocolate for three, and were well into the first pitcher.

I knew I would need to grab some non-liquid form of lunch before heading off to work, so I suggested that we order a quick quiche and side salad before polishing off the rest of the chocolat.

My Iowa visitor immediately asked ''What's a quiche?''

Okay, in her defense, she is way too young to recall the best-selling ''Real Men Eat Quiche'' and she grew up eating Kraft macaroni and cheese and Hamburger Helper.

So this was her chance to branch out and try something news.

So for her it was Quiche Lorraine, a baked egg custard with bites of fat lardon bacon in a flaky crust on a bed of lettuce.

She liked the quiche but not the lettuce! And we somehow managed to  drain all three servings of the hot chocolate. Afterward I raced off to catch Line 1 of the Paris Metro to get to work, and my Colorado visitor sat back, enjoyed the scenic murals on the walls and chatter of the international customers in the beautiful high-ceilinged room.

She also ordered a fresh-raspberry-filled giant pink macaroon!

Part 2:

The post-holiday dietary cleanse is just going to have to wait.

I have two house guests visiting from the States: one from Colorado and another from Iowa, and of course they have trotted off to see the Eiffel Tower this morning. But in an hour I will meet them... at Angelina's!

It has been sub-freezing in Paris this week, and yesterday it even snowed, which is rare here, so a hot pot of thick steaming chocolate is just the ticket for these chilled travelers.

We plan to get there early enough to also have lunch. But to save room for the black gold at the end of the meal, I'm thinking I'll just have a salad or a thin French omelette.

Yeah, right. Well, we'll see how far will power holds out on this one!

Will report back soon!

Meantime, here is the original posting:

OK, so sometimes you DO have to go to the famous places, because sometimes, they really are good.

A friend was in town during the week and one chilly evening after shopping the vintage stores in the Marais where she got a sparkly cocktail bag for 10 euros and I bought a tan snakeskin clutch for 15, I decided that we should make the trek up to the tuileries and to the famed seller of thick rich hot chocolate: Angelina's.

Many visitors know this place because of its proximity to the Louvre. It's in all the guidebooks and is known for its Mont Blanc pastries as well as its old-worled atmosphere and decor.

But the hot chocolate is the real deal. Served in a china pitcher, with real whipped cream on the side, it's 6.90 euros well spent in my book.

And don't worry. That line out the door moves quickly.