Just when the rest of my garden is looking fallen and dilapidated, it’s time to plant garlic for next year. Jill and I chatted about her garden last week and she offered to share an easy appetizer recipe that uses the garlic harvest and her garden eggplant. I’ve been roasting these two vegetables together constantly, probably wearing the exact same apron, though not with the cute pet pig. What harvest-inspired appetizers are you whipping up? -Maggie

One of the easiest things to grow is garlic, and October is the time to plant. This is me in my Eat Boutique apron (thank you,  Maggie!) with garlic that has already been cured and trimmed. The largest cloves will be saved and planted for next year. Bury them into the ground about 2″ deep with the pointy part facing up. Cover with a few inches of hay or leaves, and wait.

Hard-neck varieties will produce a curly garlic scape in late spring. When it grows a complete loop, break off the scape and enjoy it in a stirfry, make a pesto, or pickle it. It’s sweet and tender with a texture similar to asparagus and has a mild garlic flavor.

By late July, when you see half of the leaves on the stalk turn brown, it’s time to harvest. These were left too late in the ground, evident by the lack of paper surrounding the bulbs. Garlic needs to be cured for 2-3 weeks by hanging in a dry, well-ventilated place, out of direct sunlight. Brush off dirt, trim off stalk and store in a paper bag for use all winter.

Here’s the last of the eggplant in the garden and it’s still flowering and bearing new fruit. I’m hoping this mild spell will hold out so these guys can grow a little bigger.

“No Henry, not for you!”

Both eggplant and garlic are wonderful drizzled with olive oil and roasted.

Roasting caramelizes and sweetens both eggplant and garlic. These were done in an earth oven, which added a nice earthy smokey flavor.

Mash peeled eggplant and garlic together with some fresh lemon juice, tahini, mayonnaise, parsley, cumin, paprika, and salt and pepper. Serve as a dip or spread with pita or flat bread.

Baba Ghanoush (Mashed Eggplant Spread)
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 whole garlic heads, unpeeled
• 5 small eggplants
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. tahini
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Place garlic and eggplants on a foil-lined baking sheet, and broil until tender and charred all over, about 10 minutes for garlic, and about 40 minutes for eggplant. Peel and seed eggplants, and mash flesh with peeled garlic, juice, tahini, mayonnaise, 2 tsp. parsley, the cumin, paprika, and salt and pepper in a bowl; sprinkle with remaining parsley.

All photos styled and shot by Jill Chen.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Order a gift box of food today.

Dear Summer:

Hello, my darling! I suppose we’re parting ways in just a week or so, and I feel I owe you a thank you. You were so easy on me this year and despite some of my regrets, you truly made life a breeze.

Gardening

I spent several weekends out of town soaking up your beautiful sunny days and you just shone and shone down on my garden, which I barely weeded. You really made it so I could just toss some plants and seeds into the soil, water daily, and just walk away. You made it so warm and cozy and bright; my beets and tomatoes and eggplant and peppers couldn’t help but blossom. And, really, you should see my Brussels sprout stalks. Well, you probably have. I’ve never grown them before and will do it every year now, thanks to you.

Cooking

I barely cooked, really, like, never.  You made every meal a simple assembly process. With a snip snip from the tomato vines or a pluck off a pepper plant, my breakfast, lunch and dinner practically materialized in front of my eyes, like summer magic. Sea salt, black pepper and olive oil were my best friends. The hardest work I did was chop up onions, chives, jalapenos and tomatoes for a fresh salsa that decorated practically every morning fried egg.

Harvesting

This last month of you has been tough, but in the best possible way. Everything looks too beautiful and I can’t harvest and preserve it all fast enough. I’ve put away 10+ pints of all varieties of basil and arugula pesto on top of pickled beans and carrots, infused cordials, and all sorts of tomato, peach, blueberry and fig preserves. My herbs are drying all around my kitchen, and because you made my herbs go wild this year, filling up almost an entire 8′ by 4′ bed, I’m sure to have my own dried organic herbs well into 2012. My Winter stews will thank you too.

I’ll miss you, Summer, but we all know the truth about us: we’re not meant for each other long-term. I have always been best-friends-forever with Fall. I purposefully plan my favorite things – like spa days, trips to New York City and very special food events – in the Fall and as we prepare to part ways, I’m dreaming about apples, pumpkins, thick soups and hearty roasts.

But, sweet Summer, I’m in the mood for one last trip down memory lane with a few photos. And I’ll be sharing some great food gift ideas that you inspired soon. As well, I’ll expect you to keep shining on some lucky soul who will win a sweet “handmade” giveaway before September draws to a close.

See you, darling,

Maggie

Over the course of the next several months, we’re going to be sharing so many food gift ideas. Jill emailed me with this wonderful idea for a zucchini corn relish that lets you preserve late Summer flavors and store it away for a future meal or a great holiday gift. So gather up all the zucchini and corn you can carry and try her perfect recipe. -Maggie

The farmer’s markets are brimming with beautiful produce right now. If you’re lucky enough to be able to grow your own, that’s even better. This relish makes good use of the late Summer harvest and is not complicated at all. I love it on thinly sliced hot Italian sausages made by my favorite butcher.

Okay, I confess. I did not grow the zucchinis or yellow corn or red onions or sweet peppers pictured in this post. In fact, there is a whole long list of things that I planted that just never grew. But that’s okay. While my friend Cowboy David is winning first and second place ribbons at the county fair, I will persevere, learn from my mistakes and look forward to the next growing season.

One of the few things that I did grow, and that I’m most excited about, is Baby Blue Jade Corn. How adorable is this? LOVE, love, love the color. It is a sweet heirloom variety and can be grown in containers with stalks reaching two to three feet tall. Regular-sized kernels stud these miniature cobs, not quite enough to make a meal out of unless you grow a large quantity, but perfect when you want a dash of color in a salad, salsa or relish.

Remove corn off cob, dice the onion and peppers, and grate your zucchini in a food processor.

Pretend you are making a huge salad. Sprinkle with salt and toss.

Let it sit for one hour to draw out the liquid.

Let veggies strain while you put all vinegar brine ingredients into a large bot and bring to a boil.

When the brine comes to a boil, add the veggies. The liquid should barely cover the vegetables. Let it come back to a boil for one minute.

Carefully pack into the sterilized jars. I couldn’t find my wide mouth funnel so I had to use tongs. Pack tightly within a 1/2″ from the rim, pushing out any air pockets. Top with liquid leaving 1/4″ from the rim.

Wipe rims for a clean and secure seal.

Place the sterilized flat lids on top and secure by hand tightening the rings. Process 10 minutes (from the time it starts a rolling boil) in a hot water bath.

Make appetizers with grilled sausages or pork tenderloin on top of mustard slathered baguettes, and top with this gorgeous savory topping.

Zucchini Corn Relish
Makes approximately 8 cups of relish

Relish Ingredients:

• 6-8 medium zucchinis
• 4 cobs of corn
• 2 sweet peppers (spicy okay too)
• 1 large red onion
• 2 tbsp salt for drawing out liquid

Brine Ingredients:

• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1 tbsp celery seed
• 1-1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Recipe Directions:

1. Slice and dice all your veggies. Place in large non-reactive bowl, sprinkle with salt, and toss. Let it sit for 1 hour to draw out the liquid. While you wait, sterilize your mason jars and lids, then make your brine.
2. Sterilize your jars, lids, and get hot water bath ready. (see below for instructions).
3. To make the brine, combine all the brine ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.
4. Add your strained veggies and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
5. Take your jars out of oven, and fill, packing firmly to force out any air bubbles within 1/2″ from the rim. Top off with liquid to 1/4″ from the rim.
6. Wipe edges, and place flat lids and secure by hand tightening the rings. Process 10 minutes (from the time it starts a rolling boil) in a hot water bath.

Sterilizing Directions:

• Jars – Rinse your jars, place on cookie sheet and into 250•F over for 10 minutes. Turn oven off and leave jars in oven to keep them hot.
• Lids – Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add “flats” (rings not necessary), and boil for 5 minutes, then turn off leaving everything in the pot.
• Hot Water Bath – Have a very large pot of boiling water on the burner ready for the hot water bath. Fill only halfway with water, and place a tea towel on the bottom to keep the jars from rattling. You can have a tea kettle ready in case you need to top off. Make sure the jars are covered by at least 1″ of water. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove and check seals by pushing down on lids once they’ve cooled. If any of the lids are still moving, then reprocess or store in fridge and consume first. Store relish in cool dark place, can keep for a year or two.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send food that hugs you back today.

Did you know we’re hosting our first Local Market on September 24 in Boston?

As an avid reader, I’m always on the look-out for some forgotten book that will completely blow me away. I always dream of finding something that I can press copies of into friend’s hands and say, “you have to read this… you’ll love it.” After someone on Twitter gushed about this book, I was compelled by their 140 character description to pick up a copy of Lillian Hellman and Peter Feibleman’s “Eating Together.” Divided into two halves, (“Hers,” and “His,”) each offers their own food-related memories and recipes.

My knowledge of Lillian Hellman is slim, other than the fact that she was Dashiel Hammet’s partner for over 30 years and that she wrote two great plays that I was aware of (“The Children’s Hour” and “The Little Foxe,”… but she wrote a lot more than that.) Reading her half of “Eating Together,” I wish I could have met this woman and had a few drinks with her. She sounds like a hell of a good time.

Hellman doesn’t mince words when it comes to her opinion on people and places. When referring to Mexico and the cuisine, Ms. Hellman states, “I’ve never had good food there.” Giving advice on throwing a dinner party, she says, “Start the party with some champagne, but do not continue with champagne, because it is too expensive.” Recounting her 3rd birthday party, she says she got upset and ran into the corner, sitting there with the cat and crying, causing great distress to her mother. Offering advice that I think stands the test of time and is applicable to everyone, Hellman’s grandmother said, “Leave the child alone. We each have our own troubles and age has nothing to do with it. And leave the cat alone. He has his troubles. Why don’t you all go eat some ice cream?” This advice has become my mantra.

Peter Feibleman first met Lillian when he was 10 years old and they formed a friendship that remained until the day she died. Feibleman’s half of the book is sub-divided into three sections, “New Orleans” (his hometown,) “Spain” (where he spent many years, often with Hellman visiting,) and “Elsewhere.”

Feibleman’s recipes are often adapted from a family recipe, and topped with Hellman’s reactions to the meal. (She had something to say about every dish.) The copy of “Eating Together” that I bought had a small slip of paper tucked in-between two of the pages. The paper was more scrap than anything, clearly the part of a bigger thought, but the only part that’s readable on the scrap says “for Liz.”

I don’t know who Liz is, or why this particular gazpacho recipe was flagged. (Feibleman says there’s as many gazpacho recipes in Spain as there are people.) So, wherever she is, I hope Liz enjoyed this basic, traditional gazpacho recipe.

Traditional Gazpacho Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized cucumbers, peeled and chopped
• 5 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 cups French bread, crusts removed (Jill left the crusts on)
• 4 cups tomato juice
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Puree cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, peppers, garlic, bread, vinegar and tomato juice in a blender until smooth. Pour puree into a bowl. Whisk in olive oil and chill thoroughly before serving. Garnish with croutons and additional minced vegetables.

Both halves of “Eating Together” have the tone of two life-long friends sharing stories and memories about each other and their adventures. While they’re not always flattering, they’re honest and you clearly get the sense that there’s love between the two of them. Lillian Hellman died shortly after completing her half of the book, her last words to Feibleman being, “This is the worst case of writer’s block I’ve ever had in my life.” At the memorial service, all he could say was, “here lies a lady with writer’s block.” However, as “Eating Together” clearly shows, Hellman had many more stories to tell. Too bad there isn’t a follow-up.

All photos by Jill Chen.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send food that hugs you back today.

Good luck to the soul who stands between a California Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel and me. Seriously, get out of my way.

I like wine and, especially, red wine. When I’m in northern California, I can drink a fancy red bottle or take my jug to the local vineyard to fill up on solid house wine. Either way, I’m happy because in California, I’ve got options.

Not so much in New England.

In fact, when a winemaker from a vineyard along the Coastal Wine Trail (which covers Rhode Island and Massachusetts) told me it’s impossible to make good red wine north of Connecticut, I pouted and considered a move out west permanently.

That was until I battled through thunderstorms to make my annual journey to Woodstock, Vermont in June.

I’ve been visiting Woodstock for ten years. My husband and I met Deirdre Heekin and Caleb Barber, proprietors of Osteria Pane e Salute, when we put ourselves in their hands for one of our first very fancy dinners as a couple. We chose our dishes based on their very seasonal and local menu, and Deirdre paired each course with her carefully-curated wines.

I love when someone who loves wines tells me what to drink.

Each year, we visit their bistro-size restaurant and, each year, I learn about so many boutique wines that Deirdre has discovered during her trips to Italy. Deirdre and Caleb visited during their honeymoon and return to taste, cook and get inspired during the off-season each year.

Lucky for us.

In June, we followed our typical 1-2-3 plan for a visit to Woodstock.

1. We checked into our favorite inn: The Woodstocker Inn

2. We ate and sampled beers at our favorite brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company

3. We dined in one of the best restaurants ** in New England: Osteria Pane e Salute

There was one slight alteration to this pretty awesome agenda. Deirdre and Caleb have started making wine on their eight-acre farm about 10 miles from the restaurant in Barnard, Vermont. And as a little gift to my husband, I surprised him with a tour of their farm, from which they grow vegetables and herbs for the restaurant, and a tasting of their very first wine vintage in progress at La Garagista. (They already make classic method ciders and aperitivi, delicious cordials and liquors to serve before a meal, and digestifs, for after a meal.)

The entire farm was stunning and quite special. And when I relayed the Coastal Wine Trail story to Deirdre just as we sipped her red wine, she gave me a look and a smile, and it was very clear to me that though the wine was still developing, I was soon going to have a favorite New England red wine.

Deirdre and Caleb are very busy with the restaurant and the farm and their wine tastings and all those trips to Italy but if you ask very nicely, they’d let you tour and taste their wines too.

Deirdre and Caleb have written several books: Libation, a Bitter Alchemy; In Late Winter We Ate Pears: A Year of Hunger and Love; and (my personal favorite) Pane e Salute: Food and Love in Italy and Vermont. They’re also on Twitter and write the inspiring blog Fuoricitta. I’ve written about Osteria Pane e Salute before too.

** Now I don’t make a broad statement like this very easily. But my first experience dining at this restaurant, and every single visit since, has inspired me. Their passion for food and wine inspired me to find my own and they’re one of the reasons I choose to work in food. Yes, those are big shoes to fill but they fill them beautifully.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send food that hugs you back today.

Quick! Rush out to your garden and chop down all the chives you can hold in one hand or in your apron or even in your shirt pocket. If you don’t have a big plant out back, the local farmers markets are blooming with chives, thick with purple blossoms. Either way, bring that bunch home and chop it up as fine as you like; no points for neatness. The messier, the better!

Pile the chives in a bowl and drizzle them with your very best extra virgin olive oil, something full of fruit and flavor. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt on top and toss everything together with a spoon, an antique silver spoon worked fine for me…

The result will be a luscious chive oil that looks something like a thin pesto. It’s rich and fruity, due to your fabulous extra virgin olive oil, and totally fragrant from the fresh chives. It’s quite tasty too and gets better the longer the flavors mesh together. I’ve been drizzling it on everything… and I mean, everything.

This chive oil is great on: freshly made pizzas; morning omelets; bowls of thin spaghetti; tortillas and flat breads of all sorts; roasted meats and poultry charred by the grill or roasted in the oven; roasted, steamed or boiled vegetables; fresh baguette w/butter or bits of crostini; any single-vegetable soup puree like carrot or pea soup; and corn on the cob. That’s a start, but I’m certain you’ll come up with even better combinations.

And now some gratuitous shots of chives from my garden… but first, a list of blogs with other great uses for chives:

• Spring Pesto at Eat Make Read
• Chilled Beet Soup with Kefir and Chives at Crumpets and Cakes
• Chive Blossom Vinegar at A Full Measure of Happiness
• Savory Buttermilk Biscuits with Cheddar and Chives from Brooklyn Supper

Looking for the perfect birthday or graduation gift? Eat Boutique sells a handmade gift box filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send food that hugs you back today.

One of my favorite photographers and an Eat Boutique contributor, Jill Chen, comes out from behind the camera to share the steps in making this beautiful recipe, courtesy of blogger/author/friend, Georgia Pellegrini. Thanks, Jill and Georgia! -Maggie

I woke up a few days ago to a front lawn full of yellow dandelions. It wasn’t planned on my part, but after reading Georgia Pellegrini’s post on making dandelion wine, I was inspired to act quickly… stalking my neighborhood for fresh untouched patches of the dreaded yellow weed.

Pick from young plants and newly opened blooms, away from sprayed areas or where dogs frequent.

I found it helpful to first spread buds out on the table for any ants or bugs to escape. Rinse well, trimming green ends off (optional).

The recipe calls for the whole buds which can be bitter, or you can pick the petals off. I ended up using a knife after my thumbs started getting sore.

Throw all the dandelion petals into a large pot. Now add the juice and coarsely chopped rind of one whole lemon and orange.

Add water, and bring to a boil for a few minutes.

Remove from heat and cover, letting it steep on the counter for 24-48 hrs.

After the steeping stage, add the sugar and activated yeast (I used Champagne yeast). Give it a good stir.

I am lucky to live near a wine-making supply store where I purchased a 2 gallon glass carboy for fermenting, cap, champagne yeast and airlock. Suddenly, I’m dreaming about growing my own grapes and having a little “garage winery.”

Using a large funnel and colander, scoop the mixture into the jug, straining everything out. You need to create an airlock, so that the CO2 can escape as it ferments, but bad yeast doesn’t get in.

This is an airlock, which was a few dollars from the wine-making supply store. Vodka (alcohol, not water) is added to create the barrier. It will bubble and allow gas out, but nothing gets in. My jug is happily gurgling and bubbling away in the basement. I’m tempted to pick more dandelions to store in the freezer. Just in case this turns out amazing, I won’t have to wait till spring to make it again. It will be Christmas when we have our first tasting. I look forward to wearing flowers in my hair and sipping a little bit of sunshine.

Not one month ago, my yard was three empty wooden boxes held together by nails and pounds of soil. My pea stone surround was seeing signs of wear with lots of weeds and grass poking through trying to taste the deliciously warm sun. Even my garden bench, a polished-up find from the local dump, was sad. Neither empty raised bed nor worn pea stones nor sad garden bunch could hold me back!

Upon return from Paris, I was gifted a third raised bed as a welcome present from my hubby (he knows me well) and accepted the challenge eagerly, drawing up plans, sketches, lists, visions and recipes for all the delicious produce nature would soon gift me. Though it takes four months to adequately benefit from a juicy heirloom harvest — hello, tomatoes! — I try to plan out my beds such that I’m reaping fairly immediate gratification.

This year’s garden is already showing signs of progress and will soon be overflowing with the following: four different types of lettuces, including red leaf, frisee and arugula; Cocozelle zucchini (a tiny Italian variety); two varieties of tomatillos; lemongrass; chives (that survived last year’s frost); Italian parsley; eggplant (the Hansel and Fairytale varieties, so darling); cabbage; three types of beans (black, purple and snap peas); two precious varieties of radishes; rainbow swiss chard; two hot peppers, including my beloved serano pepper; two types of carrots (Cosmic Purple and Little Fingers); rhubarb; and, four varieties of tomatoes (San Marzano, Hillbilly, Sungold and Zapotec).

I also tossed in some flowers for color, so the beds will be dotted with nasturtiums, marigolds, clematis and snapdragons. And, I couldn’t forget to include a wide variety of herbs like oregano, rosemary, lemon thyme, Italian parsley, sweet marjoram, three types of sage, three types of mint (including chocolate mint for cocktails and baking), and 12 Genovese basil plants (because you can never have too much pesto).

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the melons and squash planted in my side bed! I’m hoping these vegetable vines will take over a fussy bed that fills with bamboo each month. I gently planted two Cinderella-style pumpkins (the best!) and one European-style melon (Charentais). I just adore that moment in October when the pumpkins are ready to be baked with or shown off to neighbors during Halloween festivities.

After all the planning, planting, watering and weeding, I get excited cutting my first lettuces (which I did today) and snipping the first bits of herbs, sans jacket. To the anti-gardener, I suppose my zest for growing stuff seems a bit dramatic. But I am proud to say that I kind of live for this stuff. I also live for the first beautiful day when I can finally share a glass of wine (or two) in the garden with my family and friends.

I don’t know about you, but I feel like the wine goes down smoother, easier, sweeter in a backyard where you work hard to bring things to life, where you know the wine will someday soon be served with produce growing just a few feet away. Speaking of, what will I do with all these veggies? I have a long list of ideas already brewing, thanks to all the amazing food bloggers across the Web. Here are just a sampling:

• There are 45 Things To Do With Fresh Sage
• A delicious recipe for Fresh Tomatillo Salsa
• Pumpkin donuts calling my name
• These pretty Rustic Rhubarb Tarts
• A beautiful Rosemary Olive Oil Cake
• Squash Blossom Pizza, oh wow!
• These delightful Lettuce Wraps with radishes
• Wait… there’s more…!

I may also make many of the following dishes:

• Shrimp, Wild Rice and Spring Vegetable Soup
• Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta and Mint
• Backyard Garden Tomatoes with Cheese
• Swiss Chard Recipe
• Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna with Swiss Chard
• Acorn Squash Quesadillas with Tomatillo Salsa
• Orange Frosted Pumpkin Muffins

I’m not sure if my dog loves all this gardening madness, but I certainly do. Cheers to you and a season of great veggies and great recipes! By the way, I am torn on what to do with all this lettuce. Any thoughts on recipes I should consider? I’m open to anything, just put them in the comments. Thank you all!

Have you ever had sweet mint tea in a just-blossoming garden filled with bright blue furniture and bright-eyed strangers, all of you just waiting for the minutes to tick, tock, tick, tock away? I have.

And the tea was so very sweet. It was honey-hued, the consistency of a sugar syrup. With a taste like candy, this tea delighted each of us in this walled-garden, especially me and the hubby (who pulled a très thoughtful pose as I clicked away on my camera).

The tea was bright but when it reflected the gray sky above, it clouded up, giving a nod to the fat rain drops that soon followed. No bother to any of us, because we were drinking tea in a garden.

We were drinking the sweetest tea in sturdy vibrant blue chairs that popped off the multicolored low walls. The furniture was both soothing and electric at the same time, lulling us to rest a while but also pepping us up for the rest of our Paris walk.

When the drops fells, it wasn’t a bother either. We simply all huddled under the elegant umbrellas and waited it out with our super sweet tea.

We were tempted to hurry inside, but instead let the drops fall around us. The inside was, however, equally gorgeous, with bright blue and gold furniture. It was empty; we were all outside under the rain drops.

All of these simple delights lie behind one of the many solid old doors surrounding one of the most beautiful mosques in Paris. You can experience the pleasures of the sweet tea, blue hues and garden vibes at La Grande Mosquée de Paris at 39 Rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 75005 Paris, France. Tel: 01 43 31 18 14. There’s lots of other-worldy experiences waiting for you there, but don’t forget to drink the tea, okay?