I started a three-week, doctor ordered, cleanse today where all I can eat is vegetables, fruit, brown rice, and lentils and the second two weeks I can add a little chicken and fish. NO pastries, NO bread, NO dessert, NO croissants, NO cheese, NO coffee, NO macarons, and NO chocolate (I may have forgotten a few things) for 30,744 minutes or 504 hours or 21 days. Am I crazy to attempt this cleanse living in Paris or what? I told some French people at a dinner party a few weeks ago about my upcoming cleanse and they looked at me like I was a space alien. The pleasure obsessed, neurotically hedonist French couldn't wrap their mind around not being able to consume wine, cheese, and the above mentioned products for any length of time.
On Saturday I was plotting my literal last licks before my cleanse when I decided to go for a double scoop of Amorino gelato. Amorino is a super popular, upscale gelato brand started in Paris in 2002 and now has branches throughout Europe with one newly opened in New York on University Place. They use only organic and natural products. Feeling like I was going to the electric chair, I had to choose my last dessert wisely. After taste tasting as many samples as I could without getting thrown out (they have a smart policy, whereby you pay for your gelato first, and then you can sample) I gave my final answer -and did not win a million euros- and decided on Caffe puro Brasile and Pistachio Sublime. The server filled the cone first with the pistachio, which was a dark beige color rather than the light green tone you usually get and then padded it down with the coffee flavor artfully making it look like a flower. The nut flavor was intense from the pistachio and in the past pistachio ice cream was always more like a perfume of pistachio rather than a nut flavor. The strong coffee flavor offsetting the pistachio was a choice I was very happy with and I was more than satisfied before going to the chair.
Wish me luck on my cleanse and hopefully I will be healthier and thinner in three LONG weeks. I am already hungry.
Amorino has 43 locations in Paris and below is their website with a list of their locations.
http://www.amorino.com/en/
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Courage, Richard! You'll do fine!
Posted by: monique | August 08, 2011 at 01:47 PM
Touch base after your cleanse and I'll meet you for some Speculoos
Posted by: brigitte | August 08, 2011 at 01:48 PM
Good choice for a last dessert!
Posted by: julie | August 08, 2011 at 02:37 PM
Good luck on the cleanse!!!! No more desserts of the week for awhile.
Posted by: tracey | August 08, 2011 at 02:47 PM
my new york friend, i will have to walk over to university place and try this flavor combo in your honor! (and, don't worry, the cleanse as you're describing it is easier than you think...)
Posted by: Sweet Freak | August 08, 2011 at 05:03 PM
Perfect choice right before a cleanse! And for your cleanse - just think how amazing your going to look for your portrait shoot when I get back from St Tropez!! Get Ready ( :
Posted by: Sarah T Skinner | August 08, 2011 at 05:18 PM
Good Luck, let all of us know how you are feeling during these days.
Posted by: Ginny | August 08, 2011 at 05:35 PM
Good luck, Richard! Try thinking about Monday to Monday instead of 3 weeks.
Really enjoy your posts!
Posted by: Marilyn | August 08, 2011 at 05:40 PM
Good luck!!
I did have this very expensive gelato on university place…..SO good.
You can DO IT!!!
Keep yourself real busy.
Posted by: Linda | August 08, 2011 at 05:41 PM
It sure looked like a good choice for your last dessert. I hope this goes well for you and you don't shed too many tears over the next couple of weeks.
Posted by: Tim | August 09, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Good Luck - I know you can do it! The first few days will be hard and then afterwards won't be so bad!
Posted by: Richard | August 09, 2011 at 10:49 AM
This is definitely my preferred ice cream place in Paris and we have spent many a very long moment in their 'shops' - they do an exquisite espresso too, the vendors are without fail always very polite, even friendly, well informed and the portions are not only lovingly presented but I find them rather generous!
So, you did well to go there for your last scoop for a loooong time! You'll survive, Richard, but honestly, you ARE a bit crazy to do that to you staying in Paris! :)
Posted by: Kiki | August 09, 2011 at 12:34 PM