I realized that many people looking for products were looking at this blog entry and not the actual list that gets updated. So click on the link above.
Found: Butternut squash!
Seen at markets, Intermarché, Auchan, Casino and Ed, which probably means you can find them most anywhere now! And yes, they're called 'le butternut'.
Mark your calendars!
Sunday, December 7th at 4pm
the 4th annual
Christmas Carols in English
Temple du Change (Eglise Réformée)
Place du Change, Lyon 5ème
Parking St Jean / metro St Jean / Bus 1 terminus St Paul / navette Presqu’île
Information: 06 22 69 65 16 (English or French)
Sponsored by the International Christian Community of Lyon
the 4th annual
Christmas Carols in English
Temple du Change (Eglise Réformée)
Place du Change, Lyon 5ème
Parking St Jean / metro St Jean / Bus 1 terminus St Paul / navette Presqu’île
Information: 06 22 69 65 16 (English or French)
Sponsored by the International Christian Community of Lyon
Update: Bahadourian now online!
Bahadourian announces the launch of their online shop at www.bahadourian.com. Sign up for their newsletter and get 5% off with the code NEWSBAHA5.
You may be surprised to find that one of Lyon's greatest sources for groceries and fun ingredients is...a Middle Eastern supermarket! Bahadourian is a one-stop shop for staples such as dried beans (think black bean soup), nuts, flours (think flaky pie crusts), granola ingredients, cornmeal (think cornbread), spices and seasonings. And of course, it's great place if you're wanting to try something new and a little exotic.
20, Rue Villeroy, 69003 Lyon
04 78 60 32 10
166, Grande rue Guillotière, 69007 Lyon
08 72 98 85 55
102, Cours Lafayette, 69006 Lyon
04 72 84 86 86
102, Cours Lafayette, 69003 Lyon
04 72 84 84 84
Found: sweet potatoes!
Sweet potatoes can (usually) be found in the exotic produce section of the grocery store. They've been spotted at Carrefour, Auchan, Intermarché and even Ed and Spar.
Look for a section within the produce marked exotique that has items such as star fruit, ginger root, plantains, etc... They're called patate douce and are usually around 3euros/kilo.
If you can't find them there, try an African import store...or use carrots instead !
American recipe: Sweet potato casserole
4 cups sweet potatoes (cooked, peeled, and mashed)
2 Tbsp butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
3 tablespoon butter, melted
In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes, margarine, eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar. Mix well. Spread into a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole.
Prepare the topping by mixing the coconut, brown sugar and butter. Sprinkle over the potatoes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
Found: Buttermilk!
There are many possible substitutes for buttermilk, but the best I've found is Yorik fermented milk made by Yoplait. You can find it in most grocery stores in France and it works perfectly in many American recipes.If you can't find Yorik, look for lait fermenté in the yogurt aisle. A word of caution - Yorik also comes in fruited flavors, so if you want plain buttermilk, look for nature.
American recipe: Buttermilk pancakes
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tbsp sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup Yorik lait fermenté
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp melted butter
1 Tbsp oil
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the eggs, milk and buttermilk in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until the batter just comes together. Add the melted butter. Mix lightly.
Heat a flat griddle or frying pan to medium high heat. Oil the pan then ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle to about 5 or 6 inches wide. When air bubbles start to appear on the surface at the center of the pancakes, use a flat spatula to flip them over. After a minute, check underside for doneness. When golden or darker golden brown, they are done.
Serve with butter and maple syrup (sirop d'érable).
American recipe: Green bean casserole in France
All these ingredients are available at local grocery stores in France:
- fried onions (look for oignons frits near apéro foods)
- canned mushrooms
- instant mushroom soup mix OR boxed mushroom soup
- French-cut green beans
Happy Thanksgiving prep!
This week's spotlight: City Bagels
Located conveniently downtown at 32 rue Férrandière (near Starbucks), their menu offers more than just freshly-baked bagels.
Bagels
(5 to 6 euros, with coleslaw or chips)
Wall Street: guacamole, lettuce, cucumber, mozzarella
Chinatown: cream cheese, salmon, cucumber, red onion, dill
Soho: mayo, lettuce, pastrami, tomoato, pickles
City: cream cheese, lettuce, magic chicken, onion crisp
Central park: tuna, mayo, tomato, red onion, lettuce
Little Italy: cream cheese, lettuce, smoked ham, goat cheese, honey
Philadelphia: cream cheese or peanut butter
Wraps
(around 4 euros)
Brooklyn: tuna, mayo, tomato, lettuce, corn, olive
Greenwich: guacamole, tomato, mozzarella, corn, lettuce, olive
Manhattan: cream cheese, tomato, magic chicken, lettuce, onion crisp
Salads
Coleslaw: white cabbage and carrots
Broadway: lettuce, tomato, salmon, corn, cucumber, surimi
Vegetable: lettuce, grilled eggplant, mozzarella, tomato, pine nuts
Madison: lettuce, smoked ham, goat cheese, tomato, fig, pine nuts
Paninis
(around 4 euros)
Chelsea: mozzarella, goat cheese, gruyère, cream cheese
Empire States: cream cheese, pezzicosa, magic chicken, tomato, gruyère
Big Apple: pesto, tomato, mozzarella
...and Hot Dogs!
Desserts
Cheesecake
Chocolate muffins
Brownie
Cookie
Fruit salad
Donuts
Crumble
Fromage blanc
Ben & Jerry's ice cream
Milkshakes
Drinks
Dr Pepper, Bud, cranberry juice, capuccino and flavored coffees, among the the usual selections.
* Open Monday thru Wednesday, from 8:30 am to 7pm, and Thursday thru Saturday from 8:30am to 9:30pm.
City Bagels
32, rue Férrandière, 69002
Found: Jelly Belly beans!
While standing in line at Bahadourian (with a very, very full cart) I saw something surprising at the check-out counter - Jelly belly beans! They were in a small cylindrical container that would be just the right size to quench a craving.
Images from www.jellybelly.com
Images from www.jellybelly.com
Now open in Villeurbanne: Starbucks!
Now you can get your Starbucks fix in two places in the Lyon area!
In addition to the Starbucks at 2 Rue de la République near the Lyon Opéra, a new store has recently opened in Villeurbanne at 40 rue Henri Barbusse - not far from the new SUBWAY® restaurant.
Need to bruch up on how to order your favoorite Starbucks drink in French? Go here.
What's in store at Starbucks in Villeurbanne?
Espresso
Smooth and versatile Espresso Roast is the soul of Starbucks® with a rich flavor, lingering aroma and caramel-like sweetness. While an espresso shot is the building block of most beverages at our store, in some countries espresso shots are sipped straight for a more intense experience in flavor.
Espresso Macchiato
A dense and caramelly-sweet espresso shot marked with a small amount of foamed milk. (Macchiato means marked.)
Espresso con Panna
A dense and caramelly-sweet espresso shot softened with a dollop of whipped cream.
Coffee of the week
Caffè Latte
Rich, full-bodied Starbucks® espresso in steamed milk lightly topped with foam.
Cappuccino
Rich, full-bodied Starbucks® espresso in a small amount of steamed milk, with a deep layer of foam. With less milk than a latte, the classic and complex cappuccino offers a stronger espresso flavor and luxurious texture.
Caffè Mocha
Rich, full-bodied Starbucks® espresso combined with our proprietary bittersweet mocha syrup and steamed milk. Topped with a cloud of whipped cream.
Caramel Macchiato
A signature Starbucks® beverage. A creamy mix of vanilla and freshly steamed milk marked with intense Starbucks® espresso, topped with velvety foam and our own proprietary buttery caramel sauce.
Caffè Americano
Rich, full-bodied Starbucks® espresso combined with hot water for the European alternative to American-style brewed coffee.
"Our festive blend of bold Asia/Pacific coffees and crisp and lively Latin American beans is back to spread holiday cheer all season long. We give this coffee a joyful, spicy warmth with a very special and rare ingredient: aged Indonesian beans."
Key term: Spicy
From many lands, one blend
Every coffee bean carries a distinctive taste that is particular to its land of origin. By carefully blending beans from different regions, our coffee experts have created an interesting interplay of aromas and flavors.
(from http://www.starbucks.com/)
Java Chip Frappuccino® Blended Coffee
A decadent combination of chocolate and java chips combined with Starbucks® Latin American coffees and milk, blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional) and chocolate drizzle, a chocolate lovers dream.
Caramel Frappuccino® Blended Coffee
A decadent treat of buttery caramel combined with Starbucks® Latin American coffees and milk, blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional) and a swirl of caramel sauce.
Mocha Frappuccino® Blended Coffee
A delightfully sweet and creamy combination of chocolate, Starbucks® Latin American coffees and milk, blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional).
Coffee Frappuccino® Blended Coffee
Starbucks® original Frappuccino®, Starbucks® Latin American coffees and milk, blended with ice.
Vanilla Bean Frappuccino® Blended Crème
A deliciously creamy, classic combination of Vanilla bean and milk, blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional).
Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino® Blended Crème
Rich chocolate, chocolate chips and milk, blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional), and chocolate drizzle.
White Chocolate Frappuccino® blended crème
Deliciously decadent White Chocolate Mocha combined with milk and blended with ice, topped with whipped cream (optional).
Hot Chocolate
Choice of steamed milk with mocha syrup, vanilla syrup and whipped cream. A classic hot chocolate - sweet and creamy - made with steamed milk, mocha syrup and topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle (optional).
Tazo® Chai Tea Latte
A spicy drink of black tea infused with cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and star anise added to freshly steamed milk.
Tazo® Tea
The finest, full flavored teas offered in Black, Green, and Herbal Infusions, steeped in hot, filtered water for your enjoyment.
Found: Skippy peanut butter!
Skippy Peanut Butter, one of America's favorite brands was first sold on February 1, 1933. Today, almost 90 million jars are sold annually - almost 3 jars every second! More Skippy has been sold than any other peanut butter in the world! You can even buy it in France. Not is the large, family-sized jars of course, but it is available in a perfect 'I need a treat from the US' size.Most of the peanuts used to make Skippy peanut butter are grown in Georgia, Texas, Florida and Oklahoma. So depending on where you're from in the US, it may actually taste like home!
Where to find it? Try Monoprix, Auchan or Carrefour, usually in the imported food section.
LYON à la carte!
(From the LYON à la Carte website)
You’re from a country that may be far, or near. Brazil, United States, Japan, Finland, Australia, or wherever…suddenly you’re here in Lyon because your company wants you and perhaps your family to come and work, or you’re here on your own choosing to come and study. Please let LYON à la carte be the first to welcome you to this great city.
We know how you feel. Your basic French maybe imperfect and will add to your daily struggle to get understood. We know how you feel because we have been in your shoes. We’re a group of expatriate volunteers who want to make it easier for our fellow international expatriates to settle into a new life in Lyon quickly and find meaningful contacts in the existing international community as well as the local French community with greater ease.
This is why we are organizing the first-ever international expo LYON à la carte with the enthusiastic support of the city of Lyon and many other sponsors. We feel this is a worthwhile undertaking and we hope you feel the same too. Did you know that Lyon is currently the #1 city for implanting international companies in France? On top of the booming Industrial economy, its low cost of living as well as access to the mountains, the sea and the wine regions have attributed to this success. As the international business side of Lyon grows, Lyon needs to adapt to the personal needs of the international community –the city’s new vital force.
LYON à la carte will offer a menu of things for you to choose from in Lyon: organizations, language classes, schools, bank and insurance needs, and entertainment. The expo focuses on helping all cultures adapt to Lyon’s environment through providing essential information on and how to enjoy the benefits of the city and the Rhône-Alpes region. Most importantly, the event strives to make you feel comfortable in your new setting and to make the city more accessible.
LYON à la carte has an exciting list of speakers and great booth participants to get you acquainted with Lyon. Babysitting will be available for kids 3 (potty-trained) and up and will feature arts and craft activities from BKidz.
Come and join us to make Lyon a la carte a success for all. The date is 4 October 2008 and the place is the Hilton Lyon at Cité International. See you there!
Saturday, Oct. 4th
Hilton Cité Internationale
70 Quai Charles de Gaulle
69006 Lyon
10h00 – 19h00
Adults 8 €
Students 5 €
Children under 18 Free
Early registration save 2€
Found: Saltine-type crackers!
These 'Crackers salés' from Leader Price are by far the closest relative to a Saltine I've seen in a long time. They come sealed in 20 snack-size packs for a very reasonable 1.19 euros.
Other honorable mentions worth trying from Leader Price:- Sauce Barbecue
- Ramen-type noodles
- Microwave popcorn
- Bacon (tranche de poitrine fumée)
New SUBWAY opens in Villeurbanne!
The SUBWAY® brand arrived in France in 2001 with the first location opening in the historic Bastille district in the center of Paris. Since the beginning, the SUBWAY® brand has continued to grow to more than 90 restaurants in France.
One of the newest franchises opened recently in Villeurbanne's Gratte Ciels neighborhood. It is located on rue Michel Servet, very near the newest Starbucks in the Lyon area.
SUBWAY at La Part Dieu
All images from SUBWAY® Reastaurants International
Found: dried cranberries!
Spotted at LIDL in bags of 200 grams for 99 centimes.
Why should you eat dried cranberries? They provide antioxidant vitamins and flavonoids, and they also have an anti-adhesion quality that keeps certain bacteria from sticking to cells in the urinary tract, the mouth and stomach.
Lidl is a European discount supermarket chain of German origin that operates 7,000 stores.Found: Yellow squash!
Just last week I told a friend that I hadn't seen yellow squash (also called summer squash) since moving to Lyon three years ago.
Today I am happy to report that huge baskets of the bright yellow beauties are available at Monoprix for 4.90 euros/kilo. They're imported from Holland and sold as courgette jaune.
Need some recipe ideas? Go here.
Happy Fourth of July!
Just in time for this weekend's picnics, Mark Bittman has come up with 101 picnic dishes that can be prepared in 20 minutes - and most of the ingredients are easily found in Lyon.
Read his full article in the New York Times here. Or, read by category:
9-19: Raw Vegetables
20-30: Cooked Vegetables
31-42: Bean, Rice and Grain Salads
43-54: Potato Salads and Egg Salads
55-60: Fruit
61-70: Seafood
71-80: Meat and Poultry
81-90: Sandwiches
91-94: Cold Noodles
95-101: Desserts
New SUBWAY opens at Perrache!
The SUBWAY® brand arrived in France in 2001 with the first location opening in the historic Bastille district in the center of Paris. Since the beginning, the SUBWAY® brand has continued to grow to more than 90 restaurants in France.
One of the newest franchises opened recently at Perrache on the upper level. Up next, a new opening at Gerland! These are in addition to existing locations at Place des Terraux, rue St Jean in Vieux Lyon, Part Dieu 4th floor, Charpennes, and Place Dorian in St Etienne.
"The city of Lyon, home to the famous Museum des Beaux Arts, the National Opera house and the magnificent “Hotel De Ville,” with its tall clock tower and blue-domed pavilions, is considered by many to be the food capital of the world! The heart of Lyon’s social life can be discovered at La Place Des Terreaux; where “cool” has been turned into an art form in the bars and the cafes. You can also find a Subway restaurant at La Place des Terreaux. It is across from the Palais des Artes and just behind the famous, “Fountain of Liberty" – a granite and iron masterpiece created by the renowned French sculptor Bartholdi, who also created the Statue of Liberty. Customers of the Lyon SUBWAY restaurant are greeted by the chain’s new Tuscany decor, framed in stone arches and massive oak beams. The setting, as well as the menu, has set SUBWAY® restaurants apart from other Quick Service Restaurants."-- From the SUBWAY website
The sub of the day special is a 15 cm sandwich for 2.95 euros.
Monday: roast beef
Tuesday: tikka
Wednesday: ham
Thursday: Italian BMT
Friday: tuna
Saturday: turkey
Sunday: meatball
SUBWAY at La Part Dieu
All images from SUBWAY® Reastaurants International
Auchan's got a secret: Pop Secret!
Auchan at St Genis Laval now has Pop Secret!
Centre Commercial, St Genis 2
Les Basses Barolles
BP 60
69563 St Genis Laval
Open Monday - Saturday from 8:30am to 9:30pm
Cheesy popcorn balls
8 cups popped popcorn
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely shredded Gouda cheese
Place popcorn in a large bowl. Melt butter and cheese in a small pan over low heat, till just melted. Dribble the butter and cheese mixture over popcorn and mix thoroughly to coat. Form mixture into balls, using about 1/2 cupful for each. Serve immediately or wrap and refrigerate.
Tex-Mex popcorn
8 cups popped popcorn
2 teaspoons ground chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup cubed Gouda cheese (about 1/4 inch cubes)
Keep popped popcorn warm. Mix seasonings together and toss with popcorn. Add cheese and mix thoroughly.
Popcorn de Provence
8 cups popped popcorn
1/4 cup butter
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
Melt butter in small saucepan; add garlic and cook one minute. Stir in Herbes de Provence. Place popcorn in large bowl. Toss flavored butter mixture over popcorn and serve immediately.
Caramel popcorn
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
12 cups popped popcorn
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. In a large bowl, mix popcorn with butter mixture until evenly coated. Arrange on a large baking pan. Bake in 350-degree oven for about 8 minutes or until crisp. Serve warm.
Best cheesecake in Lyon: City Bagels
Located conveniently downtown at 32 rue Férrandière (near Starbucks), their menu offers more than just freshly-baked bagels. Delicious cheesecake, plain or with raspberry, is also on the menu - and just as good as what you find in the US. The fresh bagels are pretty amazing too.
Bagels
(5 to 6 euros, with coleslaw or chips)
Wall Street: guacamole, lettuce, cucumber, mozzarella
Chinatown: cream cheese, salmon, cucumber, red onion, dill
Soho: mayo, lettuce, pastrami, tomoato, pickles
City: cream cheese, lettuce, magic chicken, onion crisp
Central park: tuna, mayo, tomato, red onion, lettuce
Little Italy: cream cheese, lettuce, smoked ham, goat cheese, honey
Philadelphia: cream cheese or peanut butter
Wraps
(around 4 euros)
Brooklyn: tuna, mayo, tomato, lettuce, corn, olive
Greenwich: guacamole, tomato, mozzarella, corn, lettuce, olive
Manhattan: cream cheese, tomato, magic chicken, lettuce, onion crisp
Salads
Coleslaw: white cabbage and carrots
Broadway: lettuce, tomato, salmon, corn, cucumber, surimi
Vegetable: lettuce, grilled eggplant, mozzarella, tomato, pine nuts
Madison: lettuce, smoked ham, goat cheese, tomato, fig, pine nuts
Paninis
(around 4 euros)
Chelsea: mozzarella, goat cheese, gruyère, cream cheese
Empire States: cream cheese, pezzicosa, magic chicken, tomato, gruyère
Big Apple: pesto, tomato, mozzarella
...and Hot Dogs!
Desserts
Cheesecake
Chocolate muffins
Brownie
Cookie
Fruit salad
Donuts
Crumble
Fromage blanc
Ben & Jerry's ice cream
Milkshakes
Drinks
Dr Pepper, Bud, cranberry juice, capuccino and flavored coffees, among the the usual selections.
* Open Monday thru Wednesday, from 8:30 am to 7pm, and Thursday thru Saturday from 8:30am to 9:30pm.
City Bagels
32, rue Férrandière, 69002
This week's spotlight: Eden Rock Café
In the mood for onion rings? Maybe grilled ribs? What about buffalo wings with celery sticks?
Try Eden Rock Café, located between the Saone and the Rhone. Also on their menu are cheese tortillas, chicken fajitas, beef fajitas, shrimp fajitas, guacamole, fish & chips, and eight kinds of burgers. Take your pick, from the BBQ bacon and cheddar to the Double-double (over 1 1/4 lbs of ground beef!), all served with coleslaw and fries.
Eden Rock Café
68 rue Mercière, 69002
04 78 38 28 18
Try Eden Rock Café, located between the Saone and the Rhone. Also on their menu are cheese tortillas, chicken fajitas, beef fajitas, shrimp fajitas, guacamole, fish & chips, and eight kinds of burgers. Take your pick, from the BBQ bacon and cheddar to the Double-double (over 1 1/4 lbs of ground beef!), all served with coleslaw and fries.
Eden Rock Café
68 rue Mercière, 69002
04 78 38 28 18
Gourmet bookshop: Badiane
"Don’t leave place Bellecour before stopping off at Badiane. Lyon’s answer to Notting Hill’s Books for Cooks (London) offers a deluge of gastro-literature along with gadgety gifts that will astound even the most weathered foodie."
- Inflight by EasyJet, 2007
"Lyon also has a Gourmet Bookstore, Badiane where one can buy gastonomical books in English or French - a little piece of Lyon to take home with you!"
- TripAdvisor
Conveniently located at 1 place Bellecour, Badiane is foodie and booklover's heaven. You can shop their store or their online shop. Currently Badiane is offering flat priced shipping within France for 2.50 euros. Anthony Bourdain, Alain Ducasse, Gordon Ramsay, Paul Bocuse...all your favorite chefs are there!
A word from the owners, Marianne Vellieux-Motus and Catherine Guérin:"Badiane is a one-stop-shop for all things food. We offer a wide assortment of books on cuisine (but specializing in the French genre, of course), cooking courses taught by renowned regional chefs, and an art gallery devoted to food. The wide selection of material, the convivial atmosphere and the helpful, bilingual staff make Badiane a must-see."
From Badiane's website:
Step into Badiane, the bookshop for every type of cuisine. You’ll discover thousands of books; a genuine feast of savours.
From floor to ceiling, the shelves are loaded with works, each describing dishes more succulent than the last, while the tables are laden with piles of books that evoke cuisine, wine, good products and healthy eating!
Next to the cookbooks, you can also leaf through novels, poems, stories, photo albums, essays, studies, biographies, dictionaries, and more besides.
Whatever your age, you’ll find something to chew over at Badiane!
Badiane: A book for every cuisine
1 place Bellecour, 69002
04 72 41 18 00
Open Mondays from 2 pm to 7 pm
Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 am to 7 pm
By métro : lines A et D - Bellecour
By bus : lines 28, 29, 30, 91 10, 14, 15, 88
By car : car parks at Bellecour, Célestins, Antonin Poncet, Saint Antoine
In the mood for Tex-Mex?
In the late 1800s the Texas Mexican Railway was built to connect Corpus Christi, Texas to Laredo, Mexico. As Mexican laborers crossed the border into Texas, they brought with them their traditional foods. Vendors sold the foods to their new Anglo neighbors. The best vendors realized that in order to sell more, they needed to adapt to Texan tastes. From these adaptations a new cuisine was born...
Serving since 1985, Buddy Burd's is Lyon's original Tex-Mex restaurant. Nachos, quesadillas, chimichangas, chili con carne, tacos, guacamole, fajitas, margaritas - you'll find it all here!
Located next to Place des Terreaux, the restaurant seats 120 on two floors. The shaded terrace opens in summers. Buddy Burd offers take-out and delivery services. Fixed price menus range from 15 to 20 euros.
Buddy Bird's has been featured in Marie-Claire magazine as well as Promocash Magazine.
Serving since 1985, Buddy Burd's is Lyon's original Tex-Mex restaurant. Nachos, quesadillas, chimichangas, chili con carne, tacos, guacamole, fajitas, margaritas - you'll find it all here!Located next to Place des Terreaux, the restaurant seats 120 on two floors. The shaded terrace opens in summers. Buddy Burd offers take-out and delivery services. Fixed price menus range from 15 to 20 euros.
Buddy Bird's has been featured in Marie-Claire magazine as well as Promocash Magazine.
4, rue Rene-Leynaud, 69001
04 78 39 27 75
photos from www.buddyburd.fr
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