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€

Click here to register.

Click here for directions.

Click here to go to the Lyon à la Carte website.

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