Fishwives of Paris

What actually is a bistro, and why does Paris seem to have a different word for every type of restaurant?

In this episode of Fishwives of Paris, Emily Monaco and Caroline Fazeli break down one of the most misunderstood concepts in French food culture. From cafés to brasseries to bouillons, the lines between these establishments used to be clear, but today, they are anything but. Along the way, they debunk the persistent myth that bistros were invented by Russian soldiers yelling “bystro,” and instead trace their real origins to waves of migration from the Auvergne into Paris.

The result is a story that has less to do with tablecloths and steak frites, and more to do with community, labor, and the evolution of French comfort food. Follow us on socials for more content on our top bistro picks in Paris.

• What a bistro actually is, and why most people use the word incorrectly
• The difference between a bistro, café, brasserie, bouillon, and restaurant
• Why the Russian “bystro” origin story is a myth
• How migration from the Auvergne shaped Parisian food culture
• What “bistronomy” is, and how it changed the modern bistro
• Why many “bistros” today are no longer cheap or working-class
• What to look for when choosing a true bistro in Paris

• Small, casual, cozy
• Historically no reservations
• Focus on community and quick service
• Now often a mix of tradition and reinterpretation

• Originally Alsatian, beer-focused
• Open all day (continuous service)
• Larger, often more formal setting
• Can range from beautiful to very average

• 19th-century working-class establishments
• Early “chain restaurants” in Paris
• Cheap, fast, efficient meals
• Often with shared tables and paper tablecloths

• Primarily for drinks (coffee, wine)
• Social and cultural institutions
• Historically key “third spaces” in Paris

• More formal dining
• Fixed service times (lunch and dinner)
• Higher-end than the categories above

While not definitive, classic signs include:

• red and white checkered tablecloths
• chalkboard menus with daily specials
• small wine glasses
• zinc or wooden bar
• tiled floors
• close, convivial seating

But remember: today, these are aesthetic signals, not guarantees

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In this episode of Fishwives of Paris, Emily and Caroline unpack the real story of Marie-Antoine Carême, the ambitious pastry chef who rose to cook for diplomats, emperors, and tsars, and helped shape modern French cuisine.

Beyond the dramatized version, Carême was a master of image and storytelling, even spreading myths about his own life. While he was not a spy, he was deeply connected to power, using food as a tool to impress and influence Europe’s elite.

We explore how Carême’s work helped define French cuisine as we know it today, from early sauce classification to his belief that pastry was a form of architecture. He played a role in shaping iconic desserts like the croquembouche, eclairs, and the modern Charlotte, and helped elevate pastry into an art form built on structure, precision, and spectacle.

The episode also looks at his more modern ideas, including seasonality, balance, and a shift away from heavy spices toward fresh herbs, as well as his role in defining the image of the professional chef, including the creation of the chef’s hat.

In this episode:

• Why Carême lied about being an orphan
• What the Apple TV series gets wrong
• How he categorized sauces before Escoffier
• Why he believed pastry was a form of architecture
• The origins of desserts like the croquembouche, eclairs, and Charlotte

Codifying French cuisine

• One of the first to organize recipes at scale
• Early system of “mother sauces” before Escoffier (Velouté, Espagnole, Béchamel, Allemande)
• Wrote influential cookbooks and his own carefully curated life story

Elevating pastry

• Treated pastry as architecture, building elaborate edible structures
• Created dramatic dessert displays using choux, marzipan, and spun sugar
• Helped bring spectacle into fine dining

Iconic pastries

• Popularized the croquembouche
• Expanded the use of choux pastry, including éclairs
• Shaped ladyfingers (biscuits à la cuillère) for dipping and desserts
• Transformed the Charlotte into the cold dessert we know today
• Created early versions of vol-au-vent

Chef identity and kitchens

• Invented the chef’s hat (toque)
• Evolved from pastry chef to full culinary authority (officier de bouche)
• Helped define the role of the modern chef

Modern food philosophy

• Advocated for seasonality and peak ingredients
• Focused on balance and how food makes people feel
• Shifted French cuisine from heavy spices to fresh herbs

Luxury and ingredients

• Helped introduce chocolate into pastry beyond drinks
• Cooked with luxury ingredients like champagne
• Worked during the rise of sugar use in France

Dining and presentation

• Worked during the shift from display-style dining to courses
• Created grand banquet experiences for political elites
• Helped define food as both visual spectacle and social power

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Potatoes are one of the most iconic ingredients in French cuisine today. But for centuries, the French refused to eat them.

In this episode of Fishwives of Paris, Emily Monaco and Caroline Fazeli uncover the strange and fascinating story of how the humble potato went from feared outsider to beloved staple of French cooking. Once thought to cause leprosy and plague, potatoes were even banned in France for a period of time before a determined pharmacist named Antoine-Augustin Parmentier began campaigning to change public opinion.

Through a mix of clever marketing, royal influence, and a staged "potato heist" at Versailles, Parmentier helped transform how the French viewed this Peruvian import. Along the way, Emily and Caroline explore how potatoes traveled from South America to Europe, why the French were so suspicious of them, and how they eventually became the foundation of classic dishes like pommes puree, gratin dauphinois, and hachis Parmentier.

This episode reveals how culinary myths are created, how food traditions evolve, and how one clever campaign helped change the course of French cuisine.

Père Lachaise Cemetery (Paris)

This famous Paris cemetery is the final resting place of Antoine-Augustin Parmentier. Visitors sometimes leave potatoes on his grave as a playful tribute to the man who helped introduce them to French cuisine.

Versailles (Chateau de Versailles)

Parmentier famously planted potato fields near Versailles and staged a fake theft of the crop to spark curiosity and convince the public that potatoes were valuable.

• pommes puree (buttery mashed potatoes)
• gratin dauphinois
• hachis Parmentier (French-style shepherd's pie)
• French fries (possibly introduced to American diplomats at one of Parmentier's potato banquets)

Fishwives of Paris

Hosted by Caroline Fazeli and Emily Monaco

Instagram: @fishwivesofparis

Goguette affiliates: https://bit.ly/goguette_FWOP

Press & partnerships: [email protected]

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Mexican food in France is often treated as cheap street food, but chef Carla Kirsch is challenging that narrative. In this episode of Fishwives of Paris, we sit down with the Mexican-born, French-trained chef behind Alebrije in Lyon to talk about bringing Mexican cuisine into the French fine dining world.

We dig into why French diners expect Mexican food to be inexpensive, why spice still scares people in France, and how many core French ingredients originally came from Mexico and the Americas. Carla also shares what it takes to source Mexican ingredients in France, from dried chilies and tomatillos to masa made from French corn, and what it’s like to open a restaurant in France as a foreign woman.

• Alebrije (Lyon) – Carla Kirsch’s fine dining Mexican restaurant
• Milpa (Lyon) – Carla Kirsch’s more casual taco shop
• Institut Paul Bocuse (now Institut Lyfe), Lyon – where Carla trained in classical French cuisine

Fishwives of Paris

Hosted by Caroline Fazeli and Emily Monaco

Instagram: @fishwivesofparis

Goguette affiliates: https://bit.ly/goguette_FWOP

Press & partnerships: [email protected]

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Is beef bourguignon really a rustic Burgundian peasant dish? Or is it one of France’s greatest culinary PR successes?

In this episode, Emily Monaco and Caroline Fazeli dig into the surprisingly modern (and non-Burgundian) origins of beef bourguignon, how it became a symbol of “traditional” French home cooking, and why the version most of us recognize today owes a lot to Parisian restaurants, Escoffier, and Julia Child.

They unpack how French beef has historically been used (working animals first, dinner later), why slow-cooked stews became central to French cuisine, and how the romantic idea of French “peasant food” often hides a much more complicated and urban reality. Along the way, they break down what actually matters when cooking this dish at home, and which rules are worth ignoring.

• Why beef bourguignon is not actually from Burgundy
• How a Parisian fast food chain helped shape the dish
• What “à la bourguignonne” really means
• Why French beef is different from American beef
• How Julia Child helped codify the modern version of the recipe
• Caroline’s no-fuss tips for making beef bourguignon at home

Wine to cook with (for the stew):

You do not need Burgundy wine. “Bourguignon” refers to a red-wine style of preparation, not the Burgundy region. Use an affordable, drinkable red wine. Do not waste expensive Burgundy on cooking.

Cut of beef to use:

• In the U.S.: Chuck (or any hardworking, collagen-rich stew cut)
• The goal is a tough cut that benefits from long, slow cooking

Wine to drink with boeuf bourguignon:

Skip Burgundy here, too. The dish is rich and beefy, so it pairs better with a fuller-bodied red:

• Syrah
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Northern Rhône (like Saint-Joseph)

• Why marinating the beef is optional (and often unnecessary)
• Why French home cooks don’t obsess over pearl onions
• How this dish reflects how French people actually entertain (low-stress, make-ahead, lots of leftovers)
• What to do with leftover sauce

If you’ve ever been confused about whether you’re “doing it wrong” with beef bourguignon, this episode is your permission slip to relax, save your good wine for drinking, and stop taking French food myths so seriously.

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Crêpes may be one of France’s most iconic foods, but chances are you have been eating them wrong, or at least misunderstanding what they are. In this episode of Fishwives of Paris, Emily and Caroline break down the myths surrounding crêpes, explain why treating them as street food is mostly a tourist habit, and unpack the deep regional identity behind Brittany’s buckwheat galettes.

From linguistic nitpicking (crêpes vs galettes vs krampouezh) to the surprising agricultural history of buckwheat, this episode explores how geography, language, and industrialization shaped one of France’s most misunderstood dishes. In this episode:

• Why crêpes are not traditionally street food in their region of origin
• The difference between sweet wheat crêpes and savory buckwheat galettes
• Brittany’s cultural independence, from language to infrastructure to food
• Truly too many things about buckwheat for one bullet point
• Candlemas (La Chandeleur), why France eats crêpes on February 2

We mention Breizh Café as our favorite spot in Paris and Lyon for traditional buckwheat galettes. You will also find many classic crêperies serving plated galettes around the Montparnasse area, historically where trains from Brittany arrived. One important note: traditional galette restaurants serve cider, not wine, in keeping with Breton custom.

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Tartiflette May Look Like an Old-School Dish, But It’s a Marketing Coup in Disguise

The French are masters of après-ski delicacies like cheesy raclette, fondue, and tartiflette – hearty dishes with loads of melty cheese to help you warm up after a day on the slopes. But while tartiflette may look like a time-tested creation with deep Savoyard roots, the reality is that this casserole of potatoes, bacon, onions, and melted Reblochon cheese is a baby by French food standards, invented in the ‘80s by a clever ski resort owner looking to make good on a dairy glut. But this is no simple case of terroir-washing, as Emily and Caroline are here to share.

Tune in to discover:

• The story of how tax evasion led to the invention of the stinky, washed-rind marvel known as Reblochon
• Why the roots of tartiflette run deeper than you'd think
• How to recreate this French specialty at home – even if you can't get your hands on raw milk French cheese

In this episode we mention Oma cheese from the Von Trapp family in Vermont.

Hosted by Lyon-based sommelier Caroline Fazeli & Paris-based food journalist Emily Monaco.

Follow us on Instagram: @fishwivesofparis

We are currently seeking partnerships. If that’s you, get in touch: [email protected]

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Mushrooms Are Fun Guys – As Long as They Don’t Kill Ya

If you see Paris mushrooms on a French menu, don't go assuming they've been grown in the French capital – these days, about 70% are actually grown in China. Their name is a reference, not to their provenance, but to their roots: Paris mushrooms first gained acclaim in the gardens of the palace of Versailles before their culture moved to the underground caverns of the Catacombs.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The role French pharmacies play in foraging for mushrooms
• Why the French word for mushrooms might make you pause
• Why foraging in France is treated as sacred — and tightly guarded
• The unsuspecting relationship between mushrooms and the catacombs of Paris
• How the Loire Valley incorporates tourism into mushroom production
• Why French shoppers fiercely prioritize hyper-local produce
• How the French prepare mushrooms, including our favorite spot to enjoy them stuffed with snails, garlic, and butter

Places, people & references mentioned:

• La Cave des Roches – A historic mushroom farm in the Loire Valley that now relies on tourism to survive economically challenging times
• Bruno Zamblera – A grower who still cultivates mushrooms underground, continuing a nearly lost tradition
• Café de Musée – Where Escargots à la Bourguignonne are reimagined using mushroom caps instead of snails (Emily’s favorite)

Mushroom dishes & recipes discussed:

• Duxelles – Finely chopped mushrooms cooked down with shallots and herbs
• Sauce à la Forestière – A classic mushroom-forward French sauce

This episode is a journey through tunnels, traditions, and taboos — revealing how something as humble as a mushroom can tell the story of Paris, French food culture, and what it means to eat locally in a globalized world.

Hosted by Lyon-based sommelier Caroline Fazeli & Paris-based food journalist Emily Monaco.

Follow us on Instagram: @fishwivesofparis

We are currently seeking partnerships. If that’s you, get in touch: [email protected]

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The Bûche de Noël and French Christmas Episode

It’s no surprise, in structure-loving France, that the menu for Christmas dinner is pretty much set in stone – or should we say, petrified in wood? After a veritable eating frenzy of oysters, foie gras, roasted capon, and more truffle-studded cheese than any accountant (or cardiologist) would recommend, on December 24th, most French people feast on a cake shaped into a log, complete with meringue mushrooms and chocolate bark. And before you go trying to link the Yule log to a manger, know that the bûche de Noël has got nothing to do with the birth of Jesus.

Tune in to discover:

• How and why France co-opted a pagan tradition to turn it into a pastry marvel
• Why we have the English to thank for makingbûche de Noëlan approachable home bake
• Just some of the most out-therebûcheson offer from celebrity pastry chefs
• Why most French people deviate from tradition with a newer version of abûchethat’s easier, cheaper, and a whole lot lighter

Check out our Instagram to see photos of Caroline's Caga Tio creation from the episode @fishwivesofparis

We collaborated with Lucy Vanel of PLUM Lyon for a gorgeous meringue mushroom recipe which you can find on our episode webpage: https://www.fishwivesofparis.com/episodes/s1/the-buche-de-noel-episode/

Hosted by Lyon-based sommelier Caroline Fazeli & Paris-based food journalist Emily Monaco.

Follow us on Instagram: @fishwivesofparis

We are currently seeking partnerships. If that’s you, get in touch: [email protected]

We are now proud partners of Goget

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The Episode Where we Party Poop on Champagne

Dom Pérignon’s French Wikipedia page claims he invented Champagne – but the truth is way cooler than that. The world’s best-known sparkling wine has roots in English cider-making and has a host of intrepid local widows to thank for its deliciousness, not to mention its renown.

Tune in to learn:

• How Champagne accidentally became one of the most lauded wines in the world
• Which glassware to choose and why
• What the heck Dom Pérignon actually did to give him such a reputation

Hosted by Lyon-based sommelier Caroline Fazeli & Paris-based food journalist Emily Monaco.

Follow us on Instagram: @fishwivesofparis

We are currently seeking partnerships. If that’s you, get in touch: [email protected]

Watch full episodes in 4k on Youtube

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our Facebook group.