When you move into an unfurnished apartment in Paris you can expect to find power and water hook-ups, walls, a floor, and a ceiling. That's it. No cabinets, countertops, certainly no appliances, and maybe not even a sink - just a bare room. Gas is highly uncommom - and considered very dangerous by the French - understandably given the ancient nature of most of the buildings.
Furnished apartments can vary wildly of course. But the average size of a Paris studio is about 30 square meters and the standard furnished studio kitchen will have a small countertop, a cabinet and/or shelves, sink, mini-fridge, and an electric burner or two. If you're lucky there's a microwave and maybe an electric water kettle. Forget about an oven - unless it's a tiny, toaster oven.
My current apartment was just completely and beautifully re-done - from the wiring and plumbing to the floors and walls - all the way up to the recessed halogen lighting. It was partially furnished so I have two electric burners, a mini-fridge, a microwave, and an electric water kettle - but not even the Easy-Bake oven.
But my movers finally came today, so I do finally have again all of my stainless-steel All-Clad - and of course I've never been without my Wusthof Culinars. But now there's dishware and stemware and serviceware to contend with - things you forget about when you're itinerant.
Plus, Andrea inherited an item that she's totally unfamiliar with - from a Cordon Bleu/Crillon friend who's gone home to Canada - a George Foreman Grill. I've never used one either - I've been away from the States during the time that it's become an American home staple.
But I do know enough about it to know one thing - the first thing I must fire up to christen that baby - cheeseburgers. Freshly ground beef from my new local butcher, coarse grey sea salt, freshly ground pepper from my newly reclaimed pepper mill, buns - er, I mean petits pains - from Maison Kayser. But the cheese - that I haven't decided yet. Maybe Comte or Roquefort or maybe I might be in a chevre mood. And I haven't decided from whom yet. Marie-Anne Cantin or Philippe Alleosse or Phillipe Langlet?
It won't be White Castle but it will have to do.
