Martyrs Street: Flowers, Fruit and Bread

Leaving KB Café, take a stroll along Rue des Martyrs. You may even have passed it on the way here. A gently sloping street that runs from Montmartre down to the church of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, it sits roughly on the border between the 9th and 18th arrondissements. It's considered one of the classic Parisian streets, lined with small shops, fruit sellers, florists, cafés and bakeries, which is why it's sometimes called a gourmet street. On weekends and holidays it's especially lively. Rather than feeling suffocating, the crowds give it an energy your guide loves. Today's walk covers the lower part, from KB Café to Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.

A short way down from the café, you'll spot Glaces, an ice cream shop with a blue sign. The lemon sorbet, your guide's favorite, is great, and there's an unusual blue ice cream with a coconut flavor that's worth trying if you like coconut. Farther down is Rose Bakery, an English-style spot with a takeaway counter right next door. Your guide actually finds the Rose Bakery inside Le Bon Marché department store tastier and prettier, and a better place for photos, so stop by if you happen to be over there.

From Rose Bakery to the church, bakeries line the street, so let's talk about French bread. The word for bread in French is "pain," and the word is said to come from Latin, the root of most European languages. To the French, your guide says, bread is both a staple and a piece of culture. Up to last year, about 6 billion baguettes were made in a year. In French supermarkets, baguettes are often sold in bundles of six or eight, and it's common to see people buying them that way. One study named baguettes the leading French food after wine and cheese. These days your guide has moved on from baguettes to pain de campagne, a grainy country loaf with a chewier texture. Try it if you can.

Another favorite is quiche. It looks like a tart and is a traditional dish from Alsace and Lorraine made with eggs and cream. The most basic is the quiche Lorraine, with bacon. Bakeries will ask whether you want it warmed; if you're eating right away, say yes. It also works as a simple breakfast, and it's one of her favorite things to eat. Now, shall we go find lunch?