La Petite Chinoise : LPC

There’s a big hoo-ha in Paris these days… quelqu’un a vole une vache! (someone stole a cow!) Not just any cow – he or she or they stole “Top Model”, the cow of Mr Eric Colmet Daage, Director of the magazine Photo. “Top Model” is covered with previous front covers of Photo of mostly clothed top models.

“Oooh, la vache!” *… Is Mr Daage livid!

The funniest thing is that the thief called the magazine and told them that “Top Model” is just being “borrowed” for a few days to celebrate the birthday of his/her best friend. They or he or she will be returning “Top Model” in a few days, well, maybe a full week. The birthday pal really likes “Top Model”. Only in France!

So there are only 149 cows littered all over Paris. Various companies have commissioned or sponsored artists to doll up these fibre glass cows. They are part of the fundraising efforts by Vach’Art for “Africa Alive Foundation” and the “World Food Program”. Hopefully, all 150 cows will be reunited by June 19 at La Défense to be auctioned off.

My favourite of Les Vaches is this lovely lady here called “Dites le avec des fleurs oleopro” (Say it with oleopro flowers) and is found outside Gucci on Ave de Montaigne in the 8e. She is sweet, gentle, generous, fun and so springtime!

I've picked "Golden Girl" designed by Benoït Missolin to show the different cuts of meat in France. These are the cuts of beef French style.

As you can see, the round is not just "le round"... it'ssubdivided into "culotte", "rumsteak", "gite à la noix", "tranche grasse". The rib is "entrecôte", and can be further sub-divided into primaire et secondaire ribs. The French are very precise about their cuts of beef (lamb and pork included!)**. Every part serves a specific purpose, a specific dish. The easiest way to know which part of the cow you need to purchase is to tell le boucher (the butcher) what dish you want to cook.

*Oooh, la vache (“Oh, the cow”). It doesn’t mean anything, but is usually used to express surprise and usually something shocking or bad.

**I'll write more on cuts of lamb and cuts of pork in later entries.