Cooking in Paris has been hard because there are so many fabulous restaurants to tempt us that we often eat out.  However, we sometimes visit the weekly outdoor markets and become inspired. As Russ’s photos will attest, the stalls there are laden with every tasty thing you can imagine:  pyramids of colorful vegetables which seem to have just been picked from the fields, butcher stands with rotisserie chickens sizzling away, raw milk cheeses from all over the country, and baskets of breads in all shapes and sizes. It is easy to imagine that little has changed over the centuries:  the air is filled with the smells of roasting meat, vendors trumpet their prices and product features, housewives elbow their way to their preferred stall, and visitors like us try to take it all in. On a couple of occasions, I have taken my indispensable caddie to the market (think of those little wheelie contraptions used by old ladies) and returned with a treasure-trove of ingredients for a home-cooked meal.  We have sampled scallops from Brittany, lentils from LePuy, and salmon prepared with a tapenade made from Niçoise olives.  Cooking with fresh herbs, and lots of them, has taught me that even a simple roast chicken can be transformed into something special.  I have also perfected a chicken stock, which simmers for hours and makes the whole house smell delicious.  Russ has contributed greatly to our evening meals by coming home from class with a different pastry each night (Carter, Katherine, and I have a veritable Pavlovian response to hearing his footsteps in the hallway).  We have indulged in fresh fruit tarts made of fig, raspberry, pistachio and almond, savored fanciful creations of violet and rose, and gaped at chocolate confections dusted in edible gold.  With ingredients this spectacular, it is a pleasure when we do eat at home.  Next post... favorite places for eating out