Today Chef Bruno took us on a market tour before class. Every Tuesday and Friday morning, a fabulous open-air market springs up about a mile from school. It’s similar to a farmer’s market, but ten times better. We pass stall after stall of fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, cheeses, and of course lots and lots of meat.

I noticed when I arrived in Paris, that several items for sale in the butcher’s shop still have their heads – chickens, guinea hens, quail, rabbits, fish, and occasionally lamb. Birds usually have some of the feathers as well. Coming from a place where butchers wouldn’t even dream of showing their customers anything but a perfectly sterile piece of meat, I was shocked. But then I learned that French people like to get to know their food. They like to look it in the eye, touch its skin, and smell it. People here want to be reassured that what they’re purchasing is as fresh as possible. To do so, they need to get personal.

By law, rabbits have to be sold with their heads on. I ask the chef why, and he said it’s so you can tell it’s a rabbit and not a cat. Evidently a while ago, some butchers we’re passing cats off as rabbits and calling it good. But not now. There’s no mistaking that what lies spread eagle in the butcher case is a rabbit.

Next we come to a Triperie. This is a stall that sells offal – hearts, livers, kidneys, brains and other internal organs. You can even get pigs feet, ears, tails and the snout. I can’t even begin to think of a dish that would incorporate such items, but the chef says they’re quite good. Instead of being disgusted by the offerings, they’re quite beautiful: rich red, shiny and perfectly formed. Even though I like looking at them, you probably won’t catch me eating any!

And then there’s horsemeat – really. Not quite in fashion anymore, people don’t eat as much as they used to. It’s shipped here from Canada, and only a handful of shops in Paris sell it. Evidently it’s very rich in iron and quite good for you. But again, I don’t think I’ll be trying any in the near future.

I think most Americans are rather nauseated when they see how much of the animal is displayed. I’ve even heard people say they think French people must be slightly barbaric to buy and sell meat like this. But I disagree. I think the French are pretty smart. They know exactly how fresh the meat is. Can you guess how long that chicken has been sitting under the plastic wrap in your local grocery store? I certainly can’t.

There’s one other interesting thing to point out. All meat and fish is labeled with the region it came from and the veterinarian who cared for it. Every animal can be traced back to a specific farmer, or in the case of fish whether it’s farm-raised or line caught. This reassures the consumer that their purchase has been well fed, cared for and processed in the best way possible. A rather intelligent idea, I think.

Before we leave the market, the chef buys several meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables and breads. He’s making us a picnic, complete with wine, when we return to class.

As we walk back to school, we pass a very famous shop called Dalloyau. The chef tells us this store was founded in 1802 and is one of the best chocolatiers in the city. In addition to selling beautifully decorated chocolates, the well appointed store sells pastries, little savory dishes, and ice cream. My eye immediately spies the macarons and since I love to try different kinds, I make a purchase. Six of them cost 10 Euros (about $12) – the most I’ve spent since coming here last month.

Later that night when I’ve finished my dinner, I can’t wait to try my macarons. The six of them come in a beautiful red and brown box. It looks more like a box containing an expensive watch rather than some sweets. I lift off the lid, pull back the paper and admire their beauty. I go for the pistachio one and take a bite. The crust on the outside of the macaron is extremely delicate and the cake-like interior is moist. It’s good, but not 10-Euro-good. Maybe I should have tried their chocolate instead. Well not to worry. Some of us are heading back to the market on Friday, so I’ll buy a couple samples of chocolate then to see if the store can live up to its reputation!

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