Welcome to this edition of Dimanche (That Means Sunday), a roundup of things that caught my eye this past week.

Yesterday was the first time in a while that I went on a hike. I woke up early, ditched my plans to go to yoga, and set off for Castlewood State Park. I wanted to get there before the crowds.

There were some couples and families along the trail, but mostly, I had it all to myself. I put my phone and headphones in my backpack and I took in the sights and sounds. Even though I’ve hiked Castlewood a bunch of times, it manages to feel different every time. I always notice angles that I didn’t before or find easier ways to hike the same trail.

As we head into spring and away from winter, I think it’s important to become more observant. I can only speak for myself but I notice that oftentimes in winter, I get used to the monotony of colors and sounds. My favorite part about spring is that almost every day, there’s something new to observe. Whether it’s greener grass in the morning after rainfall or flowers slowly budding on trees, spring is a time for rebirth but also, reflection. I plan to do a lot of that in the coming weeks.

I hope that your spring plans allow you to experience something new, even if it’s just seeing the same scenery with new eyes. Without further ado, here is Dimanche:

Protests in France are heating up and recently, they culminated with protestors torching an elite restaurant in Paris. The gilets jaunes, or yellow vest protestors, targeted century-old Champs-Elysées restaurant Le Fouquet, a longtime haven for the rich and famous. Read more about the situation in this Eater story. Also, you can get more information about the protests in this very good story from The Atlantic.

Speaking of France… It came out earlier this week that France’s EU Minister named her cat “Brexit” because “he meows loudly to be let out but won’t go through the door.” Get more information in this Independent Minds piece.

I’ve loved Cornflower Coffee for a while not but I love it even more after trying this crème de menthe latte. I tried the drink earlier this week and now I want one everyday. It has lots of whipped cream, mint syrup, and chopped Andes mints on top. If you’re in St. Louis and near the Central West End, I’d highly recommend stopping by the coffee shop and getting one. 

Any headline with the word “pastry” will get my attention, so it’s no surprise that I clicked on this story about Ultima Thule. For those of you who don’t know, Ultima Thule is a small, distant object visited by NASA spacecraft earlier this year. Scientists compare it to monkey bread because it comprises two objects that at some point touched and stuck together, much like balls of dough do in the oven when you bake money bread. If all science was explained through pastries, I’d be a much happier and more well-informed person. Read more in this New York Times story.

I hate the word “foodie” but this story offers some good information as to how the term came about and evolved. The article also touches on how food is inevitably political, even when we’re only framing it in terms of our desires. Check out the full story in The New Republic.

I baked challah yesterday and I’m pretty proud of it. My best friend Rachel inspired me because she was talking to me earlier this week about challah that I made in DC. I don’t even remember making it but I’m sure she’s telling the truth. I know this is very immodest of me, but I have to say that the challah I made yesterday is the best one I’ve ever made. Stay tuned for the recipe on the blog later this week.

This ultimate cake baking bucket list is very intriguing. In the article, the author makes the argument that anyone who can’t go to pastry school should bake a cake a month as practice. I don’t know if I agree with that assessment but I do think that it helps to routinely hone your baking skills. Check out this cake baking guide from Food & Wine for ideas.

Last but certainly not least, the LA Times put out an official breakfast cereal power rankings and I’m not a fan. I agree with their assessment that Cinnamon Toast Crunch is number one, but French Toast Crunch and Cocoa Krispies should be way higher on the list. Check out the feature complete with cereal milk and taste diagrams in the LA Times.

Enjoy your week! Here’s a song to get you started.