I was wandering around trying to find the entrance to Les Halles Metro station, Google Maps not helping, when I chanced upon this rather magnificent shop selling kitchen utensils. Not the modern made-in-China buy-it-on-Amazon plastic and silicone rubbish, but the equipment of a traditional French kitchen, that a chef from the 19th Century would instantly recognize. Looking in the window was amazing, but inside was something else. I didn't have the brass neck to start taking photos, but there are plenty on their blog to give you an idea.
My neighbour here once showed me something she had inherited from her Normandy family. It was a "turbotière", a pan designed specifically for cooking turbot and other salt water flatfish. I imagine it is exactly the sort of thing you could find at Dehillerin. If you fancy one yourself, there is one being advertised here for a little under 2000€.
I remember watching an old Juila Child tv show where she used a pan she had just for cooking whole salmons. I imagine it would hard to cook them any other way.
Looks like a fascinating shop. I think I'll give the turbotière a miss, but I do have a saumonière! Never use it though - it sits on top of the kitchen units, gathering dust.
