Yipes! It's October. Where did the time go? I've been eeking out every last bit of summer in France, heading out of town on weekends, including the last one, where the temperatures slid down to 4ºC (39ºF), which I guess means I can put away my Speedo (er, not that I have one…) – but you get the drift.

To hold on as long as possible, I've been stockpiling nectarines from my market, until they finally gave way to Quetsches (Italian prune plums), then apples and quince. And just as quince hit the markets, I opened my copy of Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, and landed on their recipe for Lamb-Stuffed Quince with pomegranite, which I made for dinner. It's an unusual dish, using quince as a vessel for seasoned ground lamb, which I served to some friends as we traded stories about locking ourselves out of our apartments.

In Paris, locks are formidable and if you lock yourself out, calling a locksmith will set you back about a thousand bucks. Yes, really. I've locked myself out twice, and although a friend has a spare key, the last time it was 9pm and I was wearing my shorts (before the temperature drop) and slippers, because I was emptying the garbage and, of course, I didn't have my phone or my wallet.

So that was me, hopping over two métro turnstiles with my fuzzy footwear and baggy shorts, hoping I wouldn't get stopped by a ticket controller. (Or worse, the fashion police!) Fortunately I made it without getting arrested, but I'm very careful about making sure I have a key with me at all times from now on.

The fellow who was having dinner at my place with his girlfriend wasn't so lucky. He was in the middle of, um…l'amour…with someone (a previous girlfriend, at her place) and ran downstairs in his skivvies to get a preservatif from the machine in front of the drugstore, just outside. The door shut behind him and he was out there for a couple of hours, in his undies, on the busy rue de Rivoli. (He didn't know what apartment she was in so didn't know which bell to ring.) The story was hilarious to us..and now that time has passed, probably to him..but I'll let you come to your own moral conclusions about the story.

So folks, if you're in Paris, keep your wallet or phone with you at all times. And maybe a preservatif as well. Better safe, than sorry - since you don't want to be caught with your pants down, either.

-I was skeptical, but white beans make an excellent dip, with a handful of fresh herbs to boost the flavor.

-I had a great time with my friend Kate in Agen, where we visited the local markets and we went a little crazy, cooking up a storm in her kitchen.

-I found the perfect kitchen timer – at last!

-Jacques Genin is one of my favorite chocolate shops in Paris. Ok, make that the world. Check out the photos of the master at work.

-Finally, I gave into my craving for a big Meatball Sandwich, topped with melting mozzarella cheese.

I've just set the dates for my annual Paris-Lausanne tour, which will take place June 17-23, 2013. Because of the special nature of the tour, and the places we visit, I only do the tour once or twice a year. So next spring, we'll be visiting my favorite chocolate shops and restaurants, and other places in Paris, before heading to gorgeous Switzerland, where we'll learn about Swiss cheeses, dine of bubbling post of fondue and fried cheese fritters, then head to a stunning outdoor market overlooking Lake Geneva.

If you'd like more information or to sign up, or to be put on the waiting list for subsequent tours, when they're announced, there is a link on my Tours page. At this point, there are no other tours planned for 2013. So please note that there are only five spaces left for the tour in June 2013, in case you are interested.

Since you don't get to see me out & about, which may be a good thing for you, three of my good pals are heading out on book tours this fall in the states. Someday, I suspect I will get one. (But I'm beginning to think there's a conspiracy to keep me away from all of you.) However you're sure to enjoy meeting each and every one of them.

-Adam Roberts, author of Secrets of the Best Chefs

-Luisa Weiss, author of My Berlin Kitchen

-Nancy Singleton Hachisu, author of Japanese Farm Food

-Deb Perelman, author of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

I'm excited about their new books. I was fortunate to have seen advanced copies and I am thrilled and proud of them for producing such beautiful books. If you get to meet them - tell 'em I said hi!

Well that's the scoop for this month.

A bientôt..and don't lock yourselves out, wherever you are…

: )

-David