Showing posts with label croissants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label croissants. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

0 PastryParis

There's nothing like browsing old Paris pics to get in a certain frame of mind. Especially when you're supposed to be drawing Place Vendome + gems + perfume bottles etc.
I've yet to ride a Bateau Mouche though I watched Audrey Hepburn ride with Cary Grant in Charade the other day.
PASTRY PARIS BY SUSAN HOCHBAUM Here's a bateaux that will make you want to dream.
PASTRY PARIS BY SUSAN HOCHBAUM Christophe Michalak's Tarte au Citron Meringuee by Susan Hochbaum,
from Susan's new PastryParis gift book.
PASTRY PARIS BY SUSAN HOCHBAUM Susan juxtaposes Paris' most luscious treasures, often in onsite settings, in a whimsical way that reflects their design, colors, ingenuity.
PASTRY PARIS BY SUSAN HOCHBAUM Bear and myself have been tussling over who is going to get their paws on Susan's book.
PASTRY PARIS BY SUSAN HOCHBAUM Bear, being the true Parisian, has, so far, the upper...hand
PASTRY PARIS BY SUSAN HOCHBAUM Visual wit abounds. Look at the sublime repetition of forms in the Laurent Duchene's minty mousse dome sitting on a layer of strawberry jam amidst raspberry coulis whilst facing the Pont Neuf.
PASTRY PARIS BY SUSAN HOCHBAUM Pierre Herme's macarons sit by the Saint-Sulpice fountain, just a stones throw from his shop on 72, rue Bonaparte. Clever of Herme to put his patisserie by a park full of benches for hungry shoppers.
PASTRY PARIS BY SUSAN HOCHBAUM 'Bear stop hoarding Susan's book!'
You can meet Susan at WH Smith in Paris on October 20 at 7 PM.
Just be sure to RSVP.
There will be a pastry tasting and champers
PASTRY PARIS BY SUSAN HOCHBAUM I was gazing so intently at Susan's Napoleon/croissant hat, I had to run out of the house and find something to pop in my mouth. Now I know how you feel when visual temptation calls.
PASTRY PARIS BY SUSAN HOCHBAUM I'm lucky a shop nearby carries Balthazar almond croissants. Did you know this is what happens to the day-old left over croissants? They're filled with almond paste, smothered in toasted almonds and sort of squashed down. I always think they look a bit sat on...Still it tasted darn good after drooling over Susan's pictures.
Susan's book will be out on October 11, so mark your calendars and have pastry on hand for heavens sake!
BONJOUR PastryParis!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

0 La Seduction (part deux)

French Croissant by Carol Gillott La Seductive Croissant, watercolor, 9" x 11"
La Seduction Just like the layered French croissant, we return to the many layers of French seduction PBers...
La Seduction Yesterday I watched again Eric Rohmer's L'Amour Apres Midi/Chloe in the Afternoon for a crash immersion into the seductive arts (highly reccommended in Elaine Sciolino La Seduction)...
Elaine Sciolino - La Seduction Then headed out to the Strand Bookstore to hear Sciolino do a reading..
In the book, turn to pages 117 - 21 for why we Americans go around smiling way too much in France. SVP PBers - restrain the toothy grins and don't fling it about so generously, at least over there!
A somewhat reserved half smile (like the Mona Lisa?) is prefered.

Use your eyes first and foremost to display 'La regarde' or The Look and you'll win far more battles over there.

La Seduction As a sidebar, dear Parisienne, French Girl, was in New York for a week of feasting on bagels and cupcakes (!?)

La Seduction Leave it to French Girl to nose out like radar a cardigan and T-shirt filled with enough Fr ruffles to sink a ship at Hollister Co. The French attention to detail is bred in the bones...

Elaine Sciolino - La Seduction Elaine could not have been nicer last night. She's a terrific observer of the French and their covert ways (Elaine Sciolino covered the CIA for the Times) but she isn't about to give up her smile for French savoir faire, completement.

Elaine Sciolino awared the Chevalier de Legion d'Honneur The French think so highly of Elaine, she's being awarded the Chevalier de Legion d'honneur this weekend. BRAVO Elaine!

La Seduction Elaine Sciolino's book is a delight filled with endless insights into what makes the French tick, particularly in the romantic/political arena. Open it anywhere and plunge in. You'll be enthralled like a quick trip to Paris. A PBer commented on my marking up my copy. Didn't you mark up your college texts to highlight the bits you want to remember? Same thing here.

Another PBer was distressed at my attacking a croissant with an electric knife. The knife is in the drawer - not to worry. I even put home-made Peach & Elderberry jam on it.
Bonjour LA SEDUCTION!

Friday, June 10, 2011

0 Bonjour Croissants

Les Croissants Pur Beurre, watercolor, 9" x 11" Yesterday we ventured into the land of tartes and pate sucree. Today, fasten your seatbelts as we tear through the lush golden anatomy of the French croissant and pate feuilletee.Is it pâte brisée? I'm crazy for L'atelier des Chefs' fierce pastry instructor - I can watch him torture that pastry endlessly whatever it's name is...
Thanks to Merisi, I now have a special knife and can cut paper-thin slices of the golden croissant...
So much better to just munch a small bite and have a flat tum like these beauties..
If only I had a portable battery-operated knife to take to Paris, then I could eat a thin sliver of the richest pastries and not think twice about it.
It would fit into a Boulangerie bag.
On verra bien.
Yellow bird and Ladybug are thrilled with the new electric knife - so many petite morceaux du croissant/crumbs to devour.
BONJOUR WEEK-END!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

0 'Little Paris'

Who knew?
Piles of Frenchie croissants right in South Kensington SW3
a 'Little Paris' in London. Bute Street off the Brompton road is full of Frenchie cafes, charcuteries, boucheries, papeteries, French book stores...oh an Italian gelaterie...
You'll hear lots of French spoken and see French kiddies with their au pairs, mainly because the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle is nearby... You think you're in London. You took the Eurostar from Paris.
But in fact you're in 'Little Paris' - well that's what I call it...
Clafoutis at PAUL, contact, 9" x 11"
There's a PAUL cafe just outside South Ken' Station where Frenchies and wannabe Frenchies grab a croissant and a demi...
Bute Street on Saturdays becomes a weekly marche loaded with French goodies..
Coq au vin...boef with vin rouge...you name it
True, the Frenchies will break down and don their English wellies if it's raining...
On the week-end they head to cafe Aubaine further down at 260 -262 Brompton Road for 'le brunch' If you are not dressed appropriately "Frenchie' forget about going...
Bien sur there are menu ardoise/blackboards with stacks of baguettes...
And bien sur there are MACARONS!! After all...
I had chocolat chaud, a croissant and multi-pots of very British jam. Was there a choice?
BONJOUR LITTLE PARIS!

Monday, November 1, 2010

0 BEAR'S last day in Paris

BEAR sends you a last bisous/kiss from Paris. It's been such a lovely trip and the weather co-operated perfectly - plein de soleil et pas trop de pluie! BEAR did not ride a Velib - too busy running. BEAR did go to a FAB croissant tasting at Amy's, who didn't know she live in a 'chambre de bonne' once a maid's room. Amy fell in love with all the gorgeous views of Paris.
As one is inclined to do if one lives on the 6th floor up in Paris.
Ah ze croissant tasting.Miam-miam!
BEAR was in 7th heaven on the 6th floor.
Carol was in 7th heaven with all the pate de tartiner spreads (caramel au beurre sale, cocoa-honey, noisette, bla bla bla ) she brought along to put on those croissants. Carol forgot to take serious notes in her ummm state of spread-ecstacy.
Off to meet ex-pat gallerist Grace in Montmartre of galerie Chez Grace.
Grace took BEAR to Cafe des 2 Moulins - Amelie's cafe from the adorable movie on rue Lepic - YUM!
BEAR had quite a full day of eating on Saturday, that ended with a divine home-cooked dinner and delicious cabernet franc from Chateau du Petit Thouars.
MON DIEU
Our Sunday flight was at 7 PM (19:10) so we killed time in W.H.Smith admiring bear stickers.
And jam stickers.
A last later run to the Raspail Bio marche.
For pommes to eat on the plane.
And a gift for our kind hostess, who dreams of eclair seame noir from Sadaharu Aoki
The curtain was coming down on Paris pastries for BEAR- it usually does by 2 pm on Sundays in Paris.
At Charles de Gaulle, BEAR cleverly grabbed a salade verte before boarding. AirFrance meals are not what they once were. A bit of browsing in the dutyfree is a must.
Especially Eiffel Towers...
BEAR as usual, checks out all the bears - Fauchon Bears are awfully appealing.
After a smooth AF flight and lots of zzzzzs,
BEAR bids New York BONJOUR
et BONJOUR PBers!
 

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