Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Let Them Eat Fauchon Tartes...

There's something very democratic about French patisseries and salons de the.

You can waltz in. Buy just ONE cookie (i.e. a macaron) or tarte.And not be thrown out or ignored or snubbed.

And that one macaron or eclair won't break the bank either.
Look at these beautiful petit fours.They ARE petite! Still you can have just as much fun with one of these as with a whole gateau (cake).
And choosing is a big part of the fun too.
If you go into a tea salon in Paris, you can feel like Marie-Antoinette for an afternoon. The lovely china, the attentive service, the beautiful desserts.
All the stuff of fine memories or souvenirs as the French say.
We have Marcel Proust's Madeleine in Remembrances Of Things Past to thank for reminding us of
the importance of nostalgia and food. Perhaps that why it's hard for me to let go of Fauchon. I have many memories of looking at their beautiful food, pretending I was in Paris, with just a hop on the N train...
"...And soon, mechanically, weary after a dull day with the prospect of a depressing morrow, I raised to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had soaked a morsel of the cake. No sooner had the warm liquid, and the crumbs with it, touched my palate than a shudder ran through my whole body, and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place…at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory…"

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Florian Bellanger of Fauchon

Fauchon's Charlotte Fruits Rouges Hmmm..well it looks like the wake for deceased, M.I.A. (just temporarily I hope) Fauchon is still going on at Paris Breakfasts...

Fauchon's Fraiser It may go on all week! I'm looking through lots of old Fauchon pictures.
Pictures always taken surreptitiously I might add...

I used to read alot of spy thrillers, so sneaking photos in French patisseries is right up my alley.

Fauchon's Gateaux Tropique - note the smaller verison one shelf down...I was a professional shopper for a short while.
I'd get sent to London for a weekend to spy on new jeans details etc.
So most of my visits to Fauchon were spying trips, except for a few macarons...
I rarely bought or tasted the divine things you see here.

AND I REALLY REGRET IT NOW!
Fauchon's Intense Florian Bellanger was Fauchon's top pastry chef until last September.
He headed a team of 14 pastry chefs to create a plethora of amazing works of art IMO.
I could not resist his Lime Tarte Citron on many occasions I will admit...
Cleverly he offered a smaller "petit four" version of the big gateaux for browsers like me.
I love the way he drops these shiny chocolate puddles on the opaque surface of this cake...

Bellanger's credentials are impeccable!
His training was at Ecole de Paris des Metiers de la Table.
His work experience was at La Maison du Chocolat, Fauchon Paris, Fauchon Qatar and Le Bernardin.
And he counts Pierre Herme as his mentor.
He won many, many prizes in the pastry world.
You can read more about him here.
And watch a video of Bellanger making his chocolate cake, Le Megreve!

Fauchon's Charlotte painted for Di... Where is Florian Bellanger now that Fauchon is shut ?
Cris in Kentucky asked, "What does a real French macaron taste like?"
Soon you should be able to order REAL FRENCH MACARONS from:
Bonne chance Chef Bellanger in your new venture!

Monday, February 26, 2007

Fauchon Pretty in Pink...

Fauchon macarons If you're addicted to pink boxes, you'd like to take you time (hopefully not in rehab) getting over your addiction...

Fauchon mini-pink purse boxes holding 2 chocolates I'd heard last Thursday that Fauchon New York would be closing end of March.
So I headed over On Saturday to start easing off their pink boxes gradually...

Fauchon pink meringues Instead I found a sign on the door that the closing was moved up to Sunday, February 25!

Fauchon hot pink eclairs Panic, angst, trauma quickly set in.
Cold turkey was going to be the sole option open for me...
Fauchon raspberry macarons So did a buying spree...
Pink boxes in so many sizes and shapes.
How to choose?
Fauchon's archetypal pink boxFauchon on Park Avenue has been my weekly Paris fix.
I'd often go on Sundays just to browse and sneak some photos.
Fauchon may have closed on Park Avenue until further notice.
But it's opened a very small branch in Astoria (in my appartment)...

Friday, February 23, 2007

Fauchon Boutons de Rose...

Fauchon Boutons de Rose
Fauchon's Infusion Boutons de Rose Tea, 9" x 11 1/2"

If you love Fauchon's pale pink brand color,
you couldn't do better than to buy their tisane, Boutons de Rose.

1. Put a pinch of these perfect rose buds into an infusion pot.
2. Pour over the boiling water.
3. Cover and let brew for 10 minutes.
This soothing tea is used for improving circulation and to aid digestion. And it's best drunk after dinner, at least in France,that's the way.
Established in 1886 by Auguste Fauchon, Fauchon is one of the world's leading gourmet food and specialty companies and one of my favorites.
If you love to browse at Fauchon or take tea at the US, New York flagship store at 442 Park Avenue (at 56th Street) get over there before April 1.
Their lease is up and who know's where they'll go?
* NEWS ALERT*
Fauchon's LAST DAY is THIS SUNDAY, Feb 25!
Their closure was moved up :(
Quelle domage.
Of course there's always the Paris store
30, Place de la Madeleine.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Cafes Richard

Cafes RICHARD's old style coffee cupHot Chocolate, watercolor
Falling in love with a coffee cup doesn't seem very sensible...
Cafes RICHARD at Cafe Luco on blvd St. Michel Especially when you consider the other options out there...

Sugar cubes at cafe LucoFalling for a sugarcube / sucre morceaux makes no sense at all...

Perle Noire Arabica coffeeCoffee, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"
But when it comes to comes to love we don't always have a choice.

 
Maison RICHARD teapotsCafe Teapots, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"
Love can be quite fickle, even if Valentines Day is over..
from, Il était une fois...les cafés by Anne Wiazemsky
I'll just have to
Blame it on Paris. That's all.

Lately I'm blaming Paris for just about everything...

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Maison Christine Ferber


Christine Ferber confiture at Pierre Herme's online storeI remembered that, while browsing the macarons at Pierre Herme, I fell victim to a jar of jam. Christine Ferber jam or confiture to be precise. This is very precise, intensely fruity jam.
Christine Ferber at Laffette Gourmet Her jams are also sold at Lafayette Gourmet. But Maison Ferber makes special flavors in tandem with Pierre Herme's latest collection/obsession. Vanilla was the Fall collection's preferred flavor, so I got apricot with 2 sticks of vanilla sitting inside the jar. Pierre Herme's description: Delicieuse confiture d'abricots legerement parfumée a la vanille de bourbon. And it was VERY delicieuse jam lightly perfumed with Bourbon vanilla.

Petit dejeuner at Cafe Le SelectThat delicieuse you could eat it straight out of the jar. Christine Ferber's jams are so delicieuse they have a habit of disappearing before you know it. Ferber is a 4th generation jammaker/baker and lives in Niedermorschwihr in Alsace. If you love to cook you can try making her recipes,
Mes Confitures: The Jams and Jellies of Christine Ferber.
If your French is good you can read more in this Linternaute interview. If you live in France you can order 12 different Ferber jams online at Pierre Herme. I'll stick with eating the jam straight from the jar - it's a rather small jar anyway.
What's your favorite jam? 
Confiture at Cafe de Flore

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Blame it on Paris

Fauchon Tin of Madeleines, watercolor

Last week I just happened to return some books to a different library...

At the library, I just happened to spot a book with an irresistable title,

I'd like to blame to on Paris that I'm obsessed with painting cafe cups, French tins, macarons and chocolates..

Laura FlorandBut author, Laura Florand got there before me and came up with a better reason.

Laura just happened to find an adorable French husband when she walked into Le Relais du Vin and she writes about her Paris adventures with delight and humor.

My shelf of beautiful boxes and tins... On page 37 Laura describes her student dorm room in Paris:

"I only believed in the most essential of expenses, like chocolates from various luxury chocolate houses whose beautiful BOXES and TINS currently decorated two long shelves that circled my tiny room."


Laura is a kindred spirit!
Where Laura met Sébastion Next trip I may just happen to make a small detour from chocolatiers and patisseries.

You never know what might happen...
Laura Florand has an author websitehttp://www.lauraflorand.com/
And a bloghttp://www.lauraflorand.com/blog/
Read her book. You'll be laughing outloud!

Monday, February 19, 2007

Cador Patisserie

Petit Dejeuner at CADOR PATISSERIE
Petit Dejeuner at Cador Patisserie, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"
Meanwhile, back in Paris...
CADOR PATISSERIE interior At a lovely small tea salon, Maison Cador Patisserie adjacent to the Louvre. I used to stay at Hotel de la Place du Louvre, and sometimes take petit dejeuner.
CADOR PATISSERIE exterior across from the Louvre Cador sits on the corner of rue de Louvre and 2, rue Amiral de Coligny. The interior is in the style oLouis XVI, decorated with allegorical reliefs of love, Venus and cupid.
CADOR PATISSERIE'S perfect croissants pur beurreTheir croissants are perfection!CADOR PATISSERIE'S perfect eclairsCador's pastries are classic and perfect.
Their star gateaux:
Le Concord - dark chocolate with meringue
Le Petit Cador - chocolate ganache in an orange-flavored bisquit. MIAM!
An update on Cador:I'm very sad to report on my last visit,
I stopped by and noticed Cador was closed.
Total rennovation was taking place.
COJEAN has bought the space and opened a snack shop.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Post-Valentine-Syndrome...

Red lips on 57th Street at Tag Heuer I'm just not ready to leave it..

Everyone else has moved on...
Tiffany's Game of Love.. What's up with me?

True I've still got a few good hearts up/on my sleeve...
And I'm still hung up on RED...

Red anything.
Even though I did receive a red envelope. Thanks Bill :)
Red roses at Takashima I guess I'm on compassionate reprieve.

I'll be over it by Monday, please believe me.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Too much champagne...

Cafe du Palais, Reims Yesterday did you drink just a little too much champagne?

Chcolates with titles at the Paris Salon du Chocolat Did you happen to forget to refrain..

Pierre Marcolini, New York From eating just a little too much chocolate?

Pierre Marcolini Earl Grey chocolates, ParisAre you back to eating good, plain,
simple food?

Pierre Marcolini, ParisI don't want to complain,
But I think I'm going to abstain.
At least for just a little while...

Pierre Marcolini, Paris Valentines day drives me just a little insane.
I know I can't blame it on acid rain...

La Petite Chocolatier, Paris Well anyway not until Easter,
Which is coming round the corner like a freight train!