Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Mille-feuille

Tea with Pierre Herme Some of you are concerned that I will soon be focusing on mini puppy dogs and kittens as my subject matter.
Pierre Herme out of the box Not to suggest that the French are not fond of small animals or that there's anything wrong with "cute".
But with the PIERRE HERME MINI-COLLECTION I've got plenty to keep me busy for eons to come.And not to suggest there is anything wrong with the REAL thing! Always go with the real Pierre Herme Millefeuille a la Vanille if you can!
Pate feuilletee caramelisee, creme de mascarpone a la vanille de Madagascar sounds pretty yummy to me. But when it comes to painting still lifes it's a heck of a lot easier and a lot less calories to work from a mini model than a petit four with a sell-by date. Plus your refirgerator is not a pandora's box of temptation when you go prowling at the odd hour.. Cost is a factor too along with unavailability in New York...The "complete" PH collection for all of $27!
And I've only put a toe in the water on this set.

Now how to convince Gerard Mulot and Angelina and Mariage Frere that they need "mini-collections" too? That's the question I'm working on. Meantime my new candlelabra and forks and spoons just arrived from Amazon!
Merci Amazon :)

20 comments:

  1. I am totally confused at what is real & what is mini here. But I do know your paintings are taking on a really charming look with all this mini 'clever' madness. :) I can't wait to see the mini silverware and candelabra in a painting.

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  2. Cris - anything that says mini is an epoxy resin miniature replica 1:6 times real size. I'm finding these very liberating to paint!

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  3. carol,
    I just had this vision of you, waking at whatever odd hour of the morning, rolling out of your mini bed, lifting your still full sized series 7 WN kolinsky sable, hefting it and yourself into your water jar (where you take your daily mini-swim, while it's convenient) climbing out, and somehow creating one of your beautiful not yet mini water colors, to start your mini day.
    Stranger things have happened.

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  4. It's really hard to read your blog!!!!! My God, I wish I ate one of these delicious millefeuilles! By the way, before I met Pierre Hermé gateaux, I used to eat Gerrad Mulot millefeuilles. I can't wait fo going back to Paris in March !!!!!!!!

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  5. I am seeing ice skating pastries on the silver...beautiful reflections. What mini fun!
    All best, Jan

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  6. Carol, I just love how whenever I am feeling down or wanderlusty, I can just come to my blog and you take me away. GAH! Take me to Paris, PLEASE!

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  7. Er, I meant "come to YOUR blog." Coming to my blog does me no good ;)

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  8. Lol! When did this mini madness begin?!

    Mini dogs are quite French, aren't they? So you must obtain some more mini dogs...and then you'll have to get a mini dog house and a mini dog leash and perhaps even a mini doggie poop bag! :-D

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  9. Anonymous5:57 PM

    Do you know if there is a place in NYC that carries
    Pierre Hermes pastry & desserts by chance? - hoping
    so :0

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  10. Anonymous6:02 PM

    I think you need to come up for air soon....all this mini stuff!!! just please don't get me started on the French and their dogs, which tend to be mini but tres gates...will never forget having dinner with a group of French friends at a chic little place in the 8th, Le Boeuf Sur Le Toit, when I looked over to see a chien eating off the plate at the table near us. Can't recall if he had a serviette around his neck or not, but you get the idea!

    Hope you are feeling better, I think we need to see some Gateau du Roi and the wonderful feves that each shop bakes inside...Dalloyau and Hediard had the best when we lived there.

    Cheers,

    Carol T.

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  11. whoo hoo more minis! can't wait to see what else you've picked up :)

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  12. Ann (MobayDP) - The mini madness began when I bought a souvenir Eiffel Tower on a Paris street corner last trip. I've spent many hours on the couch figuring this out and at last have resolved the mini-mystery! I knew the Eiffel Tower was trouble.

    Carol- Maybe it is the cold thing that's keeping me in mini-land..?
    In fact they are really fun to paint and less intimidating than the REAL thing. Heck who knows why anyone does anything!?

    Jeann - if I could find PH pastries in New York..well it boggles the mind to even think about...sigh

    Janice - ice skating pastries...lovely image..merci!

    william thomas ternay - You are letting YOUR imagination run away with itself. I have no intention of taking a mini swim in my water jar. For one thing the cold still lingers. For another the water is NOT CLEAN! And I left my goggles at the club anyway...

    CRIS IN OR - maybe tomorrow I'll paint the candlelabra or at least spell it correctly!
    Merci

    Anne Corrons - You're making ME hungry..I never think about eating the pastries. It's enought to figure out how to paint them. But you're giving me ideas.. Ahem

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  13. I'm in love with your mini-world.

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  14. Anonymous6:52 PM

    You've definitely got the tray down, Carol!

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  15. Anonymous6:53 PM

    It seems to me that your paintings are getting even more appealing! How can that be????
    Can perfection be improved?


    I especially love their purity today.
    That lovely blue shading on the white pot and cups!
    So Alla Prima.

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  16. Anonymous9:57 PM

    I, for one, am Not worried that you will start focusing on puppies and kiittens. No. I have a much greater worry than that! since when have you regarded a pastry-stocked refrigerator a Pandora's Box of temptation? And since when have you become lazy about painting to beat the sell-by date? I fear this may be the first step down that slippery slope, and you will soon be Photoshopping everything! Well, now I'm not as worried: WHERE IS YOUR HOMEWORK??????

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  17. Oh my!! but those trays of pastries look utterly delectable. And I'm talking about your watercolour..it's luminous! Looking at those pixs have suddenly given me a craving for macarons. Yum!

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  18. Anonymous6:22 AM

    Carol, If I stare at your photograph of the Pierre Herme millefeuille very hard I swear I can TASTE it!! And I haven't eaten one since last September! It will keep me going until our next visit to Paris this September. Meanwhile I will be looking forward to the Laduree macaroons in London next week as compensation! I think the vanilla ones are the very best!
    Thank you so much for a delicious memory! Angela

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  19. Anonymous10:17 AM

    Let's just say that the line that's always in front of Hermé is well worth the wait!!! :-)
    Yum!!

    xox Girl and the City (in Paris)

    http://girlandthecity.wordpress.com

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  20. Anonymous9:23 PM

    Your work is FABULOUS!

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