The art of pastry//another reason to love Paris

“The fine arts are five in number, namely: painting, sculpture, poetry, music, and architecture, the principal branch of the latter being pastry.”
Antonin Carême (1783-1833)

hunters bounty

When three food writers come together to discuss the art of Parisian Pastries for an hour, you can bet that most people in the audience will be planning an excursion to the best pastry boutiques Paris has to offer armed with a list, a map and an empty tummy. Or, maybe that was just me.

In the span of 3 hours, I got back together with Pierre Herme (we broke up in June due to my impending addiction to the Isphahan croissant), re-connected with Laduree (we parted ways in June due to lethal doses of macarons) and found new love with Ble Sucre. Please see photo exhibits A-D:

Doomed romance: Pierre Herme's Isphahan Croissant

Isphahan: a combination of rose jelly, raspberries and litchi. I ate them almost everyday, until I had to quit. Still, she is the most amazing croissant I’ve ever had.

Chestnuts, Violette & Chocolate, Rose and Vanilla macarons from Pierre Herme

Considered the most modern and innovative patissier, Pierre also makes the best macarons in Paris.  With crazy flavor combinations and special edition macarons which are available for a limited time, he’s certainly one-of-a-kind.

Laduree's Fig Tart

House of Laduree (as I like to call it), born in 1862, is one of the oldest pastisseries in Paris. Furthermore, the art of pastry is one of the oldest crafts in France which lends the explanation as to why the French are so obsessed with their pastry.

Laduree holds a very special place in my gastro-heart as its windows could rival Cartier for the lavish colors and decor. It is a jewel unlike any other. Willy Wonka has nothing on Laduree kids.

*This fig tart was so fresh and luscious and just a pleasure to look at. The French do know beauty.

Bergamot macaron by Laduree. Nail polish "Madrid" by Movolo.

This is one of my favorite flavors – bergamot – also seen in Earl Grey tea. Look at the color…vivid…the taste? Tart and sublime.

Violet Gateau from Ble Sucre

My last stop was a small and rather new pastisserie & boulangerie in the somewhat out of the way, 12th arrondissement – Ble Sucre.

Highly suggested by David Lebovitz, Ble Sucre is located on a very charming street off of Square Trousseau.  The shop is is owned by Fabrice Le Bourdat who trained under Gilles Marchal of Hotel Bristol, clearly this was not going to be an epic fail.

Though known for the madelines, I chose to break away from the mold and eat their violet gateau. Floral and velvety, this little piece sat in my fridge for 2 hours before I could no longer resist her temptations – and that was after eating the macarons, fig cake and croissant.

Paris can be everything and anything to anyone: beautiful, cold, chic, unrelenting, delicious, extravagant but there is one thing we can all agree on: it is, most certainly, sweet.

Laduree
21 rue Bonaparte
75006 Paris
Metro: St. Germain-des-Pres

Pierre Herme
72, Rue Bonaparte
75006 Paris
Metro: St. Germain-des-Pres

Blé Sucré
Square Trousseau
7, rue Antoine Vollon
750012 Paris
Metro: Ledru-Rollin

what is means to be original//Child, Julia

I was browsing old Julia Child clips and came across this very special, very original, very “Julia” clip of her outstanding improvisation skills.

Only an original can outshine someone as quick as Letterman.

Legend.

Food Inc.//How on earth did we get this far

You need to watch this movie. Irresponsible behavior on the part of consumers, Big Food companies and *cough* the government have made America sick, fat and stupid. I said it. You read it.

Food Inc, is an honest look at something that should be simple, but is eerily complex: where our food comes from. The film dives into the illusion of diversity in our supermarkets where 90% of products are made from corn and most poultry and beef cattle are fed…corn; and where the picture of “farm fresh” is all smoke and mirrors. How did we get this far and what can we do about it? It’s about time that someone made a film exposing the realities of industrial agriculture and the current sorry state of health we are in because of it.

Watch on my sistahs and brothas. This is one documentary you quite literally can not afford to miss.

FYI: I didn’t get to see this when in came out in June b/c I am in Paris and yes, i finally found an illegal way to download it. SHHHH. DVD out Nov 3rd. Holler.

Housekeeping//best of food videos

I laughed. I cried. I noticed the refined knife skills and talking dog. This makes me want to cook Japanese food and note that Cooking With Dog has quite the large fanbase. Only in this universe kids, only in this.

Since no one asked//25 questions for a New Yorker.

I’m going through a period of NYC withdrawal. Don’t get me wrong – I am in love with Paris but being from New York, well, it’s easy to miss and easy to leave. So, here we have 25 wonderful NY’er questions posed to yours truly and answered as honestly as possible.

Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?

Gordon Gekko. He embodies everything that is right and wrong about NYC.

What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York?

Babbo. Transcendant beef cheek ravioli and delicious wine list. Tacos from La Superior. Oh and coffee from Joe’s (in NYC, coffee is a meal).

In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?

I am a student of life and food.

Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?

There’s no where better to live when you are poor.

What’s the last thing you saw on Broadway?

Phantom. Classic. I love me a grand, over -the-top show. It satisfies the little gay man inside me screaming to get out.

Do you give money to panhandlers?

No. I feel like a bad person now that you asked. But you never know what they are going to do with it. I prefer to give back by volunteering.

What’s your drink?

Let’s not talk about that now. I’m hungover from too many martini’s.

How often do you prepare your own meals?

Everyday.

What’s your favorite medication?

Aleve and a Diet Coke. Cures anything from hangovers to, um, what?

What’s hanging above your sofa?

In Paris: photos my friend Natasha took of NYC.

In NYC: prints of Paris, photos of my family.

How much is too much to spend on a haircut?

As long as you look and feel good, priceless.

When’s bedtime?

Weekdays, 1230am. Weekends, no comment.

Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?

C’mon! Old! New York is about grit and it’s slowly getting away from that. The grime, the grit, the hardships nurture creativity and art and without those things, we wouldn’t have New York City.

What do you think of Donald Trump?

Nice coiff.

What do you hate most about living in New York?

The weird smell in bodegas. Smoke + old fried food + cat + something indeterminable.

Who is your mortal enemy?

The last drink.

When’s the last time you drove a car?

I’m a New Yorker, I don’t even have a license.

How has the Wall Street crash affected you?

I moved to Paris and went to Le Cordon Bleu right when things got bad. It was awesome life timing.

Times, Post, or Daily News?

Times. Always. Especially the food section on Wednesdays and the Sunday paper. Nothing like waking up to find that 10 pound paper and flipping through it with some coffee. Though, I must confess to reading Page Six every now and then.

Where do you go to be alone?

Home.

What makes someone a New Yorker?

Being born here. Duh. (attitude!)

inspired//from the always files…

Because...

Always. Be. Inspired. Influenced. Energized. If we weren’t, life would be boring.

Photographer Steven Klein captures fantasy, metal, Hollywood and something dark…

baby there’s no other superstar you know that i’ll be//your paparazzi

stop hitting on me.

no. i'm sorry, i don't love you.

no. i'm busy on Friday night.

Tom. Tom and Eric.

*feeds on eye candy (aka mandy) sighs*

They’re biblical. Like the three wise men but hotter.

XO.

Really?!?//Food quotage

Bless us Oh Lord and these thy gifts which we are about to receive through thy bounty through Christ Our Lord, Amen

A classic line delivered by Unknown Woman at a BBQ this past weekend:

(cue JJP opening up a grill to reveal an awesome sight, a roasted suckling pig)

JJP: “…I stuffed it with apples…”

Unknown Woman: “YOU DIIIIIIIID, I LOOOOOVE APPPPPLES!!!!”

Beetch please. You are staring at a roasted piglet and you LOVE APPLES???

I demand some sort of prosecution, persecution and/or capital punishment.

Watch it here. (it’s the first video).

XO.

Pokerface//Balmain buckle embellished boots

Fetch.

I tried on these killer Balmain buckle embellished boots during my bi-monthly pilgrimage to Colette. I’m in love and I don’t know how to leave them. I want them so badly but they don’t want me. That’s when you have to pokerface-it and pretend you don’t want them either. UGH. The heels are so high and the suede is so soft and they are the essence of this seasons tough but sexy look.

Advantage: I’m standing at pleasant 5′ 7″ in them (normally a kewpie 5′ 2″). Are they hard to walk in? A little, but I’d take a face plant for them. Anyday.

Balmain buckle embelished boots, EU 1400.

I’m a huge fan and always admired your work//Podcast topsies

put ur hands up in the ayyyyer...

Good morning my loves. I’m feeling amazing this AM due to a great charcuterie plate  I had last night (Normandy meats). As I sit here listening to some of my fave podcasts, I thought to myself, why be selfish? Lemme share my favorites with you all beloved loves.

Now, I’ve been listening to food podcasts for years now and let’s not mince words – there is a ton of crap out there. Hopefully this list will hep wade through the shyte:

1. A Splendid Table: This James Beard Award winning show is my favorite. At 60 minutes in length, our warm host Lynn Rossetto Kasper takes us through reviews of restaurants, interviews with food specialists, talks on specific ingredients then takes phone calls from her loving audience on food “problems”. She is our answer to Oprah. A good thing to listen to while doing some Saturday morning housework. God, I sound like a Stepford Wife (goal: achieved).

2. NPR’s Food: This weekly, 20 minute poddy gives us top-line food news and mini interviews on current food topics/trends. Great to kick off the week with some bits of food news.

3. Food Science: The uber hot-for-teacher, Dr. Kiki, explains to us how cusisine chemistry like leavening, fermentation and hot & spicy works. I’ve learned a lot about food chemisrty from her. Excellent for the gastronomy student who knows knowledge is power…

4. Obssesives on Chow: LURVE these video poddy’s. Really insightful, interesting, and well-shot segments on people who specialize in (read: obsessed with) a specific food related subject. For example we’ve seen episodes on pickling, tea, coffee, wine making and bread. Amaze!

5. KCRW’s Good Food: Hollering straight out of L.A., Good Food is the West Coast’s version of A Splendid Table (which tapes from the Mid-West). Our fearless host, Evan Kleinman, heps us discover the politics of food, farmers markets, restaurants and personalities in the food worlds. Evan’s hippie, earth-mother voice is quite soothing and makes me want to live in Cali.

6. The Culinary Institute of America: Really love this high quality, well-produced podcast. CIA introduces a classroom style podcast of CIA chefs cooking and explaining each recipe and ingredient. Stop watching The Food Pukework, and download these podcasts. Not only more informative but less annoying as well.

All these podcasts are available free from our dealer, iTunes.