Around Sacre Coeur and Boulangerie Gontran Cherrier

This post is one of many documenting my week in Paris, a present to myself for graduating pastry school in the fall of 2012. Every moment was spent eating and one post wasn’t enough. It’s now a short novel. Kidding. I hope.

IMG_1663

To get to the Sacre Coeur I got off at the Abbesses subway stop. Walking out onto the street I found myself in the middle of a mid-day flea market. There was a carousel in the middle and a wonderful sugary smell coming from a churro cart. I was most thrilled to scour through odds and ends to find a true gem of a vintage kitchen item, but alas nothing. I did see some mini savarin molds but I didn’t have the confidence to haggle.

Patisserie Blé Sucré and Sacre Coeur

This post is one of many documenting my week in Paris, a present to myself for graduating pastry school in the fall of 2012. Every moment was spent eating and one post wasn’t enough. It’s now a short novel. Kidding. I hope.

It was so cold, sooo very cold on this particular morning. Hovering around the mid 40’s, the weather wasn’t exactly great for all the walking I needed to do in order to stick to my pastry schedule. Nevertheless I toughed it because it’s Paris and bundled in three layers of clothing, gloves and a scarf I made my way through the Bastille (12th arr) and Montmartre (18th arr) neighborhoods and ended up having some of the best food on my trip.

IMG_1594

Afternoon Tea: Laduree

This post is one of many documenting my week in Paris, a present to myself for graduating pastry school in the fall of 2012. Every moment was spent eating and one post wasn’t enough. It’s now a short novel. Kidding. I hope.

I always say Laduree is the Tiffany’s of sweets. Walking out of the shop with a pastel green bag is chic and tres Parisian. The interior is truly opulent with crystal chandeliers and wall paintings inspired by the Sistine Chapel and nearby Opera Garnier. Everything is gilded in gold from the porcelain china for tea to the macaron boxes that I admit to saving because they are so beautiful. I typically brave the long line, buy my macarons and leave but on my latest trip I decided this was a fitting place to celebrate graduating from pastry school since my final project was a pastry assortment inspired by the ones at Laduree.

Three of the locations in Paris have tea salons, Champs-Elysees, rue Bonaparte and rue Royale.  The latter is the oldest and I wanted to be at the original establishment so allons-y! Off to rue Royale for tea!

IMG_1520

Afternoon Tea: Jacques Genin and my caramel-making story

This post is one of many documenting my week in Paris, a present to myself for graduating pastry school in the fall of 2012. Every moment was spent eating and one post wasn’t enough. It’s now a short novel. Kidding. I hope.

Time for my first of three afternoon tea posts. Sadly I heard this past week (1/14/13) that Jacques Genin will no longer be carrying pastries. Yes his fortés are his chocolates and caramels but I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon tea I had there. Hopefully it will continue in some form.

IMG_1954

Tea for two at Jacques Genin in the Marais (3rd arrondissement)

Joséphine Chez Dumonet

This post is one of many documenting my week in Paris, a present to myself for graduating pastry school in the fall of 2012. Every moment was spent eating and one post wasn’t enough. It’s now a short novel. Kidding. I hope.

On this trip, I was looking for an authentic French dining experience, some real protein to offset my subsistence on baguette and beurre. I consistently read that Chez Dumonet in the 6th arrondisement was the place to go. So I decided to start my trip right and made a reservation for my first full day in the city.

Grand Marnier Soufflé