Paris is home to some of the world’s best pastry shops (called patisseries), and the delectable desserts they produce every day are simply to die for. Here are some pastry perfections from my favorite Parisian bakeries: Angelina, Laduree, La Loir dans la Theiere, Mariage Freres, Le Gay Choc, Pain de Sucre and Stohrer. Continue Reading →
An iconic French pastry—and one I always order multiple times when I visit Paris—is the Saint Honore, a decadent dessert made of puff pastry, pate a choux (cream-puff dough), creme chiboust (a thick pastry cream made with stiffened egg whites) and creme Chantilly (the French term for whipped cream). Named after the patron saint of French patissiers this stacked pastry comes in such flavors as caramel (also called the “classic” Saint Honore), pistachio, rose-raspberry, chocolate, vanilla-chocolate, chocolate-strawberry and pistachio-sour cherry. Continue Reading →
Paris is the pastry capital of the world. And there are scores of patisseries scattered throughout the city’s 20 districts (called arrondissements), from elegant, upscale tea houses to small neighborhood mom-and-pop shops.
But a few have grabbed well-deserved international acclaim. One of my favorites of these exceptional salons is Laduree. Specifically, the Laduree boutique and tea house on the Champs Elysees … Continue Reading →
A traditional Christmas dessert served in France is the Buche de Noel, or yule log. Nearly every patisserie in the City of Light offers up their own version of this delicious rolled cake, with some of the most elaborate—and most pricey—coming from such celebrated pastry chefs, chocolatiers and patisseries as Pierre Herme, Laurent Duchene, Christophe Roussel, Jean-Paul Hevin, Dalloyau, Laduree and many more. Continue Reading →