Monday, May 18, 2009

Tarte Citron Yellow

Fauchon After studying at length Le Figaro's best tarte au citron survey, I thought I better get out there and follow up. Who knew Fauchon's squared tarte would come in at #11?

I've hit on some of their best 10 in the past and a few I just didn't get to. Please forgive!

Carl MarlettiNumero uno at Carl Morletti was a surprise winner and I'd never visited this small patisserie before, exactly 1 block from the Metro Censier Daubenton (#7) in the 5th arrondissement...
Carl Marletti Pristine and beautiful, this domed mountain of creamy lemon curd was the perfect balance of sweet and tart. A "domed" tarte evidently is far more difficult to achieve than a flattened tarte au citron.

I did finish this tarte - I just wanted to give you a look inside. Marletti has a little outdoor cafe where you can sit at leisure and enjoy his luxe pastries. BRAVO Carl!

Next I traipsed up to much touted chocolatier and perfectionniste, Jacques Génin in the haut Marais. This place is really haut at the exact end of the very long rue de Turrene. The interior is like a laboratoire and fairly empty. I wouldn't have dared to bring out my camera (2 kilos of caramels here are 110 euros). Since no one was much interested in helping me, I took a pass on #2 winner of Le Figaro's best tarte survey . Ca m'enerve

Pierre Herme #3 Figaro winner has always been my #1, Pierre Herme. I never mind tasting this tarte over and over for recherche. There are chunks of actual lemon in this unctuous tarte, as well as lemon peel confit, so you never lack for intense lemony flavor. This is more like an immersion.

CaretteYesterday I hit on Patisserie Carette at #5 and again the balance was fine. You will never, well almost never taste an excess of sugar in a French lemon tarte, unlike the home experience, here the lemon is top dog.

When Parisienne Michele mentioned to me that this tarte citron yellow was the HOT color for summer

I began to see it everwhere

Even rippled yellow tarte citron - it seems very appropriate to wear when your out testing Le Figero's winners


Plus you can accessorize with a citron yellow Moleskine notebook.

For your recherche notes. And yellow ink!

Parisienne Anne was saying last night as we sat in a brasserie by the window, "What's with all the little dogs in your posts and drawings?
New York has lots of dogs."
Immediately 3 small dogs passed by the window. Honestly! You have to be an extra-terrestial to really see what is going on in Paris, PB readers, so not to worry if you don't leave your knife and fourchette at 4:20 on the plate etc. If you'd like to read more tarte au citron posts at PB, voila:
Paris Jaune
Citron Squared
Paris Jaune
Citron Squared
More on Tarte au Citron
Paris Hearts Tarte au Citron Yellow
Quel est le meilleur tarte citron de Paris ?
Tartelette Citron Géométrie
~
BONJOUR TARTE AU CITRON!

21 comments:

  1. I love Tarte au citron. Thanks for posting this feast for the eyes. Plus links. And calorie free too until I try the recipe.

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  2. Oh what a dirty job! You are such a soldier. MMMmmmmmm that's all I can say!

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  3. What a feast for the eyes (poor me, sitting here with nothing but a cappuccino)!

    May I just make one observation:
    Maybe its just me, having lived south of the Mason-Dixon line just a tad too long, but I beg to differ on the color of the "citron" Moleskine notebooks. To my eyes they are "Key lime" colored, which of course is sheer torture to a Key Lime Pie afficionada like myself! I was standing in front of a stack of these notebooks only a few days ago, very tempted to buy one. Then I realised I would not be able to cope with the constant reminder of what I cannot have here in Vienna: a decent Key Lime Pie!

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  4. I love the cheeriness of the color citron. I love the tarts. I love the tops and I love the dogs. What's not to love here???

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  5. Now that is the kind of research I can get into!

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  6. what a pleasure reading today...yellow/citron is such a cheery color and who doesn't love a lemon tart ^..^
    enjoy

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  7. You just keep trudging on, don't you? So dedicated to your research & readers!

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  8. Those tarts sound delicieuse, Carol. I love anything lemony or just citrus-y. Thanks for the fashion tips. Where would I be without you? Have fun!

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  9. By the way, Carol--a great big Happy Birthday to you (and Rick, too!) Hope you celebrate with something lemony and luscious. xxoo
    sue

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  10. Carol, can I put in a request for Tart aux amandes not as pretty as the Citron, but Oh my, quite delicious! Enjoy your trip

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  11. Great photos and post. My mouth is watering. I am a moleskine journal addict and love the "citron" journals.

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  12. I'm salivating over all those lemon tarts.
    Love lemon, can't wear the color too well.
    xxx

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  13. They sure look delicious! They look better than my "Table Talk" lemon pies,too :-)

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  14. Snow in calgary, Tarte au Citron competition in France... Hmmmm.

    We are moving!

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  15. It is official (until your next color theme) -- Spring green and citron yellow are my favorite colors forever.
    Also, you have taught me something very important... On my first trip to Paris, I must follow your directions to Pierre Herme and then to Carl Marletti (#1 in presentation alone... your photo of this "pristine and beautiful" tarte is delightful).
    Delicious Breakfast
    Merci Beaucoup!
    David

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  16. I just can add one thing: miam miam la tarte au citron. I'm a big fan of tarte au citron meringuée.

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  17. You know how I feel about tarte au citron. And now you must know how I feel about these: scrumptious!
    Hungry now...

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  18. I am a sucker for tartes au citrons..OMG, or rather O mon dieu (OMD) Thank God there's no place around me that sells these or I would be in trouble.

    Lovely post!

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  19. Paris or Nothing!10:29 PM

    Hi! Love your pictures! BTW, research(n) in French is "recherches" (usually plural + sur + noun as in "j'aime faire des recherches sur les macarons!").

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  20. Bonjour,just found your blog...love the photos but they make me feel home sick now, specially the macarons...:)!!

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  21. Atta girl! This is the spirit for which you deserve France's highest award: dogged determined pursuit of knowledge on behalf of millions of PB readers who will never come closer to les French Tartes au citron than in this blog. On you march, tirelessly pursuing your tartes - well, except for that one snooty place...Someone MUST search out and verify the ratings...MORE RESEARCH I say! MORE!

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