Wednesday, September 08, 2010

La Grande Epicerie

You might think, being an artist I go to museums in Paris.
You'd be wrong.
I go to La Grande Epicerie De Paris for eye candy.
I'm stalking the Yuzu Mania gateaux ever since I noticed it in the Paris Patisseries:History Shops Recipes book.
I can't get it out of my head. This big mouth is all too appropriate in the vitrine of La Grande Epicerie.
LA GRANDE EPICERIE Paris 

Anyone sporting a red coat is game for me to follow. What with my Paris red obsession...LA GRANDE EPICERIE Paris There's a lot to see in La Grande Epicerie - soooo many works of art.LA GRANDE EPICERIE Paris Et voila - red coat again.

Chasing down some fruits rouge no doubt.

LA GRANDE EPICERIE Paris What does one do with strawberry/fraise-flavored sucre/sugar? Do tell if you know.
LA GRANDE EPICERIE Paris More bottles of mysterious ingredients - blue guimauve-flavored stuff.
Fr Girl has these sirops sitting atop her fridge. I never got up the nerve to ask what they are.
LA GRANDE EPICERIE Paris At last a study in red I understand.
So many choices of bread - how does anyone decide? I can not.
LA GRANDE EPICERIE ParisI just browse.
Lovely shell-shaped madeleines.
LA GRANDE EPICERIE ParisAnd of course they have macarons in 20 flavors/parfums!
LA GRANDE EPICERIE Paris Who would not be contented as a chat/cat hanging out in La Grande Epicerie?
BONJOUR LA GRANDE EPICERIE!

29 comments:

  1. Probably my favorite place to go in Paris. I also stay within about 2 blocks of La Grande Epicerie and stop by every day. Tell me... how did you take all of those photos? I always get my hand slapped.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fantastic Tour de Food, and the strawberry sugar beats my imagination!

    I am with you on this one, though:
    I'd much rather hang out at La Grande Epicerie
    than at any museum! I have been to Venice countless times, but not in any museums yet. Simply too much inspiration outside museum walls, at least so far.

    That said, I did travel all the way to Lausanne to see
    the Edward Hopper exhibition at the Hermitage - it's not that I avoid museums. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. @ Eileen @ Passions to Pastry:
    Great question, can't wait to read Carol's answer! *smile*

    ReplyDelete
  4. @Merisi
    The museums in Venice are to die for - all those Titians, Tintorettos, the best of the best!
    You must head back rapidamente!

    @Eileen
    where all black with a big long scarf and carry a small camera, preferably a Canon S90.
    Sometimes I shoot from the hip, as long as I'm in focus-the tricks of the trade :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. J'aime La Grande Epicerie! It is always a lesson in food preparation when there. You are a sneaky girl with the camera! Love these shots.

    Theresa

    ReplyDelete
  6. Paris Breakfasts,
    I have seen most any museum in Italy -
    Venice is an exception. Must be its beauty that keeps me out of museum doors. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dropped by to see what cookin'. Thanks for your secret agent work as there is so much to savor at La Grande Epicerie. Would have been sad to miss the dashing & daring gentleman in the red jacket!
    Have a delicious Day!
    xox
    Constance

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes! Always love a trip to the grocery wherever I travel!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have been a reader for over a year now, and we all really enjoy your blog.

    We import both flavored syrups and sugars. The sugars are especially useful in baking Рimagine cr̬me brulee topped with chocolate or cinnamon sugar!

    The lemon sugar is perfect in shortbread tea cookies.

    The syrups are perfect to sweeten teas, coffees or mix with club soda. Any place that you would use sugars, you can use these.

    Best Regards,

    Emily

    ReplyDelete
  10. Michelle11:40 AM

    Decisions -- take a flat with a view of the Eiffel Tower or stay 1/2 block from La Grande Epicerie? Rue du Bac wins! I love this place too and those radishes with their Bordier butter in the "smoked" flavor is the best snack in the city. Oh, I wish I had some now.....

    ReplyDelete
  11. Carol, you must have willpower of steel. If I were there, in the middle of all that lusciousness, I simply could not resist buying SOMETHING! As for those colorful syrups, yes, I'd mix them with seltzer and make my own drink. Hercule Poirot had a hankering for syrup drinks - just thought I'd mention it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for the suggestion! I simply must visit! I have one of those sirops at home.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Leslie W.12:49 PM

    Bon Marche is my favaorite department store in Paris and the very thought of La Grand Epicerie make me delirious!La Grand Epicerie can definitely can be categorized as "food porn".

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous1:18 PM

    Strawberry flavored sugar?!!! I would sprinkle it on top of vanilla ice cream or maybe a nice warm tapioca pudding. Imagine using it in baking. My mind is in a frenzy over it.
    Cheers,
    Stephan

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, I have never seen so many different kinds of breads in one picture! :) and all those bottles look so gorgeous. Keep posting your Paris photos, I live vicariously through you. ;D

    ReplyDelete
  16. I didn't know that taking photos was so complicated for you! You do a great job :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous5:54 PM

    A Must see- my list is getting very long and I am afraid my daughter is going to get very tired of looking at food!--- oh well x

    ReplyDelete
  18. So cool! I've been to Paris many times but have not heard of this place. Must go there next time.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Ooooo, you are so brave. I got busted trying to take pictures of the bread and sandwich making process there. I got some other great pictures before that though! :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love shopping in a different locale--it's always intriguing to me--or even, as you say, browsing and not shopping! It's just fun.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Bonjour Carol,
    This is one of my favortie hang-outs too. I always leave with my wallet lighter, and my stomach bigger! Perhaps one day we'll meet at the huge bread counter...
    Great shots, how do you manage it? I usually chicken out at the last minute, but I did get up my nerve last Christmas, just before I saw the veggie guy giving me a dirty look!
    Take care,
    Mimi

    ReplyDelete
  22. Bonjour Carol,
    This is one of my favortie hang-outs too. I always leave with my wallet lighter, and my stomach bigger! Perhaps one day we'll meet at the huge bread counter...
    Great shots, how do you manage it? I usually chicken out at the last minute, but I did get up my nerve last Christmas, just before I saw the veggie guy giving me a dirty look!
    Take care,
    Mimi

    ReplyDelete
  23. Paris Breakfast9:47 PM

    I ignore all dirty looks.
    They should be dusting the vegies!
    Knowing PBers are waiting makes me fearless most of the time but not all the time :(
    merci
    carolg

    ReplyDelete
  24. La Grande Epicerie now doesn't that sound really Grande! I'm like you Carol I love the foodie shops ~ they give me a real buzz!
    ~Dianne~

    ReplyDelete
  25. I don't know... this place is a little trop dangereux pour moi. I could drop a 100 euros without even getting past the pastry case.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Well like they say, "Too much of a good thing...is a good thing!" This place proves it.
    V

    ReplyDelete
  27. Love La Grande Epicerie! Thanks for shring your moments there!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I remember feeling ever so slightly faint the first time I visited La Grande Epicerie. The sheer scale and depth is really a buzz in itself. I wandered and wandered, it was a heavenly maze, an ode to food.

    I have actually used strawberry sugar to make a lemon balm pound cake. Quite the treat "pour les quatre heures"...though home-made "sirop de fraises" far more effectively imparts that fresh berry flavor.

    As for those sirops you saw, all can be used to flavor sparkling or still water, to make a sorbet or ice cream, a dessert glaze, a cake filling...

    I love that you followed the red coat. Like that film, about the red balloon.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love that you felt faint in La Grand Epicerie Tammy...
    where have I felt faint..
    there MUST be someplace on the planet...
    maybe Brazil did it to me...
    Carolg

    ReplyDelete

Love hearing from you