Monday, March 25, 2013

Salon du Livre

Vendredi 22 Mars Salon du Livre 2013 22 - 25
Paris is a bookish town. Where else do you see signs for a book fair like Salon du Livre plastered on the fronts of all the buses. Or get the catalog attached to your free metro paper? Not in New York I can tell you. Students of all ages get in free too. The joint was jammed.
 
I hung out mostly in the Culinary Square - stand X77. I'm addicted to cooking demos since the Omnivore Festival and what better way to practice your French comprehension?
I was delighted to see my landlady, Rachel Khoo's The Little Paris Kitchen now has a French edition, so the French can learn a few tricks from a Brit.
 
The French publisher tons of novelty cookbooks focused on one subject packaged in a shaped format. Plus stacks of cooking kits with all the essential bits like molds or stamps included.
 
Of course there were real edible macarons for sale
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And macaron-shaped recipe books. This one looks like an open box of macs. Most of these single subject books are quite cheap in the 6€ area and you can find them at Amazon.fr
On to the delectable demos - Friday I caught top star pastry chef Christolphe Felder.
 
Making financiers with a touch of strawberry embedded in them.
 
Christophe Felder has a new iPad app out with demos for 200 recipes called 'Patisserie!'. You might have to be French to download it from the Apple store. Qui sait?
 
Food scientist HervĂ© This is France's Harold McGee with a big helping of magician thrown in. His area of scientific research is molecular gastronomy. He put on a terrific show for a pack of school kids on how egg whites are actually yellow. If you add a touch of water to your egg 'whites' they will foam up considerably. Demonstrated by turning the bowl upside down over his head. Fortunately the egg white emulsion stayed put. Loads of fun. A real charmer.
 
On Saturday I caught top cooking blogger Pascale Weeks of cest moi qui lai fait! She was perhaps the 1st French blogger to start doing a slew of cookbooks and is hugely popular for her excellent recipes. Do take a look.
Pascale's merinque Pavlovas were to die for. I managed to grab a forkful. If you're in Paris run to Porte de Versailles for the Salon du Livre. Why not?
 

17 comments:

  1. I love those little single books.I picked one up on recipes using Nutella for my son (42yrs.) he is still a Nutella addict. I've been following Rachel Khoo on Tv, she has a bubbly peronality.

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  2. Looks like you had a brilliant time! Alas I didn't have a chance to make it out to Salon du Livre in the end, but I loved reading about it through you!

    x Milsters

    (http://www.littlepiecesoflight.com/)

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  3. Funny. I was just watching a segment on Le Salon du Livre in the French news on TV5 this weekend. It complemented your piece quite nicely. Thank you for reporting, Carol. Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

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    1. This town/country is crazy for books and authors like I've never seen before Veronique!

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  4. I Love those kits and have spoiled myself with a few..the quality is outstanding ..the presentations charming..
    My little kitchen toys..all grown up..
    Looks like a fabulous expo..Your aquarelle is dear as always:)

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    Replies
    1. Those cookbooks were cutout for you no pun intended Monique

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  5. So there's still hope for the paper-and-ink, hold-in-your-hand, page-turning, three-dimensional BOOK. Hmmmm...seems to me that the world needs a ParisBreakfasts book, too -- to go with all those delicious cookery books.

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  6. cyndi from SD10:18 AM

    Who would have thought...a book fair with cooking demonstrations. That's one of the many reasons I love the French,and of course Paris.

    merci beaucoup
    Cyndi

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  7. Oh, I would fall in and never come out! And how delicious and fun to see the chefs and bloggers turned cookbook writers. I'm sure tasting was involved! Terrific!

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  8. oh oh oh oh! je creve de jalousie! surtout pour le moment omnivore. si seulement je savais......

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    Replies
    1. It's an annual event always in March
      Plan to come next year

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  9. I agree with Vivian Swift: we need a Paris Breakfasts book! :-)

    Wonderful reporting, as always. You spoil us endlessly. xxx

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  10. O.M.G. books AND macarons. If I click my heels together and wish really hard with my eyes tightly squeezed together, perhaps when I open them I'll be there. Perfection!!

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  11. Love you sketch at the front. And of course, I had to buy the app. No problem---I've bought other French apps, and even a Dutch one. iTunes doesn't seem to care. Amazon does have some restrictions though...I stick to the American store there. (By the way, it is a nice app, so far. Very big though. 650 MB.)

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  12. Great book show - full of delicious looking food!

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  13. I had thought I might make it to Salon du livre this year, but no, too much going on chez moi. Cookbooks, I love how so many are beautifully illustrated. Did you make it to the children's books this year? Seeing the macarons in the context of a book show makes me appreciate them for their color alone, the way I appreciate paintings, just gorgeous!!

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  14. Anonymous2:41 PM

    The app Pâtisserie is great. Thanks, Carole!
    Kris

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