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Friday, July 12, 2013

Berthillon

Another twist of fate...I was on the Ile St.-Louis this morning. Does one really have a choice? Berthillon beckons.
And of course Caramel au beurre sale AKA CBS.
 
But wait. No Caramel au beurre salé today. Flavors are changed daily. I was not prepared for this!
 
There IS Caramel Nougatine the server suggests.
 
Oh no...but on second thought this is Berthillon who can do no wrong where ice cream or caramel is concerned.
 
So I throw caution to the wind and get the Caramel Nougatine which turns out to be just fine. OK maybe more than fine. Terrific! Frankly I can't even tell the difference.
 
It seems Berthillon can do no wrong when it comes to anything caramelized like these little chocolate-covered caramel pops. I had to buy one to use as a prop in today's watercolor except I ate it...just now. Uh oh
 
These caramelized apple tartelettes with salted butter are absolutely fab I promise you. I bought one of these. I just ate it too.
 
I did NOT buy their highly reknown tarte Tatin. I would have but I ran out of money thank gawd!
 
I've been eye-balling their tarte tatin for years the way some men ogle women. So far I've resisted but who knows when the day will come and resistance will give way.
 
A gentle hint PBers. If you are going to shoot inside a shop do buy something for heavens sake. It makes it so much easier.
 
Berthillon definitely fits into the oldie-worldie category of patisserie traditionnelle.
 
They have a lovely tea salon you might not know about.
The fact is that Berthillon's single dips are about the size of a golf ball. I did have just enough change to go back and get a second Caramel Nougatine cone. Besides there was no line. Besides one must take advantage of opportunity when it knocks no? It helps if you're good at rationalizing in Paris...or maybe it doesn't.
 
 

26 comments:

  1. So glad you were not in that train crash last night! The way you gad about, I wasn't sure!
    No line???You did the perfectly right thing!!

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    Replies
    1. I didn't even know ...
      Terrible

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    2. Yes whenever there's no line in Paris one Must do it no matter what.

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  2. Anonymous6:06 PM

    Summer of 2009 - Berthillon's fresh peach ice cream. Long sidewalk line. It was heaven. :)

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  3. What? no line at Berthillon? What's going on? Love your calligraphic water color. So summery.

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    Replies
    1. It was just 11am...perhaps too early for ice cream?
      My name is carol and I'm an ice creamaholic.

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  4. You got the cone and holder so perfectly!!Perfectly everything..
    I love your scoop better than the real thing..kid you not.
    those spiral holders and waffle sugar cones are not easy to recreate!

    Your calligraphy adds to the charm and authenticity Carol~

    Heard about the crash..I am glad you were not train traveling.. triste cette affaire.. trop triste..we ..in QC just had a terrible train incident too...not me..not close..but QC..

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  5. Yum!

    My beautiful watercolor arrived in the mail today, Carol! Love it! Big Merci!

    xo

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  6. Great opening watercolor.
    The shop looks very enticing; great photos of the interior - but I'm not a fan of caramel!

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  7. This is just wonderful - all of it. I am practicing not eating my project, at least not prematurely. It is not easy. I was going to ask for advice, but seems you suffer from the same issue. :)

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  8. It's a constant battle that I've lost in Paris.
    I go to the pool 4x a week and zero but it must stop some of the damage. This was the first blowout of the week admittedly except for more or less daily ice cream cones...

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  9. It helps if you paint earlier in the day = more resistance to temptation IMHO.
    Prematurely eating your project could be the title of a self-help book...

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  10. I think I was most astonished by your picture with no line, I must try and go earlier. It's been so warm a daily ice cream is essential I think. I had no idea that they had pastries, I've never ventured that far in. That tart tatin looks wonderful. I might have to revisit.

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  11. Oh, my!! What wonderful treats. My favourite memory of Berthillon is buying my cone (cassis, probably), sitting by the river eating it, and sharing bits of the cone with a little sparrow who came and sat beside me. Happy sigh!

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  12. Berthillon I love his ice cream very much, but as some french things is laughable the waffle cone with extra charge...it is the only place in the world where i have been ,whit this ,but the place is amazing as the post!!! Thank You!

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    Replies
    1. I do not think I was charged extra for the cone..?
      If so I will bring my own next time!

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  13. Anonymous3:43 AM

    Hello Carol, just found your blog about a week ago. And I LOVE it. Went to Paris in April for the first time, and just planning to go back again. And when I found your blog, it makes me to want to do ONLY a patisserie tour this time, and see all the places you are posting about. Thank you for the yummy pictures and beautifull paintings. Btw. Im also a big fan of tart au citron,and salted caramel. But who could resist ? Greetings from Prague

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  14. .. such a special isle and shop ... we last had two scoops ... green tea and lavender .. it was yum ... love your art, captured perfectly ... cheers

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  15. I love that spot -- it was one of the spots I went on the very first day I came to Paris several years ago. And back again I'd go any day! Bon appetit!

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  16. Carol, as another caramel fan, I thank you for the close up views of ice cream and pastries of Berthillon. Elegant tradition and fresh modernity meet exquisitely inside that doorway.

    Can you imagine that I have yet to have my first ice cream of summer? Something's going wrong around here, as the old tune goes. I must remedy this situation today... if the rain holds off.

    May even it the rain does not hold off! xo

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  17. No Caramel au beurre salé should be a punishable offense, against the rights of man! I have fond memories of Jeannie and I walking over to Île St Louis after dinner for a scoop and a quiet stroll along the Quai. And for me it was always caramel au beurre salé

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  18. Anonymous12:57 PM

    If it's as hot in Paris as it is here, it's a must to lick or whatever you do with ice cream. They look delicious & it was only golf ball size, so that would be gone in one lick, so not many calories.
    Have a nice weekend, & keep up the good work.;)
    Barbara

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  19. Can't imagine Berthillon without a line as it's never too early for ice cream in Paris in the summer. There is a very good gelato shop on the Island not far from Berthillon & their salted caramel is very good.

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  20. If I wasn't drooling before I certainly am now!
    Yum!
    Carol, you have to try the Tarte Tatin! Heavenly does NOT do it justice!
    Your photo at the end is wonderful!

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