Friday, October 31, 2014

Salon du Temptation

They say if you draw the food you crave you will forget about craving it.

In fact drawing your favorite foods can be a mood booster. Drawing pizza makes you feel 28% happier. Who knew?

At the SALON DU CHOCOLAT I wish they would hand out sketch pads and pencils at the door to help us control our cravings. Walter Mischel talks about the15-minute marshmallow test he gave kids years ago. He has a book coming out on self control shortly. The chocolate salon is kind of 3-4 hour 'marshmallow test'. You are bombarded with temptation right and left.

We are all reduced to 5 years old and smart vendors know that.

This sign is for adults.

I stood and flirted with this tropical baba concoction from Laurent Duchene for easily 5-10 minutes. Then I sent this picture to Jill Colonna and she went and ate it for me. Too kind.

I wish more tasty items had glass bell jars protecting them.

One of Mischel's techniques is distracting yourself by singing songs or looking elsewhere. Carl Marletti's tartelette citron is resistible when surrounded by the distraction chocolate aromas.

Clever pastry chef Sadaharu Aoki always has macarons baking onsite at the show. You can buy big ones hot off the griddle for under 5€. He appeals to all your senses. Irresistible.

Some pastry chefs like Hugo and Victor create something special each year like this faux sweet hotdog under 5€. Raspberries and mango instead of catchup and mustard.

I remember eating these Belgian crispy waffles last year and can't resist this year. Memory comes into play in the game of temptation. It was from the same vender too. She had complimented me on buying the waffle plain with no extras.

Last year and the year before I ate Arnaud Lahrer's wonderful caramelly Kouign-Amann. This year I practiced some resistance and walked away. Not easy.

My waistline since I've moved to Paris now looks like this. M.I.A.(gone missing).

Meanwhile the toasting almonds churn in sugar at Mazet Confiseur's stand. We look on and salivate. Choices, choices.

Pralus, as usual is baking his special praline bread on site. It smells and tastes divine.

You used to be able to buy a half. Now they sell only the whole loaf, so it's easier to resist.

The jam people have figured it out unlike many others at the show.

Taste to your hearts content. No limit on the number of spoons.


A long bank of jam jars. A flavor for everyone. I bought their hazelnut spread.
As Oscar Wilde said, "The only way to get rid of temptation(tentation) is to yield to it... I can resist everything but temptation."
What's your irresistible temptation? Do tell all.
 
For some this is lunch or research. A chance to fine tune the taste buds. 
Speaking of choices, I've now got an archive of 6 past Paris sketch letters you can now buy all at one time as a gift or give to someone else yourself one at a time.

12 comments:

  1. Great idea the archive..s..I spy one I have and love!
    I would be most tempted by the jams.
    I am most certain I convinced myself I could live without chocolate about 45 years ago..and in the last 5..convinced myself I could not live without breads..pizzas etc..so jam..with bread carbs as a treat:-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. So many incredible shots! I'd never make it out of there :)
    The chocolates, "fancy pastries" & lemon tarts look great.
    I love the photo of the almond toasting churn - great composition & light to that shot.

    ReplyDelete
  3. All that chocolate had me dreaming that I was in the Willi Wonka factory.

    ReplyDelete
  4. There is nothing better than homemade quality food! No box food here!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, the chocolate!! Definitely irresistible. And I wouldn't mind a taste (or jar) of the cassis jam, too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love this post! Your self-deprecating humour and your voyage through a maze of temptation made me smile :) The two temptations I can't resist in France are La Tropezienne (I'm a sucker for cream) and the "Queen-a-man" (I never remember how to spell it...)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Kouign Amann is the Devil incarnate I beleive. I had a very close shave yesterday and nearly fell victim to a deeply caramelized one in a no-name boulangerie, but a voice in my head was yelling, 'GET OUT FAST!' And I did. Saved again but who knows next time...?

      Delete
  7. Jane S.9:28 AM

    you will be proud of me -- I looked at all these pictures without slobbering all over the computer screen!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ruth S9:37 AM

    My irresistible temptation is Berthillion's sorbet aux abricots. I went to Paris for the first time in 1986. I have never been able to try any other kind of their ice cream even though I am somewhat of a chocoholic! Can't wait til I get back to have it again....

    ReplyDelete
  9. That Baba Yuzu was incredible. Even after it being bounced around in its box all afternoon. Thanks for the temptation, Carol. This was the last straw seeing your photo of it - and had me legging it finally with the kids to the Salon. It's all your fault ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. This blog makes me so happy.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I seriously doubt that drawing food would lessen my cravings...but I totally agree that drawing it makes me happier! Drawing anything make me happier.

    ReplyDelete

Love hearing from you