Thursday, January 12, 2017

La Galette du Coeur...La Galette des chefs 2017

I've been missing in action of late felled by a nasty cold I caught staying up past my bedtime (8:00 pm) on New Year's Eve. Plus ODing on the l'Epiphanie galette des Rois. How else to figure out how to paint the thing? I went for the 3rd year in a row with Solli to the annual charity galette fete at Saint Germain de Pres last Saturday sniffling and sneezing.
Some things are worth getting out of bed for.
I was not alone in my excitement. Red Riding hood showed up too.

There is the inspection of the galettes of course. Pierre. Herme does a lemon galette.

Karamel did of course caramel.

Très elegant from. Hotel Raphael.

Square shaped with hazelnuts instead of the almonds - very appealing.

I settled for a plain jane classic almond franipane galette and dolled it up with a coating of passion fruit/apricot confiture plus toasted almonds. A quick reheat in the oven = divine.

I did the same to Picard's DIY individual small galettes. Look at this year's feves (hidden favors). Sweet little porceleine animals.

Somehow tasting one or two galettes is not enough. Isn't it fortunate that you can find them all through January at some boulangeries and patisseries.
I was longing to try Gerard Mulot's stunning pistache/noisette. Very nice.

You will not believe some of the concoctions Paris pastry chefs come up with. Framboise-pistache. Tonka beans. Even savory galettes. I almost bought a spinach cake. Here Christolphe Adams creates an eclair/galette. His mini eclair feves were awfully appealing (25€).

I loved the scrawled lettering, 'l'Epiphanie' in his newspaper and drew it on quite a few galette watercolors.

Maybe I got a little carried away.

What I learned from all this painting and tasting is...stick with the classic glalette au amande. You can never go wrong being a purist. No matter how many creative hoops Parisian pastry chefs jump through to outdo each other, in the end you'll know a good galette from a so-so galette with no distraction from exotic flavors or odd shapes. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
Thank you for reading and supporting Parisbreakfast by buying Paris letters and watercolors. HAPPY NEW YEAR again!

24 comments:

  1. For Christmas this year my husband was asked to be one of the Wise Men. He asked if he could dress up, and the leaders said, "Yes!" So he came home and told me and I went to my Christmas file....and brought out an exact copy of the gold crown in your picture. He wore it with pride.

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  2. I am waiting to board my flight to Paris right this minute! A galette des Rois is on my list!!! Merci, Carol!

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  3. Carol, I was definitely beginning to worry about your absence. What a beautiful way you have chosen to herald your return from lurgy land.

    I would definitely have chosen to attend that galette fete. And wanted to sample as many styles as possible. And, would had the same verdict as yours...stick with the classic.

    Those little porcelain reves are sweeter than sweet. I've seen some galettes in the window of our neighborhood Eric Kayser and might have to investigate tomorrow to see if that shop is also still stocking them. Maybe the website will let me know.

    Just seeing your open watercolor box has also quickened my appetite! You've painted the galettes and crowns so very well.

    Earlier this afternoon, I heeded my doctor's December advice and went by for a pneumonia shot. Surely that means a sweet reward, doesn't it?

    Wishing you a wonderful New Year! xo

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    1. Ahh...I ate the Eric Kaiser 'individual'
      Very nice indeed especially after heating a little with a touch of apricot jam on top (apricotage).
      Keep well Frances!

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  4. OMG. This post made me hungry!! I want to try "pistache/noisette." It looked lovely!!!!

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  5. I googled Gerard Mulot and when I saw what he makes my jaw dropped open and has not shut!!!!

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  6. I love that last photo..and La Galette Des Rois is undeniably a favorite of mine..and I am a purist too.Love your paintbox.
    And all your aquarelles are BEAUTIFUL!

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  7. Carol ....you could never get carried away-it is spirit-or total immersion in the entire experience-no stone left in-turned-I salute you for your attention to detail-all the details-I too tend to get carried away

    I sure hope you are feeling better!

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  8. Carol, another post of you outdoing yourself. The pictures you have taken of the ones on offer and then your watercolors. Big time eye candy. I tried not to look at the feves. I have mine from last year.
    Heading out to Etsy to see if you are selling any of the drawings. glad you are feeling better.

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  9. You've got so many feves!! I like the crown. The polar bear is really sweet. Your bear must be happy to have a pal!

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  10. Is a galette like a croissant or a tart? They look really yummy.

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    1. A galette is a combination of both. Made with croissant pastry but with a top and bottom. Very buttery and flakey like a croissant!

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  11. great watercolor galettes... your forte is food!

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  12. Ruth S1:21 PM

    I'm craving that lemon galette! I'll have to plan a visit in January!!!

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  13. Deborah K1:25 PM

    OMG – you couldn’t have sent a better issue at this time than the galettes! I’m from New Orleans and our Mardi Gras season has kicked off

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  14. Sally V1:51 PM

    Love that woman writing, want the apron.

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    1. Its exactly like the old Chocolat Menier poster of the little girl writing.
      Caught my eye as I was passing by.

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  15. Sally, I thought the same thing. Great photo and I want that apron.

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  16. Happy New Year Carol! I hope you are better from your cold. I love your galette paintings, especially with all the little tags of what is what.

    Thanks for sharing what happens in Paris with all the creative flavored galettes, I didn't know they did that.

    I actually ate galette last week with my French group at a French bar, galette cooked for us by a local French baker. It was about 30 degrees celcius, nice sunny summer day! (Adelaide, Australia).

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    1. 30 degrees! Ouch
      You could have baked one in the sun!

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  17. Carolyn I11:34 PM

    Absolutely beautiful. You did an amazing job on the crown.

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  18. Barbara2:19 AM

    So worth the wait. Thank you...

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  19. Great photos as always, Carol, but the watercolors take the top prize on this post!
    Great looking pastries :)
    Hope you're feeling better!

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