Vanilla Diorama, Paris Vanilla map

 

This past week has been a daily contest of immersion in news of Ukraine vs. the world of French vanille (pronounce that Van-knee). Vanilla is queen in Paris. It’s available in teas, marshmallows, ice cream, pastries, creamy desserts, cosmetics and perfumes. There’s a wonderful back story to the new 2021 Dior perfume, Vanilla Diorama. 

Evidently designer Christian Dior had a secret favorite dessert created for him by the chef at Maxim’s. But no one knows what it looked like or it’s ingredients. 

Long-time Dior perfumer François Demachy, chose top Michelin pastry chef Julian Dugourd to imagine and create this sublime, velvety dessert using Vanilla from Norohy, white Valrhona chocolate, and orange marmelade. Et voila. 

I found this top grade vanilla bean on BHV’s 4th gourmet floor today. (€18 for 3 beans) Their site will tell you A to Z about vanilla in English and more. 

Along with vanilla orchids lasting just one morning per season, the process of picking the green beans, sun-drying, sweating (at night) can take 6 to 8 months. Very labor intensive. 

My ‘lunch’ today after a dip in the pool. 

Aux Deux Caneles sells only Canelés. Vanilla is the top note in these crunchy little bronzed pastries. 

Such a cute little shop in the Marais with a mini cafe.

Saturday I paid a visit to Paris’ secret treasure chest of rare blends of spices and condiments. 

Have you visited Épices Roellinger on rue Sainte-Anne? Their collection of vanilla beans on offer covers every source possible. 

They do have a treasure chest full of spices and a model pirate 🏴‍☠️ ship. 

I don’t think I ever ate or even liked flan till I moved to Paris. Or other creamy, rich foods for that matter. Boy did that change living surrounded by la créme de la créme all the time. I was excited to find last year’s best flan in Ile de France was a short distance from my house. 

Boulangerie Paris & Co is very proud of their winning flan. But the individual portion was too big for one person and pricey(5.90€). Their eclair vanille was very nice indeed.

So many adventures when you’re chasing after vanille in Paris. The choices for vanilla yogurt are endless. This is a much loved product by the French. The best yogurt for me was La Fermiere They infuse their milk with whole vanilla beans. La Fermiere doesn’t mess around. No vanillin for them/‘arôme natural de vanille’. *Look for tiny black dots of vanilla bean. It pays to read the label.

Enfin the Paris vanilla map 🗺 will go into la poste 📮 on Monday. Or is waiting for you in my Etsy shop. 

I saw today Hotel de Ville has Ukraine’s flags flying 🇺🇦🌻❤️🇺🇦🌻❤️🌻🇺🇦❤️🌻🇺🇦❤️