La Grande Chasse aux Oeufs

Mercredi 27 Mars what's your oeuf du jour?
 

By popular request Paris oeufs/egg/ Ooouf!
 

I love these felt Easter baskets with the ladybugs I'm seeing around town.
 

Did I say hay is Big/In this year in Paris along with fried eggs for Paques. Get your hay out Peeps!
 

Pierre Marcolini is into transformations this year. The chicken or the egg is too mundane for PM. Rabbits look out or you could end in someone's Easter basket.
 

Fauchon warns you 'to walk on eggs' this Easter...preferably their eggs.
 

Reflections through a glass at the Madeleine ?
 

I'm not getting what Hediard is after digging into pirate's treasure trove...I guess it's super cool..qui sait?
 

I totally GET Victor et Hugo's painted Easter eggs.
 

Right up my allee.

Very traditional and very delicious oeufs from A la Mere de famille

A la Mere de Famille et boutique Colette are having a SURPRISE egg hunt TODAY at 3:00!

You have to check in at Colette for the exact location!!

Meet up on Wednesday, March 27 from 3 pm in an as yet undisclosed location (near colette) for a big egg hunt with À La Mère de Famille!

We will reveal the location tomorrow at 2pm at colette and on our social networks (#chasseauxoeufscolette) as well as by email (if you subscribe here).  Get ready and come fill your baskets before Easter!

Open to all, big and small.
What's your Easter oeuf du jour Peeps?

La Grande Chasse aux Oeufs

Are you a chicken or egg person?
Another sneak preview of April's Paris Sketch letter, this time the almighty French hen (poule).

It's not easy to say whether the fish, the chicken, the bell, the egg or the Anglo newcomer, the bunny, holds supreme reign over Paris during Paques (Easter).

La Mere de Famille Paris' oldest confectionary has every possibility covered.

A very nice chocolate Teddy has been added to their 2015 collection.

Sadaharu Aoki marches to a different drummer, so the classic French hen has a Matcha green chocolate tail and is tied up with a black and white polka-dot ribbon. Tres chic and unique.

Back at La Mere de Famille a huge rooster crows for Easter.

Mad decorations are not just for Parisian haute couture chocolatiers. This scruffy chicken adorns a humble boulangerie vitrine surrounded by abundant spring flowers and faux grass in the elite 7th arron.

Monoprix has a collection of chicken/bunny egg cups for the occasion under 5 euros.

Neither fish nor fowl, from a past Easter collection of Jean-Paul Hevin - a witty unforgettable image.

Gerard Mulot has big eggs of Valrhona Dulcy chocolate - a blond caramel-tasting version.

Nestled lattice milk chocolate eggs at Jean-Paul Hevin.
Did you know milk chocolate is much harder to create? To get the balance right takes a deft hand. I've come to prefer it over dark.

These eggs are waiting in the window to be taken home

They are not chocolate at all, but made of cheese (petits oeufs de Mimolette extra vieille et Tomme de Brebis) from the excellent affineur fromager Griffon. They are tied up with bows of raffia straw not colorful silk. 

Fromager Griffon, 23 bis avenue de la Motte Picquet.

The egg hunts have begun. Each Paris arrondissement has their own authorized egg hunt (chasse aux oeufs), usually held in a public park but you must reserve. 'Les enfants doivent etre accompagnes pendant toute la duree de l'evenment' What about adults who'd like to hunt some eggs? Must they bring a kiddie?

FYI* An important egg fact. Did you know almost all French 'filled' eggs have Praliné inside - A mix of finely ground almonds, and or hazelnuts plus sugar, cocoa butter. Do not expect strawberry or maple fillings!

Another eggy fact I discovered yesterday - Belgian chocolatier Leonidas fill their eggs with smaller eggs.
No seafood-shaped fritures. Perhaps France is the only country to put chocolate fish inside? If you know more do tell.

I passed this drawing in a gallery window today by artist Jean-Jacques Loup of traditional French bells delivering Easter eggs.
If you  haven't heard David Sedaris' version of
“The rabbit of Easter. He bring of the chocolate.”
Do give a listen.
Thank you dear anonymous PBer of Hobart, WA who kindly sent me a Spork! She must have seen my comment of never leaving home without a spoon. Now I'm set for all occasions.
BIG MERCI et Joyeues Paques PBers!!

Parting Shots...

Here's a few parting shots of goodies I'd like to possibly buy, paint and or taste..

These macs at La Grande Epicerie -

well the brilliant colors turned me off initially, but I'm feeling more accepting.

Especially since next Saturday I'll be taking a 3-hour macaron class

at Ecole LENOTRE!

This green Lego gateau of Dalloyau on the left has always fascinated me.

Time to belly up to the bar and try it.
Will it taste like a real Lego?

Qui sait ?

Orange chocolate bars at La Mere de Famille...

Hmmm...

Well if you're a foodie expert you've got to be ready

to taste cow's whatsits and dog's tail.
Hey, not this foodie expert!
But orange chocolate? I can give that a whirl.

As an early toaster of marshmallows over the pilot flame

when I was home alone,
this French version has me curious - Guimauve.

I won't be toasting any in my rented Paris apartment though...Tee-hee :)

This caught my eye at Lafayette Gourmet.

These lemon meringue I have no hesitation about!

Apple tarts from Poilane.
This window shot is for Asuncion in Spain!
Do I have to eat it too?

I can't eat EVERYTHING

I'll have to take a tanker home :(

Caramels from La Mere de Famille...
YUMMERS
I'm going to sign on for a cooking class called,
Caramel Délicieux at Atelier des Sens

tout a suite!
I'll get to make MACARONS caramel au beurre salé! YAYOh and I'm paying a call on Gerard Mulot's kitchen with Meeting the French!

Last but not least...
This yaourt "macaron" has me very curious.All part of research...

Bon Appetite :)

La Mere de Famille

This morning Mad About Macarons Jill sent me an email expressing expasperation with a very French,
"Ouuuuf !"
This page is from the brilliant, L'ABC des onomatopees par Bruno Gibert.

 

 I remembered I've not shown you any Parisian oeufs for Paques/Easter.

 La Mere de Famille on rue Cler, is one of my favorite chocolate shops but it's closed on Sundays (at 8am).

 Still the windows were full of delightful ouuuf/oeuf/eggy creations.

 Liqueur-filled little eggs as well as chocolate-filled eggs.

 Candy eggs sitting realistically atop a stack of hay gave a barnyardy feel to the window.

Unrealistically French lapin/rabbits think nothing of laying bird's eggs if they're chocolat.

 Quite simple eggs strung together for a decorative effect like xmas lights.

 Your classic foil-wrapped assorted chocolate eggs.

 A touch of whimsey - is it a chicken or an egg? It's both and sitting in an eggcup no less.

 When I returned from my early Sunday morning stroll French Girl was up and making breakfast.Her cashmere sweater is by Hector et Lola.com

 Was she making une omelette?

Pas de tout.

She was making a classic bacon and eggs once-a-week Dimanche petit dejeuner.

A possible Jean-Babtiste Chardin painting in the making no?