Paris Green again

Dalloyau has always loved Poisonous Paris green,
It makes their boxes look so clean,
Even if, a bit like a pea green string bean.

Dalloyau is pronounced doll-why-oh.
This green landing pad is their gateau,
One wonders when it will glow?

Cacao et Chocolat
Is not afraid to stray
Into poisonous Paris green territory.
Their Aztec chocolates tell the story.

It could well be
This Matcha tea
Is responsible for this green obsession.

Certainly Japanese
Don't think twice
Making Matcha green tea into confection.

Though it is unstable.
They simply insist upon
Putting it on their table.

Merci, Anonymouse...

FYI, None of the above foods or objects contains poisonous Paris Green. On Paris Green: was Cezanne's favorite. The pigment was used heavily by other artists, Van Gogh and Monet. Cezanne developed severe diabetes, a symptom of chronic arsenic poisoning. Monet's blindness and Van Gogh's neurological disorders could be related to their use of Emerald Green + lead pigments, mercury-based Vermilion, and solvents such as turpentine.

Paris can't resist poisonous green.

Homage To A French Egg

Cafe Flore's Oeuf A La Coque, Watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

Why is it only the French understand so well,
That a plain, simple egg can really be quite swell?

Nothings too good for the French egg.
Diners have been known to beg...
They'd rather eat a French egg than a chicken leg...

Decked out in caviar and truffles,
All that's missing are the white ruffles..

Many a book is proud
To have a French egg grace its cover.

I've heard Parisien crowds shout out loud,
GIVE US THE BOOK with the French egg on it's cover!

Even the finest French cafes
Think nothing of having eggcups on display.
You may well find a French egg at the Musee D'Orsay!

Heavens, even Faberge
Created an array of golden eggs.

Sadly the American egg has been taken down a peg..
No such glories await the American egg.

Oh why is it only the French, who understand so well,
That a plain, simple egg can be filled even with caramel.

* Guest poster Annimouse to the rescue, while I'm under deadline here...

MERCI!

Ode To Caramel...

La Maison du Chocolat's Caramels, 9" x 11 1/2"

Caramels in France are tres belle
For me, they are an easy sell.

Though I can resist, it's hard to qwell,
The urge to merge with a car-a-mel.

On caramels I can endlessly dwell.
And C-A-R-A-M-E-L is not hard to spell.

Cara means dear (in Italian)
And mel:melt, melting, mellow,melifluous...

Life without caramels...

Would be Hell-ow!

Guest blogger today, Ms. Anonymouse, made a request - to write a poem on her favorite sweet, French caramels.

I could not say no...

A Fun Shout-Out !

A fun shout out from Rita Konig on Domino magazine Blog.
Rita writes sophisticated, amusing books full of ideas to brighten up your daily existence.
Take a look.

Even More Tarte au Citron...

I'm completely tarted out this week...

As I'm sure you are.

But here are some pics of what I had to wade through to run this contest...

I suppose I'll have to do this all over again next Paris trip...

Torture huh?

Can life get tougher than this?

More Tarte au Citron

Tarte Citron au Citron, 9" x 11 1/2"

And without further ado the winner of the best tarte au citron in Paris is none other than PIERRE HERME!

This was a surprise for me. I thought Gerard Mulot hands down would be the bestest, with his simple, direct, flat lake of a tarte.

I was convinced you should not desecrate a citron tarte's smooth surface. Boy was I wrong. These generous pieces of lemon zest in Pierre Herme's tarte are NOT candied, but pleasantly tart. In fact this tarte was the tartest of all the the Parisien tarts. And the most lemony. Pierre Herme titles his tarte, "TARTE CITRON AU CITRON" with good reason.

tarte au Citron,watercolor on Etsy, 9" x 11"

Many of the tarts were just too damn sweet even if pretty... Where was the lemon? Quite a few tasted too much of the lemon curd jar? Some had almost no lemony taste at all!? This was a shocker

Here the results of Gerard Mulot vs. Pierre Herme (on the right)A picture speaks a thousand words.

 

BUT the tarte au citron contest is not over.Talk about pastry geometry - look at this squared lemon tart at Fauchon's. I have more work in front of me. For other Tarte au Citron obsessed fools out there: Laura Mercier Tarte au Citron Body and Bath Collection

The Club Citron (even has a lemon diet, loads of lemon photos and of course a recipe

Bonne Journee du Citron!!

Paris Hearts Tarte au Citron Yellow...

I'm going to take a wild guess here and state that there is probably not a single patisserie in all Paris that does not offer their own version of tarte au citron...

It's like breathing air. So it's a natural that this yellow should also be all over Paris as well, on even a magazine/stationary shop on rue Saint-Andre-Des-Arts...

Now this IS an actual patisserie (on rue de Rosier), so hands down the choice of exterior paint was easy...

Another yellow exterior on rue Saint-Andre-Des-Arts. Please let me know if there are any tarte au citron-colored buildings in your town. There are none in New York as far as I know...

These tarte au citron-colored roses on rue Saint-Andre-Des-Arts were irresistable...should they change this street's name to Yellow/ Jaune street/ rue?

I went back to rue Vavin to get a taste of this glossy disk, but the "Deli" had become a fancy mod snack shop. Ah, missed opportunities...
Lastly, the perfect expression of a tarte au citron can be found in your basic Paris cafe - so pristine and lovely!

I'll be back tomorrow with the results of my research into Quelle est la meilleure tarte au citron de Paris.

Nothing like a little anticipation to keep the interest piqued.

As EVA said...J'attends le résultat du test avec impatience !

Quel est le meilleur tarte citron de Paris ?

Paris' Citron Tartes, 9" x 11 1/2"

It was my mission last trip to seek out the best tarte citron in Paris.
 Couldn't I hold my own competition(cours)?

I'd complained previously about how the surface of a citron tart must be flat as a pancake. And it must not be desecrated w/ bits of zest and other drifting paraphrenalia.

I decided to leave the door open to all entries this go-round.
No restrictions required! Since I was to be chief judge and jury, I felt it only fair to be open-minded to all comers.

So wherever I went I gathered research, mostly photos for further study.In some cases the actual tarte citron was acquired...

Here's a list of the contestents who made it ringside at my hotel:Carton
Gerard Mulot
Le Delice
Pain se Sucre
Pierre Herme
Sadaharu AokiThe results of this arduous endeavor to come later this week!

P.S.Here's a fun video (merci Chocolate & Zucchini) of Le Figaro experts tasting Paris' croissants.

P.S.S. For other aspiring Paris missionaries there's a terrific list of the best patisseries in each arrondissement fresh out on US stands of ELLE A TABLE. It's the December issue FYI !

Gerard Mulot's Pink Lunchbox...

Gerard Mulot's Pink Box, original watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

It's not everyday you get a top Parisien pastry chef reading

your blog!

Back in September I complained bitterly of a divine dessert getting smooshed because it was boxed badly. But LOOK! Here is the new lunchbox-style pastry box, the excellent Gerard Mulot (pronounced J-rard Moo-Low) has come up with!?

The old pink box was damn pretty too. But things had a way of traveling around inside that particular pink box enroute to your hotel room and ending up in critical condition :(

Here the sadly smooshed Mulot chocolate thingie. Many commented they wouldn't mind eating it anyway. But for still life painting, "that pony don't ride" to quote a certain infamous Dr...

Because I generally depart New York on Sundays and arrive Monday morning in Paris, it's important to know that Gerard Mulot is one of the few top patisseries open on Mondays. And at 6:30 am!

What else would make the perfect breakfast in Paris than a tarte Citron?

Here is the tarte, safe and sound back in my hotel room and totally intact too! Now to get out my diving gear and plunge into this lemony pool. More on tarte Citrons later...

Merci M. Mulot