Les Tarelettes aux Fraise, watercolor, 9" x 11"
I've had a rude awakening of late...
For years (at least 5) I've been walking around Paris, admiring, shooting, leche-vitrine and eating altogether way too many pastries...
Only to discovery I know ZIP about pastry making! Ouch 
And to add insult to injury...
I've been leaving the crusts on way too many tartes...
Like this Fauchon tarte au citron. SHAME on moi!
How did I make this alarming discovery? By browsing Japanese pastry books. It became crystal clear I don't know beans about pate sucree and pate brissee. What's more I will NEVER know if I don't eat the $#@! crust! How can one claim to KNOW pastry intimately if one does not eat the total affair? 
I'm ready to give up Japanese pastry books and head for French books or English. Your suggestions are most welcome.
Better yet should I head over to the French Culinary Institute for a crash course in the anatomy of a tartelette? 
BEAR, comme habitude, is way ahead of the game. He's studying more and eating less. Watch this video from L'atelier des Chefs to become better informed about what we put into our mouths. Pastry is serious business! It's not just about flannering around gazing into glorious patisseries vitrines! Mais non!
BONJOUR PATE SUCREE!
quelles horreurs! You are such a creton to not eat the crusts!
ReplyDeleteAre you nuts? The crusts, at least on good desserts, are often the best part. I just made a cheesecake for something at work, and people were licking the plate from the crust. Love your recent paintings--charming, Carol.
ReplyDeleteI AM a creton!
ReplyDeleteIt's too true.
But I am ready to change my horrid ways.
Henceforth I will eat every blessed crumb!
To Hell with bathing suits etc.
Pastry comes FIRST from here on it.
After all pastry = PATE in French!!
THANK YOU for your support :)
xxCarolg
Bonjour!
ReplyDeleteCrusts :) Yum :P
If you need a translation for Japanese text, I could help you!
I can't believe it, you not eating the crust! *sternlook*
ReplyDeleteSend Bear to me, I'll teach him how to make pastry crusts. He in turn then can teach you.
One does not have to eat the entire crust to enjoy and learn about it. All one needs is a bite or two. If I ate every morsel of every dessert that I have sampled in my lifetime, I would be in BIG trouble. Bravo on your restraint and beautiful artwork of the tarts.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point Sarabeth!
ReplyDeleteBut you know if the urge should arise there are many more lurking in your Bakery Kitchen.
In my case when a tarte is sitting in the fridge radiation temptation..
Well temptation usually wins out. That's why I avoided crusts.
Now I'm locked between a crumb and a crust..
Choices, choices...
Must have at least a couple bites of crust!
ReplyDeleteDo you ever plan to head to Japan to roam around their pastry shops?
The Wanderfull Traveler
canadianculinarytravel.blogspot.com
CAROL!!!!!!! The crusts are the best part! I once made a graham cracker crust and just ate it before I got to filling it - I've also bought frozen pastry crusts and spread them with butter, cinnamon and sugar and rolled them up into tiny little cinnamon rolls.
ReplyDeleteJUST FOR THE SAKE OF EATING THE CRUST!!!!!!
Hi there, or should I say Bonjour?
ReplyDeleteI love your blog and specially the watercolours. You make me want to go to Paris right now. I have already started to check my calendar to see when I can actually take a few days off and go - to Paris of course. thanks for sharing your delicacies in photo and paint and words.
Christa
from Germany
Thank you for all the delicious deserts you share with us :)
ReplyDeleteFear not as you are not alone. If I were worried about calories, I would too leave the crust behind. Leave it to BEAR to be 'on the ball'. He is looking a rather slim these days. Perhaps too much studying and not enough pastry tasting?
ReplyDeleteHave a magnificent, delicious weekend Carolg.
x Deb
Bonjour PB~
ReplyDeleteThese little sweets 'samplers' that you've been painting are just out of this world!!!
There are SO MANY wonderful patisserie to choose from.
Merci!!!!!
Ah! Bear is always one step ahead - he has that -je ne sais quoi - and regarding pate he has -savoir faire. Non non non!!! bear is no crumb.
ReplyDeleteWell THAT"S a relief! I thought that your "rude awakening" was diabetes.
ReplyDeleteCarol, you've made me smile with this confession re crusts. I'm sure that Bear helped you to made this grand step forward.
ReplyDeletePastry making is definitely an artful skill and with practice can be learned.
Perhaps not in our current NYC heat wave though. Temperature is very important.
xo
Carol, you've made me smile with this confession re crusts. I'm sure that Bear helped you to made this grand step forward.
ReplyDeletePastry making is definitely an artful skill and with practice can be learned.
Perhaps not in our current NYC heat wave though. Temperature is very important.
xo
The photos get better every day!
ReplyDeleteHungry as heck over here :)
Good to see BEAR is at work!
eep! not eating the crusts, some are definitely better than others.
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought you did RESEARCH! Well this one is easy, in fact there is an expert right in your part of the world. Go to Amazon to see Maury Rubin's Tarts cookbook and get the name of his bakery. I have made nearly every recipe for crust and his are all superior! So the bakery must do a great job, too. Go straight tothe Bakery. Do not pass Go. Do not receive $200.00!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Book-Tarts-Function-Flavor-Bakery/dp/068812254X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307671067&sr=1-1
OMG!
ReplyDeleteI KNOW Maury and I know his bakery from the day it opened.
LOVE his stuff - best chocolate cookies and best hot chocolate in NYC!
It was on PB here!
Bon idea Jeanette!
Dear Carol
ReplyDeleteEvery time I look at your blog, I remember the time that I went to Paris and did NOT eat any macarons or any other tartelettes. Well, shame on me!
J'adore le baking video de L'atelier des Chefs!
ReplyDeleteThe chef is like a mad general.
Terrifying! yet adorable.
If he told me to march off a cliff I would happily do it.
Trop serioux! :)
I took pastry classes at Ecole Ecoffier at the Paris Ritz it was fun and I took some here and in Ohio. I learned a lot and of course eating the results was yummy too!
ReplyDeleteHave a pink day!
Marie
this blog is absolutely inspirational! reminds me of my days in Paris... keep the beautiful posts coming!!! :)
ReplyDelete