ODing on caviar on Monday was tough. Imagine ODing on CBS caramel au beurre sale for 3 weeks - this is OTT (over the top). But research 🔬 is required!
Assignment: paint this jar of tartiner caramel au beurre sale of Frederic Cassel. There are a number of rules to keep in mind when doing so.
1. It is not 'gourmand' to paint the jar with the lid ON.
Non non non. OK...
Non non non. OK...
2. It is preferable to paint the jar with just ONE tranche de baguette.
Oh 😦
3. It is l'interdit/forbidden to eat caramel au beurre salé with just a spoon (much less in 1 day!)
Uh oh :((
Since my painting subject matter has disaparu/gone gone gone I must find a replacement.
Not so easy in fact. The stuff I was happy with from Nantes now tastes too sweet and has the consistency of glue. Plus the color is wrong.
Nothing wrong with Jean-Paul Hevin's spread except le prix.
MOF Georges Larnicol's caramel (5,90€) is a too sugary for me but still riche & smooth. I'm feeling like Goldilocks
132, Bd Saint-Germain 75006
At visit to maître caramelier and creator of the temptress Caramel au beurre salé, MOF Henri le Roux on
1 rue de bourbon-le-Chateau 75006
I have a long chat with the lovely vendeuse. I'm complaining how tough it is to live in Paris because temptation is everywhere. Still I heard the 1st year is the worst. Then you adjust.
She tells me, "I am here THREE years and I'm tempted every day. My French-born husband says to me,
"You are NOT a tourist!
You are NOT a tourist!
You are NOT a tourist!"
We giggle.
Please try the new Fall caramel flavors at Henri Le Roux - Figue et Sesame Noire. I'm sure you'll get an extra caramel if you do.
I bought HLR's caramel au beurre salé (8€) The taste is absolute heaven. I wish he had a version WITHOUT the éclats/almonds chips. Nothing to do with nut allergies. I like my sauce smooooth. What about you? I sieved out the almonds I confess.
Back to painting caramel. What would I do without my little watercolor palette guide?
It's essential to taste in order to capture the true essence of caramel non?
A mini ange is added
Later a glop of caramel is added to the bread (which sat on my table for a week and still tasted wonderful). In about 15 days we can all OD at the Salon du Chocolat. Henri Le Roux will be there #D27. Frederic Cassel will be nearby at #D28, so comparison taste the caramel au beurre sales. MIAM
What a delicious assignment! All in the name of art, right? ;) I prefer creamy sauce (and peanut butter)...the single tranche is perfect, as they say to always accessorize in odd numbers. xx Katie
ReplyDeleteI just sampled my first salted caramel macaron..truth be told less than 1/2 of one..i am smapling..Jacques is eating..Delish..Your jars are so pretty with the writing..:)
ReplyDeleteAnd all your salted caramel colors as delicious as the real thing..Packaging surely plays a part in the price of the very $$ one..Pretty.
David Dewey's book as well as the palette book have been ordered and shipped:)
I wonder where nancy is right now?
maybe one day this week you will both be in the same place:)
I have that palette book and love it. Enjoyed all your watercolors and sample colors here, Carol. God, all that sweetness I can no longer do, and caramel is my favorite...eat some for me.
ReplyDeleteI am never eating it again!!!
DeleteEven the word caramel in ones mouth feels unctuous! Lovely blog today.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Ann
The golden glow of the caramel in your paintings here goes beyond the little palette guide & beyond the images in the photos, for me anyway.... Amazes me that your watercolors & Dewey's look so natural & spontaneous, but you show us that you work hard with exercises & studies...something for me to keep in mind...These watercolors for me are more delicious than eating caramel!
ReplyDeletePart of the exercise is eating A LOT of caramel to get the true essence of the color.
DeleteThis i know to be true.
You sieved out the almonds? Quel horreur! Oh, well, it is all good stuff---how can one go wrong with butter, salt and sugar? For me, it is more heavenly than chocolate. Love the caramel colors, too. Right on!
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm nuts I know ;))
DeleteCAROL-
ReplyDeleteThis is one of your greatest blog posts a classic...it has:
FANTASTIC PAINTINGS...so chic.
INSPIRATION.
IDEAS.
FUN.
IRONY
A VISIT TO A PARIS SWEET SHOP
TASTES
YOUR APARTMENT...'my little Paris kitchen' indeed
PAINTING IDEAS...I look at the way you paint caramel and the way you paint glass...and the way you paint lighting hitting a baguette...the sense of light on one edge...and am full of admiraiton. bravo to you DIANE
Thanks DDS!
DeleteDitto to Diane's post! just plain yum! Miam! Delicieuse!
ReplyDeleteI had the pleasure of bringing home one of those cute little jars from Georges Larnicol last October, and of course, after consuming the contents, wished I had brought home a case. Will be looking for more of this caramel concoction when I get back to Paris next year! Do love your watercolors, and look forward to all of your posts re the wonders of Paris.
ReplyDeleteI had to turn off the computer and go downstairs and eat some chocolate after reading today's post...
ReplyDeleteIf I gain back all the weight I've so slowly lost over the last two months, I'm blaming you (and by extension, Paris).
Hahaha
DeleteI wish I could of gone downstairs or anywhere to escape this elixor (sp)
I finally ran to the poubelle to get it out of the house. It kept saying,
MANGE MOI,!!!
One of my regrets from last trip is not buying a jar at Henri Le Roux. I visited his delightful shop on our last visit and the vendeuse was lovely then too. I do have an unopened jar of Pierre Marcolini in the cupboard that I'm saving for a desperate moment. We tried the Georges Larnicol too.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you can SAVE anything!?
DeleteIf only i was French...
You're killing me as caramel is my favorite - better than chocolate- and what I have at hand doesn't compare with your pictures & watercolors.
ReplyDeleteI saw the caramel coulis in La Fayette department store yesterday and thought I should buy one! Now, I will have to go back again....its tough. Great post.
ReplyDeleteOf course you sieved out the almonds! What is the point of totally unctuous luxurious creamy caramel if you have to knock against the nut chips? I'm with you all the way on this one!
ReplyDeleteSome pretty wonderful colors on your pages!
At last someone understands.
DeleteI am not alone on this!
I'm a member of the creamy caramel club.
DeleteI was hoping to be in Paris for the Salon du Chocolat this month,but must postpone trip to early Dec.I do love the Christmas excitement.Thanks for all of your research
I love your watercolors, Carol. Nice to see so many in a post.
ReplyDeleteCaramel is not for me, too sweet, but I love your photos of the jars and containers - nice composition!
What a great post! Your final watercolor is one of my favorites!!!! And, there isn't much better than really good caramel! I give you an A+ on this assignment :) Carolyn
ReplyDeleteYes it becomes too much like Chunky peanut butter for me
DeleteSo much chewing required
Not the experience I want with CBS ever ;(
You would think they would make something for those allergic to nuts...
All this looks so yummy/ You know I think I have a watercolor pallet books somewhere in this house I needto look for. Unless its for oils but that would be a good thing to have. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteOf course you had to eat all that CBS to make sure you got the colour right for your fantastic paintings. J'adore ' le petit ange.'
ReplyDeleteI'm still trying to aquire The Watercolor Painters Pocket Palette . Looks like 'a must have '
Barbara L
Your sketches and sketchbooks are delightful!!!
ReplyDeleteI love your paintings in this post, Carol. Just wonderful. And I can imagine the temptations are everywhere. I'm pretty darned sure I would succumb for decades to come!
ReplyDelete