Les Gourmandises de l’Automne

Fall, Autumn, l’Automne…whatever you want to call it, came in early October this year in Paris 

The fleuristes’ windows are full of it. This new shop, Studio Maison Ciero just opened near me. Their specialty - creations végétale.

Chocolate is BIG every l’Automne in Paris

This chocolate ‘leafy’🍁 gateau appears every Fall at Lenotre. It was created by the most revered of all French pastry chefs, Gaston Lenotre in 1968. A lovely alliance of meringue and creamy dark chocolate mousse. 

Lenotre never had cookies before but they do now like everyone else. 

Cookies are big literally and figuratively, with plenty of Autumn hazelnuts 🌰 These are from Fous De Patisserie. 

Alain Ducasse Biscuits jumped onto the cookie bandwagon trend. His cookies gluten-free. And maybe butter and sugar-free? Sorry, I found them taste-free.

A new addition in pastry Paris is Takumi, Japanese cheesecake at Pyramide. They make cheesecake right in the window. Huge buckets of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. I’m from Philly, so it warms the heart ❤️ But they only sell whole cheesecakes. No slices - individual slices are ‘messy’ they said. Takumi give out free sample slices of the ‘flavor of the day’. For sale - individual eclair-shaped pastries. I got Yuzu. Yummy

Another new Paris patisserie addition, Pages Blanches. I was just passing by. They will be at Salon du Chocolat opening tonight. Full report to come🍫

Impossible not to do a little research and taste their very lush Matcha flan. Extraordinaire! 

Flan is always a good idea in Paris in the Fall. Even if the Festival de Flan did not deliver to late-comers 😬 It took me a while to learn to love Flan - like quiche but slightly sweeter and very filling - a good lunch substitute. Poilâne was my favorite so far. This flan is from new HOT boulangerie Frappe Urbaine. 

Their OTT Paris Brest with Fall noisettes/hazelnuts🌰 is a must. 

Anything figue/fig = is a Fall must-eat. The lines at Frappe are a little daunting. And so is deciding what to buy. Their red quinoa seasonal salad with sun-dried tomatoes + pumpkin seeds was terrific. 

My no longer fav Fall restaurant, The Oyster Club. Good  moules and razor clams, but VERY rude 😟 

Paris fleuristes have delicious displays

Plenty of pumpkins/potiron

The pumpkins/citrouille at Patrick Roger are chocolate and edible (59€). Yes, Parisians celebrate Halloween 🎃 The French are famous for celebrating anything at the drop of a hat🥂🍾

Speaking of pumpkins/citrouille/potiron 

I fell hard for the pumpkin beanie hat on Arcimboldo Fall portraits at Louvre’s Les Choses exhibition. Please play Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Autumn) 🍁 now.

I’ve been grappling with Giuseppe Arcimboldo all week for the October🍁Paris Letter. The Louvre owns the Autumn painting. 

Last year’ Autumnal🍁Eiffel Tower was so much easier. 

Enfin,io finito! Voila - version #888 October Paris letter

We (1 chat, 2 oiseaux,1 escuriel and 1 pumpkinhead 🎃) are off to the printer👏🥂🍾🎉 I spotted this magpie last weekend and he/she made the cut.