Brunch at Hotel Fouquet Barriere

Among with the invasion of hamburgers, Sunday brunch has taken Paris by storm the last few years.

Coco (here demonstrating the ivy and laurel leaves climbing up Paris' original lamp posts in her neighborhood) invited me to join her and other bloggers at Hotel Fouquet's brand new Brunch service at the Barrière.

And I invited Bear. The Hotel is on 46 Avenue Georges V a few steps away from the Champs-Élysées 75008

Bear insisted on the grand tour before we brunched.

A splendidly landscaped terrace awaits if you're in the mood to eat out doors.

As do barbecue chefs wait to take your order...

And deliver it to you hot off the grill (I want to say 'barbie' for all Aussies out there)

Other chefs are waiting to make you fresh pancakes with bacon and syrup. Bear dived in.

I was saving myself for the Mediterranean feast in the other room. There are at least 3 buffets if not more.

First asparagus of the season !

Artichokes in France are the best. I love the extra long stems.

A Lebanese feast was calling my name. I have to buy fresh Tabouleh and humus at Bastille marché every week. I'm addicted.

All kinds of cooked meats and Morel mushrooms!

My plate. I tried not to totally make a fool of myself but...

Bear did make a fool of himself over the raspberry fool.

Bear's dessert 🍮 plate.

I was admiring this gorgeous cake, but one doesn't like to take the first slice and ruin the symmetry does one? So I abstained from dessert believe it or not.

Chef Charles Ducrazet and his team created this fabulous giant chocolate egg-birdhouse.

Here are some other intriguing chocolate eggs around town: Puyricard went all out with a gold-leafed giant egg (how many kilos is this one is?) with a Pont Neuf landscape etched into it.

Dalloyau had an egg-like white chocolate gateau in their windows yesterday filled with fresh strawberries.

I'm still in love with Dalloyau's giant strawberry, carrot and Spring pea eggs but I made do with their mini eggs filled with raspberry and apricot. Heartbreaking the choices one has to make...

Mad for this witty chocolate cloche/bell of Alain Ducasse placed under a bell jar. All at the new Ducasse chocolate shop recently opened in the 6th, 26, rue St. Benoit a step away from Café Flore.

These eggs are NOT filled with little chocolate fish/friture. Instead they are called 'feuilleté' and have different layers of dark chocolate, feuillantine and praline - very unusual indeed.

Post-brunch Bear and I wished we'd run the Paris Marathon earlier but instead ambled down the Champs-Élysées and through the Tuilleries almost all the way home. Still I'd jump at the chance of another Sunday brunch at Hotel Fouquet Barrière.

Viola

Last week I was invited to a bloggers brunch preview at Viola.

80 rue Lemercier 75017

Viola is an Italian bistro in the Batignolle area.It was the first time I'd eaten Italian food since moving to Paris.

I'd forgotten how deliciously satisfying it is...

When I moved into my new place the proprietor proudly showed me the combo microwave (in lieu of an oven - supposedly it grills and nukes but does neither one very well) and he said to me,

"You can make pizza in this!"

Inwardly I sniffed...I don't make pizza. 

Tarte tatin yes. Pizza no!

After eating this heavenly hunk of lush lasagna I'm not so sure...

If you have been to Italy, you will instantly recognize this as 'Macedonia di fruita'.

Just the best fruit salad IN THE WORLD!

If you have not been to Italy, it's worth going just for the macedonia. 

Forget the Leaning Tower of Pisa and  Sistine Chapel. THIS is it!

 

Of course all the bloggers were shooting up a storm...

I was enthralled by the adorable cups and saucers.

It turns out the bistro's owner, Charles Teboul, a Roman, is using only cups and saucers that belonged to his Mama.

Her name of course is Viola, also the name of the bistro. 

Do go for an exceptional weekend brunch.

You won't be disappointed and it will be a refreshing change from quiche Lorraine for goodness sake!

Speaking of having brunch, this morning I decided to indulge at the new Hugo and Victor tea salon in Printemps.

With a stack of subscription envelopes waiting to be addressed it seemed only fitting to do it in an elegant environment non?

I must share a few secrets about La Poste with you dear PBers.

Horrors! 

Did you know France, with all it's marvelous advancements, still does not have self-stick/autocollant stamps?

Yes it's true sadly. And they provide you with an old sponge thing that belongs in the flea marché in my opinion. Then the stamps do not stick very well. What's more and this is VITAL INFORMATION for all travelers to France, if you dream of sending home letters/post cards with gorgeous stamps on it

FORGETABOUTIT!

There is just ONE very so-so looking stamp that has the correct amount of postage on it for overseas 20gr envelopes (.98€) the Marianne timbre. All the beautifully-designed stamps are for usage INSIDE France only. This is taking chauvinism to a new level if you ask me, which no one is. 

Yes, it's true you could buy a pretty stamp and then add to it the other homely stamps to reach the requisite .98€ but this is quite tiresome when you have lots to send out. 

And of rant. It's all part of choosing to live in a new country I suppose. One must accept. It isn't all Roquefort fromage. By the way there are still a few watercolor scraps waiting to go out with available monthly sketch subscriptions on Etsy dear PBers ;))

Bon WeekEnd a tous!

J'Adore Angelina

Sunday Brunch at Angelinas!

Does it get any better?

The dining room is quite oldie-worldie and grand. A few helpful dos and don'ts are in order.
Angelina kindly provides you with a special chair for your gorgeous FAB bag, so don't just leave it on the floor in the way of guests and waiters. There is usually reading material on offer in the front. Evidently reading a table is OK. Who knew?
Ralph Lauren is opening a big new boutique on boulevard St. Germain? The French adore Ralph Lauren! Who knew?

Please do not eat brunch with your coat on your lap and your bags on the floor. Pas bien élevé.
Voila Bear inspects the bread and buerre (Renee Richard) and is best pleased. I have the saumon fume and blini. And French Girl has eggs benedict.
The verdict? 👍 Another "do"- get to Angelina around 10ish and you won't have to wait on line. Have you noticed Paris is constantly doing reparations/restoration and repairs where ever you look? Here building bricks of mille feuille. They do it so often, they've become masters at artful cover-ups with lovely signs and imaginative walls, sometimes more interesting than the final redo. J'adore this giant cream puff thing at Angelina. I would love this on my kitchen wall.There are other options if the line is prohibitively long, like the temporary pastry counter offering loads of goodies for emporter/take-away. Try their famous chocolat chaud in a paper cup. Or newly bottled for drinking later. A mini macaron in Mont Blanc flavor to go with your hot chocolate? Or the real thing.
French Girl says, "Le Mont Blanc, j'adore!!!!
To quote, Paris Patisseries:History Shops Recipes,
"the Mont Blanc was invented by owner Austrian confectioner, Antoine Rumplemeyer. He founded Angelina in 1903 and the recipe has not changed to this day."
Don't climb Mont Blanc hoping to find this treat at the peak.
FVI: a Mont Blanc consists of a merinque base, a chantilly filling and a topping of vanilla-flavored piped chestnut cream.
I’m Carol Gillott, an artist living in Paris. Every month I send out beautifully illustrated letters that capture the true Parisian experience. 

Receive whimsical treasures in yr mail.

Thanks for reading PB ❤️

FVI: a Mont Blanc consists of a merinque base, a chantilly filling and a topping of vanilla-flavored piped chestnut cream.

Enjoy your holiday week-end at Angelinas or where ever.

BONJOUR ANGELINA!