Galette du Coeur 2014, les Feves

On Saturday the 4th, an annual special event, the 9th edition of the Galette du Coeur took place outside at place Saint-Germain-des-Prés. A grand sale of 400 galette des roi donated by top Paris pastry chefs, members of Disciples Escoffier. All funds donated to Association des POIC. 

Tomorrow is the celebration of Epiphanie. Time to dive into the traditional buttery gateau and hope to land the little feve/favor inside without breaking a tooth.

The annual sale is sponsored by l’Association des Disciples Escoffier.
 

A slew of top chefs and patisseries were on hand donating their best galettes: le Moulin de la Vierge, Potel et Chabot, Hélène Darroze, la Grande Epicerie, Saint Clair le Traiteur, Pierre Hermé, la Maison Kayser, le George V, Michel Rostang, les Bistronome, Poilâne, le Plaza Athénée, Thierry Burlot, Bakery, William Ledeuil, la pâtisserie Jean Millet, la Closerie des Lilas et Clerardin.
 

It was a fun scene.
 

The unusual galette in the middle is from Guy Savoy, pralinée.
 

A donut-shaped gateau topped with nougat from the Intercontinental.

A huge galette for everyone to taste.
 

A slice was a mere 2€.
 

Kiddies got free tastes but it's all for a good cause.
 

Canal Gourmandises reporter Christophe Devé interviews Escoiffier  president Jean-Pierre Biffi.

All the chefs get to chow down on breakfast of paté, huitres et Burgundy. The event went on from 9 am till noon.
 

Then a quick waltz around the 6th to view the other galettes on offer. Pierre Hermé was just about to open at 10 am.
 

Hermé's galettes are filled with riz de lait et caramel.

On rue de Seine Arnaud Larher has candied almonds inside.
 

Pastry chef Gerard Mulot himself is checking his windows.
 

Mulot's golden feves/favors are an homage to balloon inventer Mongolfière.

Petty mini pastry feves from Hugo et Victor.

For the horsey set from Frederic Cassel Fountainebleu. Collectors of feves are called 'fabophiles'. All limited editions never to be seen again. 

My local boulangerie Au 140 had a set of 12 bakers baking. Tomorrow's the day to get your galette and celebrate!
 

F comme Fraisier

I've been working on my fraises/strawberries all week = an ongoing WIP/work in progress
 

The French Gariguettes in the marché go for about 5€ a 500 gr box (or 1 pound) and these babies are BIG and SWEET!

Honestly some are almost the size of a small pomme/apple. Eat two and you're full. No need to store them in the fridge either. They'll last for a few days too.
 

With the bounty of berries, gâteaux Fraisiers show up in all Parisian patisseries like crazy.
 

Louis XIV sent off to South America Amedee Francois Frezier, a French military engineer, mathematician, spy, explorer who is best remembered for bringing back 5 varieties of strawberries.

True there are now at least 600 kinds of berries to put in your tarte/gateau.
 

But what's with the red Vichy checkerboard on top? De rigeur for most Fraisiers and very pretty but I'd love to know the whys and where for...

Yesterday, Ascention Day in France and a major holiday was not the day to go looking for a good fraisier.

It was slim pickings all around but I made do. By the way, it must be genetic how the French can wrap up these delicate cakes in a bit of paper and Scotch tape and they arrive home completely intact. Don't even think of requesting a box in some small patisseries either. HA!

Intact yes. Inspiring? Non...

Today was different. We waltzed into L'Éclair de Genie (we wanted to see the stone cave/labo downstairs where the workers create 1,500 eclairs each weekend). We fell hard for the fraisier éclair in a big way. Absolutely fabulous so a definite candidate for an OFD entry. 

What to wear whilst eating your Fraisier gâteau? A strawberry pink dress of course.

Plus the essential jeans jacket bien sur.
 

And do sit on a complimentary green cafe chaise/chair while you're at it?

Happy Mom's Day All!

Paris Pastry Lecon

Angelina's glorious pastries.

A little pastry lesson/lecon today in comparative analysis... You will not be graded but the first two pictures are from Angelina. These are from a patisserie ordinaire.
Can you spot the difference?

Back to the finesse of Angelina.

Mille Feuille de Angelina...

Lovely domes and cones at patisserie Gerard Mulot.

More domes and tartelettes.

Gerard Mulot's fraisier.

You pick out what you want at Gerard Mulot and they give you a ticket (pronounced tick-ay)

Then head back to the caisse/cash register and get on line, same as in Italy.

 To pay and get your ticket stamped.

And head back to pick up your goodie. They have a corner seat by the window if you want to eat sur place/on sight.

Non-Gerard Mulot pastries are lacking in sheen, perfection

Wouldn't you say?

True they do cost a less, but is it worth it?

I say NON.Some of Dalloyau's glossy beauties.

 A hound hunts for crumbs at Galerie Lafayette-Dalloyau.
For those of you gluten-free: a Paris bouquet. It will last longer than Paris pastries.

BONJOUR PARIS PASTRY!