Cafe Pavane with Jill Colonna

 

Have you been looking for a cosy, friendly tea salon in Paris?

Not one of those wildly extravagant afternoon hotel affairs

Jean-Paul Hevin Chocolate Bar(re)

I was looking through old watercolors for the Holiday Bazaar at The British School. I found this one painted in 2006 when I stayed on rue Vavin for 3 weeks. Jean-Paul Hevin's chocolate shop was down the street. It became a daily source for still life subject matter.

The chocolat framboise is still on the menu I'm happy to say.

Too many patisseries change their selection too often and old favorites disappear forever but not at Hevin.

Last night was the opening of J-P Hevin's 4th shop, CHOCOLATE BAR(RE) in the upper Marais at 42 rue de Bretagne 75003, with one door opening right into the Marché des Enfants Rouge! It's 25 meters in size which makes me think I could make my 21 meter studio into a watercolor shop perhaps..?

Looking through a glass darkly chocolate. These are Hevin's classic cigars of rolled cookie and chocolate ganache. Expect a witty take on many traditional sweets like his dusty (chocolate) potatoes (pomme de terre) seen above.

Wit aside, the quality of his chocolates are the best in Paris.

All this after eating Thanksgiving dinner too. My host was disappointed I didn't eat more. Shhhh...I was saving myself.

Chocolate lollipops cleverly boxed.

Bouché - an extra large chocolate that can substitute for eating lunch.

And of course beautiful macarons in many shades of chocolate. Last night's were made with Peruvian chocolate I think...

I took Solli along for more research.

We both loved the chocolat chaud served in specially designed corrugated cups. So chic!

Hot chocolate made on-the-spot

By patissiere Fabian, a 3-year veteran of JPH, who is also a fan of ParisBreakfasts!

I've bought these tubes for the witty packaging but in no time  the delicious contents were gone, gone, gone.

Hevin's signature colors are terrific. In a town with too many BROWN boxes of chocolates, Hevin adds an electric blue, almost Yves Klein blue, to brighten things up. Super chic.

His range of buche de Noel are enticing. This is what we would call a 'Baked Alaska' enrobed in meringue. Miam miam

This buche with the stamps (timbre) has my name on it. I've mailed out half the December Sketch Letters. Hooray!

Here a very happy Monsieur Hevin goofing around with a milk chocolate mustache. 

If you LOVE CHOCOLATE in any form Jean-Paul Hevin is a Must visit in Paris. And so chic. Don't forget to get one of his classy shopping bags by the way.

What I ate at Relais Desserts Noel 2013

Yesterday was the grand tasting of Christmas buche de Noel for 2013 by the Relais Desserts at Hotel Le Royal Monceau.

24 top pastry chefs of France offered a sneak preview of what's to come in December!
 

President of the Relais Desserts, Frederic Cassel, Fontainebleau was of course onboard to greet and meet.
 

His buche de Noel 'Etienne le Renne' is full of hazelnut and pistachio ice cream...miam
 

Arnaud Larher's 'Buche Louise' is a cheese cake inside with passion fruit and a strawberry coating.
 

'Del Lago' by Jean-Philippe Darcis of Bruxelles is...crunchy hazelnuts, cocoa from Del Lago plus, plus.
 

I loved the concept of Joel Baud's 'Blanche Neige' (Snow White) with a squiggle of blood in the snow unless I'm mistaken - mousse of white chocolate, red currents, coulis of framboise.
 

Jean-Paul Hevin can be depended upon to surprise - a chocolate cage encasing dark chocolate and passion fruit - 'Best of Passion'

I loved the crazy textures of this buche though the chef preferred I shoot it from the side...

Another mad creation, this one by Dalloyau's Yann Brys called 'Blanc et Merveilles' with meringue and bergamot, milk chocolate of Madagascar and macaron crunch on the sides.

So pretty, Laurent Duchene's 'Forest Noir' looks appropriately like a sled and full of gelee de griottes plus cremeux chocolat noir.

Silhouettes! My favorite graphic, line Richard Seve's buche. Inside - chocolat gianduja and baba au rhum with yellow raisins.
 

This Mondrian looking buche is called 'Puits Rouge' by Jeff Oberweis of Luxemburg and full of red fruits.

Well it's impossible to show every Relais Desserts buche much as I'd like to...

But not to be missed Pierre Herme's witty take off on the original classic chocolate log was intensely chocolatey with mousse, ganache and biscuit macaron all chocolate all the way.

The gentleman behind the red buche is Herme's photographer, Laurent Fau, creator of all those lush photos in his books, newsletter and little brochures that come inside the macaron boxes. Don't forget that all the Relais Desserts pastry chefs generously participate in the annual charity event, Jour du Macaron, created by Pierre Herme.
 

You might well wonder how we got to taste all these delightful creations? I've been starving myself for weeks (unsuccessfully) in preparation for this event ticking off the days on the calendar.
 

The waiters took our orders and then returned with plates to taste.
 

Clever Frederic Cassel served his delish hazelnut ice cream in a little glass bowl, while the others were served up in slices. It would have been nice to have little flags identifying each but that's perhaps too much to ask...

My date, candy man, Georges Marques of Le Bonbon au Palais. Naturally we shared bites of this and that.
 

As did everyone else including these fashion editors.
 

Awards were handed out to the best pastry book of the year, the best chef (Christophe Michelek). Then we downed pink Champagne and savory snacks.

Last but not least exquisite mini Paris-Brests filled with pistachio cream and Ispahan creamy 'puffs' all designed from Hotel Royale Monceau. You can imagine I'm in major recovery today but well prepared for the coming Christmas season.

Big Merci to Relais Desserts!

Paris Paques Easter

 Every year chocolatier Jean-Paul Hevin consistently comes up with the most innovative twists on the traditional Easter chocolate eggs and chickens.
 

 Hevin's stupendous giant egg covered in tiny turtles was astonishing.
 

 His half eggs filled with smaller eggs, a heart and key are for romantic shoppers. Easter is not just for kids in Paris.

 Fauchon serves up champagne with a giant 'prestigious' egg - rather silly in my opinion.
 

 Very witty indeed these 'avocado' chocolate eggs from Des Gateaux et Du Pain.
 

 Chocolatier Jacque Genin does chocolate bunnies  that look like chickens that look like eggs...sort of.
 

 At Hugo et Victor an 'eco chic' bunny with green ears.
 

 La Grande Epicerie spots their bunnies and chickens with red stripes and dots.
 

Georges Larnicol is filled with enormous eggs 
 

 His poule/chickens are laying fried eggs for a change.

Where's the chocolate bacon?
 

Perhaps you would prefer not to focus on chocolate this holiday? 
 

 For mind over matter.

Certainment this chicken would like to avoid chocolat altogether.
POUIC POUIC!