Sirha Europain 2024

 

Yesterday I went to the big annual bread fair, Sirha Europain.

At Porte de Versailles, Halle 1

comme un petit sac

P comme un petit sac

You can walk into almost any shop in Paris and request just one of something:

One macaron

one caramel

one cupcake

No one will look down their nose at you. Giving yourself a little/petite treat/une peche mignon is OK. But often the vendeuse will respond to your request with what sounds a lot like, “Empty sac Madame?'

She's asking if you'd like a little sac/bag for your single treasure. The French are given to compressing words like an accordian so:

petit becomes p'tit or sounds just like T

So many times I've asked myself why is she asking me if I want an empty sac? C'est comme ça. 

And don't forget to ask for a sticker or two.

Un p'tit sticker is nice to put on your p'tit Molekine. The French are big on the word p'tit. For example p'tit dejeuner & les p'tits refers to kiddies.

Have you been to La Pistacherie? They have a BIG array of p'tit sacs starting at just 50 grams.

Their collection of pistachios from around the world could never be called p'tit! These are from Grec and semi-salted.

5, Place de l'Alma 75008

Henri Le Roux is known especially for his CBS - caramels au beurre sale

I died and went to heaven when I tasted a 'orange gingimbre' - not to be missed. Try one!

1 rue de Bourbon le Chateau 75006

I was curious about Christolphe Adams’ new eclair shop, L'Eclair de Genie in the Marais after seeing his pastries at SIRHA

I got his 'baguette' eclaire which comes already wrapped in a newspaper bag. The vendeuse proceeded to place it inside another sac, but I requested un p'tit boite instead. Inside was a thin plaque of milk chocolate sandwiched between 2 layers of chocolate-flavored whipped cream plus a layer of framboise jam on the bottom half. Unique.

14, rue Pavee 75004

It's easy to end up with a big collection of p'tit sacs in Paris.

What to do with them?

Hmmm...What French expressions do you know that begins with p'tit?