Thé, Café ou Chocolat, Tea Forté, Hotel Costes

Last month on a rainy afternoon I popped into the exhibit, THÉ, CAFÉ OU CHOCOLAT

At the musee Cognacq-Jay in the Marais 8, rue Elezivir 75004

Always dependable for intimate, informing exhibits

Beautifully presented and rarely overcrowded.

If you love fine Sevres or Meissen china or tea, coffee, or hot chocolate you'll be delighted.

Exquisite drawings of the earliest cups and tea pots. Loads of history on these exotic drinks we now take so for granted as a daily essential.

A perfect Chardin still life to remind you how precious the bean once was in the 18th century.

Quite the elegant pastime drinking tea and coffee once were

Though perhaps not here. Drinking coffee from the saucer? Pas bon bien sur.

Artist LOUIS CARMONTELLE's watercolor graces the exhibit poster. Famous for painting portraits (6,000 portrait of which over 480 reside at Chantilly) in two hours or less of the renown of his day, even Mozart at the piano was captured. A witty and astute eye.

Naturally I flipped for the craftsman cross-sectional diagrams of teapots

And teacups. Exquisite no?

Such a perfect cup to sip fine tea from...

Pretty tea cups at Hotel Costes on 329 rue Saint Honoré 

The setting is lovely and airy in an open courtyard.

Speaking of exquisite, have you tried TEA FORTÉ? Vanilla Pear, Lemon Lavender, Orange Jasmine from their new Lotus group. The names are enough to get you dreaming. I was given a box to taste. The design is perfection with a tiny green leaf attached to a silken pyramid. They are in fact American but suit the French to a T... Do try.

My berry trifle at Costes 

Cost the same as this bouquet of roses from marché President Wilson.

Though no where near as luxe as Dani Costes Roses.

Luxe is the word for Costes if you're into deep Burgundy velvet

And low lighting.

The Cognacq-Jay exhibit is on till September 27.

If you can't make it, get THE FREE APP and a French leçon to boot in the spoken descriptions.

You will never look at your coffee or tea in the same way je te promets.

Afternoon Tea at the Peninsula Paris

I'm late, I'm late

For a very important date.When am I not late?

Solli and I start our grand tour of the newly renovated Peninsula Hotel at the top. Spectacular views.

The bar Le Kleber, was once the site of the signing a treaty - The Paris Peace Accords, negotiated by Henry Kissinger and bringing the Vietnam War to a close, was signed in 1973 in the salon. And in 1928, George Gershwin wrote "An American in Paris' while staying at the hotel. 

We did not get to dive into the pool pre-tea. Why not?

I once stayed at the luxurious Hong Kong Peninsula for an entire month when I worked on 7th Avenue in fashion. The white-suited bellhops haven't changed.

Back then they would send a Silver Arrow Rolls Royce to pick you up at the airport. What a dream…

We take tea outside on Le Kleber terrasse. Always Champers to start at a French tea. I don't think it's the same for English cream teas?

One English cream tea and one French please.

The triple decker trays arrive with precise instructions - what to eat 1st, 2nd, 3rd.

Why didn't I get Solli's jasmine iced tea?

English tea sandwiches - light and delicate for a hot Summer day..

Are these the French or English desserts? I need a cheat sheet with diagrams included.These are all miniatures by the way. Just 2 bites and they're gone. We had to share too.

Don't miss Solli's beautiful post on our afternoon tea together at The Peninsula!!

Mamie Gateaux Tea

When you see a tarte au citron at PB (ParisBreakfast) you know it's Afternoon tea time.

And now for something completely different.

This is not your gloriously deluxe hotel tea salon.

Au contrary.

Mamie Gateaux (grannies cake) is a darling place in the 6th that reeks of les French grandes meres at 66, rue du Cherche-Midi 75006

With the best of home-baked (fait maison) goodies. Lemon meringue pie! Wooee.

Le cheesecake. How Parisians love this.

Le British crumble is a standard items on Paris menus. 

No cupcakes, whoopie pies or macarons in sight. YAY

Our darling waitress.

Did I say PBer Sue of Portland, Oregon invited me to tea? We both thought our adorable waitress

Stepped right out of Vermeer's Girl with a pearl earring.  She was tickled pink.

All the staff at Mamie Gateaux are attractive and attentive.

And whirling dervishes most of the time to keep everyone happy. This place is buzzing on a Saturday afternoon.

The prices won't break your bank account.

Sue had a 'tea Gourmand' - a variety of bite-sized delicious desserts. And my lemon pie. Course I was not planning on eating dessert and announced it soon as we sat down. So much for best-laid plans ho hum.

Mamie Gateaux pastry chef loves the witty touch like a cookie fork. Sue's chocolate mouuse had a cookie spoon.

The shop is part-brocante as well as salon de the and sells the old style crockery and vintage books.

All the kids back-to-school books are a hoot.

I contained my drooling since a French vintage ABC was waiting for me at home. The next time I visit (soon I hope) I'll bring along my own stash of fresh mint to put in my glass of Perrier. Otherwise this is an adorable place for a rendezvous. Not to be missed.