Croissant 🥐 Stamp Letter

I’m Giving Thanks today because I finished ✔️ the Paris Letter 💌

Was it Kirra who asked if I would be doing a croissant 🥐 stamp Paris letter?

Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Notre Dame

 

Susan B. wrote and asked, “ I wonder if there’s an illustration of Notre Dame in your future?” At first I said no 😬…but after a bit my arm was twisted 🥰

When I went out my door 🚪 yesterday at 11:30 🕦 am, everyone was tearing up my street, dogs 🐕 & all, headed for NOTRE DAME of course 😳

PastryParis by Susan Hochbaum

There's nothing like browsing old Paris pics to get in a certain frame of mind.

Especially when you're supposed to be drawing Place Vendome + gems + perfume bottles etc.

I've yet to ride a Bateau Mouche although I watched Audrey Hepburn ride with Cary Grant in Charade the other day.

Here's a bateaux that will make you want to dream.

Christophe Michalak's Tarte au Citron Meringuee by Susan Hochbaum,

from Susan Hochbaum's new PastryParis gift book.

Susan juxtaposes Paris' luscious pastries, often in onsite settings, in a whimsical way that reflects their design, colors, ingenuity.

Bear and myself have been tussling over who is going to get their paws on Susan's book.

Bear, being the true Parisian, won.

Visual wit abounds. Look at the sublime repetition of forms in the Laurent Duchene's minty mousse dome sitting on a layer of strawberry jam amidst raspberry coulis whilst facing the Pont Neuf.

Pierre Herme's macarons sit by the Saint-Sulpice fountain, just a stones throw from his shop on 72, rue Bonaparte. Clever of Herme to put his patisserie by a park full of benches for hungry shoppers.

'Bear stop hoarding PastryParis!'

You can meet Susan at WH Smith in Paris 20 October, 7 PM.

Be sure to RSVP.
There will be a pastry tasting and champers

I was gazing so intently at Susan's Napoleon/croissant hat, I had to run out of the house and find something to pop in my mouth. Now I know how you feel when visual temptation calls.

I'm lucky a shop nearby carries Balthazar almond croissants. This is what happens to the day-old croissant. They're filled with almond paste, smothered in toasted almonds and squashed down. They look a bit sat on...Still it taste darn good after drooling over Susan's pictures.

Susan's book will be out on October 11. Mark your calendars and have pastry on hand for heavens sake!

BONJOUR PastryParis!

Bonjour Croissants

Les Croissants Pur Beurre, watercolor, 9" x 11" Yesterday we ventured into the land of tartes and pate sucree. Today, fasten your seatbelts as we tear through the lush golden anatomy of the French croissant and pate feuilletee.Is it pâte brisée? I'm crazy for L'atelier des Chefs' fierce pastry instructor - I can watch him torture that pastry endlessly whatever it's name is...
Thanks to Merisi, I now have a special knife and can cut paper-thin slices of the golden croissant...
So much better to just munch a small bite and have a flat tum like these beauties..
If only I had a portable battery-operated knife to take to Paris, then I could eat a thin sliver of the richest pastries and not think twice about it.

It would fit into a Boulangerie bag.

On verra bien.

Yellow bird and Ladybug are thrilled with the new electric knife - so many petite morceaux du croissant/crumbs to devour.

BONJOUR WEEK-END!

'Little Paris' in London

Piles of Frenchie croissants right in S. Ken SW3

'Little Paris' in London. Bute Street off the Brompton road. Full of cafes, charcuteries, boucheries, papeteries, French book stores. You'll hear lots of French spoken and see French kiddies with their au pairs, mainly because the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle is nearby... You think you're in London. You took the Eurostar from Paris.
But in fact you're in 'Little Paris' - well that's what I call it...

Clafoutis at PAUL Boulangerie, 9" x 11"

There's a PAUL cafe just outside South Ken' Station where Frenchies and wannabe Frenchies grab a croissant and a demi...

Bute Street on Saturdays becomes a weekly marche loaded with French goodies..

Coq au vin...boef with vin rouge...you name it

True, the Frenchies will break down and don their English wellies if it's raining...

On the week-end they head to cafe Aubaine further down at 260 -262 Brompton Road for 'le brunch' If you are not dressed appropriately "Frenchie' forget about going...

Bien sur there are menu ardoise/blackboards with stacks of baguettes...

And bien sur there are MACARONS!! After all...

I had chocolat chaud, a croissant and multi-pots of very British jam. Was there a choice?

BONJOUR LITTLE PARIS!

Bear's last day in Paris

BEAR sends you a last bisous/kiss from Paris. It's been such a lovely trip. The weather co-operated perfectly - plein de soleil. BEAR did not ride a Velib - too busy running. BEAR did go to a FAB croissant tasting at Amy's, who didn't know she live in a 'chambre de bonne' once a maid's room. Amy fell in love with all the gorgeous views of Paris.

As one is inclined to do if one lives on the 6th floor up in Paris.

Ah ze croissant tasting.Miam-miam!

BEAR was in 7th heaven on the 6th floor.

Carol was in 7th heaven with all the pate de tartiner spreads (caramel au beurre sale, cocoa-honey, noisette, bla bla bla ) she brought along to put on those croissants. Carol forgot to take serious notes in her ummm state of spread-ecstacy.

Off to meet ex-pat gallerist Grace in Montmartre of galerie Chez Grace.

Grace took BEAR to Cafe des 2 Moulins - Amelie's cafe from the adorable movie on rue Lepic - YUM!

BEAR had quite a full day of eating on Saturday, that ended with a divine home-cooked dinner and delicious cabernet franc from Chateau du Petit Thouars.

MON DIEU

Our Sunday flight was at 7 PM (19:10) so we killed time in W.H.Smith admiring bear stickers.

And jam stickers.

A last later run to the Raspail Bio marche.

For pommes to eat on the plane.

And a gift for our kind hostess, who dreams of eclair seame noir from Sadaharu Aoki

The curtain was coming down on Paris pastries for BEAR- it usually does by 2 pm on Sundays in Paris.

At Charles de Gaulle, BEAR cleverly grabbed a salade verte before boarding. AirFrance meals are not what they once were. A bit of browsing in the dutyfree is a must.

Especially Eiffel Towers...

BEAR as usual, checks out all the bears - Fauchon Bears are awfully appealing.

After a smooth AF flight and lots of zzzzzs,

BEAR bids New York BONJOUR

et BONJOUR PBers!