Salon de la Patisserie 2018

Last Friday I went to the opening of the new SALON DE LA PATISSIERIE at Porte de versailles. Here's my haul of irresistable goodies + tons of envelope stuffers. I came home loaded.

This stunning tin i got for 5€ minus the macarons made by BRUNO LAFFARGUE.

I raided the Italian stand, AGRIMONTANA from the Piedmonte area. This wild, black cherry jam is seriously dangerous.

So was their panettone (the small one) long gone.

The absolute best chocolate in the world and a well-kept secret is Italian, DOMORI. Only selling 1-pound slabs of this amazing chocolate made from the best beans in the world, Venezuelan Criolla. I was chipping away at it, hourly and finally unloaded it on my guy at the copyshop. He will never eat bad chockie bars again. Ruined for life. This is a must-taste if you're lucky enough to come across it.

I deeply admired DALLOYAU's exquisite pastries like this cherry number.

And painted it later without tasting. You have to know your limits at these events.

The Salon was heaven for anyone who actually bakes.

Though there was plenty to keep snackers occupied.

Many, many free demos

And grand pastry chefs sharing their secrets.

Special small ateliers were offered by the Ritz, Fauchon, Valrhona chocolat and other top-drawer brands. Note the elegant Ritz chef in the background foraging in the fridge. They don't appear to eat do they...?

Have any of you tried this tumeric sirop? It looked so enticing color-wise and the packaging.

Meanwhile the rest of Paris was picnicking by the Seine. The ravaged grass yet to recover from our March floods didn't seem to make a bit of difference to Parisians, always happy to lounge outdoors and eat at the drop of a hat.

More picnicking in the adorable windows of toy shop, L'EPEE DE BOIS, near rue Mouffetard. I'm running back there soon as I finish painting a tiny enamel child's cup and saucer I fell in love with yesterday..more my cup of tea than cake molds truth be told, but if you love cake do plan to attend next year's SALON DE LA PATISSERIE by all means. 

My Letters, maps and cherries from Paris are on Etsy. 

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La Tete dans les Olives, Paris pique-nique letter, M. P. Samie

When I asked DAVID LEBOVITZ where he got the anchovies for his fabulous Pasta Puttanesca recipe. He said go to LA TETE DANS LES OLIVES, 2 rue du Coedic, 14e.Mission accomplished last Saturday. What a delightful epicerie! Pick out your Sicilian olive oil.

Taste everything in the shop. There's an open jar of whatever you like. Definitely try the crema de pistachio.

Every Monday the famous Sicilian lemons and other fresh vegetables are delivered. I figured while there why not get a bite?

The blackboard offered 5-6 different antipasti (7,50€). Idiot moi, I said, "I'll have the antipasti" forgetting to choose. I was thinking the lentil salad with tuna and pecorino sounded nice.

Instead I got capers, 2-3 kinds of eggplant and some other mysterious condiment, all tasting wonderful. Bread is home made on the premises. Its probably best to leave it up to the chef anyway.

I left La Tete dans les Olives with a 350 gram jar of anchovies that should make lots of David's pasta puttanescas. You don't have to refrigerate it - they're preserved in salt. Its too big for my tiny Frigo.

On the corner of rue du Couedic & Avenue du General Leclerc I had spotted a huge china shop.

Irresistible. 3 floors of goodies.

Et pas cher!

Naturally you think at these prices everything must be made in China. Not at all. M.P.Samie china is all made in Limoges. The red coffee cup said take me home. I did (2,50€).

A good way to get through chilly Paris winters is with a red-checked table cloth. The new red cup will help.

I was going to do Paris cheese shops for the June map

But on second thought that seemed silly.

Parisians love nothing better than to picnic by the Seine at the earliest opportunity. I see them out there daily.

First the thumbnail doodle. Second what do they eat?

By the way, if you're around, you can attend a grand pique-nique at Domaine Chantilly, June 23rd.

Voila! The June fruits of my labors. I recommend for your picnic the Brie de Melun from MOF fromager, Laurent Dubois. I'm off today to pique-nique in Aix-en-Provence at COTE SUD SALON VIVRE.

I’m Carol Gillott, an artist living in Paris. Every month I send out beautifully illustrated letters that capture the true Parisian experience. 

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Jardins, Jardin 2018

This was my second time at Jardins, Jardin, the annual horticultural 4-day May event in the Tuileries gardens

What a glorious day. What a glorious event. Plan to attend your next Paris trip in. May SVP.

Immerse yourself in garden decorations and projects like these clever sheds.

Everyone needs a greenhouse. Its supposed to be healthy to hang out with plants.

Hanging out in a bubble/bulle? Not sure that would suit me.

The creme de la creme of garden sheds. Put it on your terrasse. Plus a photographic Paris skyline including the Eiffel tower.

Not a shed, but a facsimile of Chanel's flower gardens in Grasse. A chance to enhale No. 5 and her other scents

Or buy some herbs for your window sill.

I wouldn't mind a divider wall of flower pots in my tiny chambre de bonne...

If you love watering cans too, please raise your hand

I don't know what this is but intriguing none the less.

Supermarche Franprix provided free tomates cerises and nectarines.

You could munch in the many pique-nique areas provided

Chairs supplied by French garden supplier giant, Truffaut.

You could feel the heat in the Tuileries after you left the cool enclave of JARDINS JARDIN.

I got lots of garden goodies to put in the June pique-nique Paris map and letter, once they are done.

I’m Carol Gillott, an artist living in Paris. Every month I send out beautifully illustrated letters that capture the true Parisian experience.  

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Thanks for reading PB ❤️

☕️ If you’d like to support my work, you can buy me a KO-FI here  ☕️  ❤️ Thank you so much!