Do you Love ❤️ French Butter?

 

Please tell me what food you love ❤️ from Paris

What do you dreaming of eating the minute you land in Paris? Petit Écolier? Dark or milk chocolate cookies?

Le Radis Fanatique

 

The French have a long history of deep attachment to le radis

It begins early, in the crib before they have teeth 🦷 

French Independence Day, Radishes

 

This morning at 7:32 I thought I heard the French Guarde Republicaine band playing & ran 🏃‍♂️ outside to catch them

But found just a lone runner…

Paris Saint-Valentin

This is the 'early' Paris Saint-Valentin report. Next week I should have more...

So what are you wishing for on the 14th?

Besides George...

Guerlain is promoting la Petite Robe Noir
 

On a brief waltz down rue du Bac 75007 quite a few places were ready for St.V day like the new Angelina.
 

They have a blowout special dinner with champagne and lobster at their rue de Rivoli shop. Or you can get this his and hers white chocolate and dark chocolate yin/yang gateau.
 

I fell hard for their piece monte made of simply madeleines. Elegant and maybe a year's supply..?
 

Dalloyau down the street has a special heart-shaped gateau called 'Red Kisses'.
 

But this framboise charlotte looked even more tempting.
 

Rose-colored glasses galore on rue du Bac.
 

The newish Pierre Marcolini is famous for their red framboise chocolate ganache heart candies.

You can buy a ton of them in this round box...

Or inside a red chocolate heart called 'Cache Coeur' hidden heart.

 

At the end of rue du Bac, La Grand Epicerie is lollypop Central. Their selection of sucette is endless.

 

Make your own mini chocolat moelleux hearts with this mold.

 

 And for Spot, a nice water bowl (probably a torte pan..?).

 

I lurve these gorgeous transparent red water bottles.

 

But pink champers from Fauchon is more appropriate I guess.

 

Fauchon's windows say, "French Art To Kiss" whatever that means. You tell me ;))

 

Les Fees Patissieres has a valentine for him or her with the traditional French daisy petals (unlike ours "he loves me, he loves me not). Theirs says "he loves me a little, he loves me madly, he loves me passionately".

 

My dream of a valentine would be this lobster heart from Fauchon. They offer it all year if you don't get the chance next week by the way.

 

But I'd be quite happy with a bouquet of French breakfast radi/radishes. KISS

 

Saint-Valentines in a beauty salon.

 

At top chocolatier Patrick Roger you never know what to expect. You tell me what's going on here. Kusmi Tea has a dreamy commercial of lovers underwater amidst swirling silk. Just beautiful! More to come next week.
And wifi is coming to chez moi TOMORROW! Yay

 

Salon International de la Poupée, SIMP, International Dollhouse Show,

Are you obsessed with dollhouse things? Who buys a miniature radish at a dollhouse show? 👋

Then you should have been at Espace Champeret today for the 1-day only Salon International de la Maison Poupee. 

Bear was insistent we go. After all there were 100 dealers from all over the world present. Including PBer Marie-Paule who made these exquisite woven straw bits and pieces.

Isn't it fun pretending Summer has arrived? Miam miam

So many miniature-smitten, obsessed visitors.

One obsessed visitor couldn't take her eyes off this jam jar cupboard.

Look! French cheese-making was going on onsite.

Brit craftswoman, Angie Scarr gives classes in Andalucia (where Summer has arrived by the way, a very good reason to go).

A perfect miniature of a patisserie tradionnelle with glass paintings.

Many amazingly detailed miniatures I've never seen before.

Teeny, tiny hand-cut silhouette pictures to hang behind your spinet while you pound out Mozart.

I fell head over heels for these little puppet theatres.

They look just like this real one in the Butte Chaumont park.

These were brought to the Salon by Argentinian Reina Mab.

Bear fell head over paws for these handsome mini bear musicians.

You could so easily break the bank at the miniature salon. At least no calorie counting.

Wouldn't it be nice to pack up all your things in mini Vuitton trunks? 

Tiny green Luxembourg garden chairs.
I’m Carol Gillott, an artist living in Paris. Every month I send out beautifully illustrated letters that capture the true Parisian experience. Sign up to receive these whimsical treasures in the mail.

Thanks for reading PB ❤️

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

My Marché Grenelle

 I bet everyone who lives in Paris thinks their marché is the best. 

I'm absolutely certain I live near the best marché hands down. Marche Grenelle Blvd Grenelle 75015

The reason I moved to Paris is simple. I wanted to have radis/French radishes and carrot rapée everyday.
 

Even though radis are grown in the Ile de France, the same Province Paris is in, the price fluctuates every week up and down like the stock market. They're available all through the winter too which I never expected. Usually you can eat them without washing.
 

Apricots are just starting to show up in the marché. Note in the corner 'ESP' . That's for Espana. People prefer their fruit and veg from France. It's the law - the origin must be stated for an item.
 

Cerise are new this week coming in from ESP and Grece so far. I tasted one and it was perfect IMHO. Still I'll wait a bit for the prices to fall.
 

There are lots of specialists in the marche coming in from the hinterlands. This chap is promoting his cooked-on-the-spot Aligot, a dish traditionally from the Aveyron. It's made of mashed potatoes, melted cheese, cream, butter and loads of garlic. Have you tried it?
 

This woman's specialty is escargot/snails and other seafood farci like scallops and moules.
 

The apple lady hails from the Loire vallee. She grows everything on her farm and produces endless variations on a theme - apple cake, jellies, juice, pate de fruit, you name it all apple-based.

I planned to come back and get some apples to paint but of course there was a big line. Next time.
 

Every single marche I buy une cuisse de poulet cuite from this woman hot off the rotisserier. Just hold up your thumb if you can't pronounce that mouthful when buying one thigh.
 

And I always get tabouleh from these Libanaise purveyors, who kindly throw in what we call a pita and they call pain. I'm addicted.
 

What to wear to the marche? It's still chilly here in the 40s-50s, so woolly scarf, coat and carry a pup under your arm. If you haven't got a pup to carry at the very least have a pup on your shopping bag. It's de rigueur in the marche.

Bonne Sunday!