Pate Sucree

Les Tarelettes aux Fraise, watercolor, 9" x 11"

I've had a rude awakening of late...For years (at least 5) I've been walking around Paris, admiring, shooting, leche-vitrine and eating altogether way too many pastries...Only to discovery I know ZIP about pastry making! Ouch And to add insult to injury... I've been leaving the crusts on way too many tartes...Like this Fauchon tarte au citron. SHAME on moi!

How did I make this alarming discovery? By browsing Japanese pastry books. It became crystal clear I don't know beans about pate sucree and pate brissee. What's more I will NEVER know if I don't eat the $#@! crust! How can one claim to KNOW pastry intimately if one does not eat the total affair?

I'm ready to give up Japanese pastry books and head for French books or English. Your suggestions are most welcome.Better yet should I head over to the French Culinary Institute for a crash course in the anatomy of a tartelette?

BEAR, comme habitude, is way ahead of the game. He's studying more and eating less. Watch this video from L'atelier des Chefs to become better informed about what we put into our mouths. Pastry is serious business! It's not just about flannering around gazing into glorious patisseries vitrines! Mais non!

BONJOUR PATE SUCREE!

Macarons in Venice

No, I did not take a gondola ride in Venice.Macaron Boxes,9" x 11 Nor did I find French macarons.

Why not be content with all the Tiramisu floating around Venice These giant hazelnut-smothered cookies looked lethal to me, perhaps even weapon-like..? A massive meringue cake filled with vanilla cream with more cream on the side to drap over it - no way! In a pinch, one could settle for the ropes and ropes of liquirizia/liqurice lining the calle/streets of Venice... In desperation, I bought a Venetian guidebook to help me find local pastries - there are at least 22 listed: balcoli, bussolai ciosotri, castagnole, colombina, crema frita, curasan etc., etc. Rosa Salva is one of Venice's oldest, most revered pasticcerias in sestiere San Marco, 951, Calle Fiubera. It's a cafe as well so you can stop in for a coffee with your cantucci. But I was not tempted.At last I broke down and gobbled an unpronouncable sfogliatelle - a Naples specialty. Maybe I sucumbed because these are in my neighborhood in Astoria? And maybe because these are crispy?
Look! Little Nutella tartelettes. What's wrong with these you ask? Are you saying to yourselves, "picky...picky?"

All from pasticceria Toletta in sestiere Dorsodura, 1192, calle della Toletta, mentioned in the guide...

As a so-called Paris pastry (painter)expert have I been ruined for the treats of the rest of the planet? I think I have.

I do love Italian Macedonia de fruita (basically an improved version of our 'fruitcup' minus the tin).

And there's ALWAYS gelato for dessert. No wonder I was reduced to going on The Gelato Dieta in Venice.

And there ARE plenty of dogs in Venice (more to come on them). So what's YOUR favorite Venetian dessert? Do tell all PBers!!

I did find mini macarons at Toletta my last day in Venice...

By then I'd given up hope and missed out tasting them. They're cleverly sitting in little caissette plissee/paper cups and the cream filling inside is decoratively squiggled. At least I got this photo in passing... I'll just have to return to Venice to taste them. c'est la vie.

BUON GIORNO MACARONS IN VENEZIA

Paris Berries

The four windows at Pierre Herme are full of giant strawberries/fraises... And Paris is full of berries everywhere you look.

Back to Pierre Herme. His Spring/Summer collection is awash in red berries with green pistache like this Tarte Montebello...

We tried again his spécialité de la maison, the Ispahan full of raspberries - it never disappoints.

Red berries seen in residence on rue de vaugirard...

Patisserie Thevenin Saint Placide is always berry nuts.

And berries + chocolate...

At Epicerie Bon Marche berries wait their turn...

Even Paris streets are full of berry-pink bunnies from Cracking Good Art on Bd. St-Germain...

And Patisserie Secco at 20 rue Jean Nicot 75007 has a permanent pink berry hound waiting outside patiently...

This poodle was waiting not so patiently (yowling for his mistress) - his collar is strawberry red...ahem

BONJOUR FRAISES des PARIS!

Is that the inspiration for the red shoes seen all over town? No patisserie shop is missing a berry tarte in it's vitrines.

ParisBreakfast is 2

Bluebird Tea, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

I wanted to give you all a present today...to thank you.

Three Macaron Boxes, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

I'm late posting. Just 12 hours or so... Five Macaron Boxes, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

Today is Paris Breakfast's 2nd birthday!
We are 2. YAHOOWe want to thank you for stopping by.
Gerard Mulot Macarons, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

So lots of nicely tied up presents for you full of Paris macarons!

It took so long today to get this post together, I wolfed down some of the Parisien macarons I was saving for still lifes in the fridg. A one-month old macaron leaves a lot to be desired. Live and learn. Anyway if you've been lurking and wanting to say HELLO please do

And if you'd like to learn how to make your own French macarons, please check out Tartelette's recipe in Desserts Magazine . Paris Breakfast got to do the cover.

THANK YOU!