Salon du Temptation

They say if you draw the food you crave you will forget about craving it.

In fact drawing your favorite foods can be a mood booster. Drawing pizza makes you feel 28% happier. Who knew?

At the SALON DU CHOCOLAT I wish they would hand out sketch pads and pencils at the door to help us control our cravings. Walter Mischel talks about the15-minute marshmallow test he gave kids years ago. He has a book coming out on self control shortly. The chocolate salon is kind of 3-4 hour 'marshmallow test'. You are bombarded with temptation right and left.

We are all reduced to 5 years old and smart vendors know that.

This sign is for adults.

I stood and flirted with this tropical baba concoction from Laurent Duchene for easily 5-10 minutes. Then I sent this picture to Jill Colonna and she went and ate it for me. Too kind.

I wish more tasty items had glass bell jars protecting them.

One of Mischel's techniques is distracting yourself by singing songs or looking elsewhere. Carl Marletti's tartelette citron is resistible when surrounded by the distraction chocolate aromas.

Clever pastry chef Sadaharu Aoki always has macarons baking onsite at the show. You can buy big ones hot off the griddle for under 5€. He appeals to all your senses. Irresistible.

Some pastry chefs like Hugo and Victor create something special each year like this faux sweet hotdog under 5€. Raspberries and mango instead of catchup and mustard.

I remember eating these Belgian crispy waffles last year and can't resist this year. Memory comes into play in the game of temptation. It was from the same vender too. She had complimented me on buying the waffle plain with no extras.

Last year and the year before I ate Arnaud Lahrer's wonderful caramelly Kouign-Amann. This year I practiced some resistance and walked away. Not easy.

My waistline since I've moved to Paris now looks like this. M.I.A.(gone missing).

Meanwhile the toasting almonds churn in sugar at Mazet Confiseur's stand. We look on and salivate. Choices, choices.

Pralus, as usual is baking his special praline bread on site. It smells and tastes divine.

You used to be able to buy a half. Now they sell only the whole loaf, so it's easier to resist.

The jam people have figured it out unlike many others at the show.

Taste to your hearts content. No limit on the number of spoons.

A long bank of jam jars. A flavor for everyone. I bought their hazelnut spread. 

As Oscar Wilde said, "The only way to get rid of temptation(tentation) is to yield to it... I can resist everything but temptation."

What's your irresistible temptation? Do tell all. 

For some this is lunch or research. A chance to fine tune the taste buds. 

Speaking of choices, I've now got an archive of 6 past Paris sketch letters you can now buy all at one time as a gift or give to someone else yourself one at a time.

Fr Girls Don't Eat in the Street

I've been living in Paris 3+ months and I can say with absolute certainty that Fr Girls do NOT eat in the street. I've had almost no period of adjustment to Parisian life except in this one area. As an adopted New Yorker, eating in the street is not only completely acceptable, it's preferable, even obligatory. Sitting down at a table to eat is for out-of-towners.
 

History bears out my assumptions. Just look at these Fr Girls at the beach in Deauville (in Eugene Boudin's painting currently at the musee Jacquemart-Andre). Not a single one of these gals is sipping a cuppa or holding a drippy ice cream/glacé. What fun is that? Why go to the beach and not eat? Heck

Thanks to British Pathe films we know Fr Girls in the 50's kept their hands securely tucked into muffs.
 

Is it any wonder the iPhone took off like gangbusters in Paris? Something to clutch instead of a ham & cheese baguette sandwich non?

 The proliferation of small dogs keep Parisienne hands busy.

On the weekend I went to PAD - an avant-garde art and design expo in the Tuileries. There were plenty of Fr children absorbing the artworks. Not a one was munching. I was the only stealth-eater with my Madeleines (instead of being the only stealth shooter - photos were allowed),

Back in the street French children are encouraged to hold onto the pram instead of a lollie/suzette 🍭 Some of them ride on the back, holding on for dear life instead of snacking. All basic distraction techniques. 
 

Yet paradoxically this town is world famous for its pastry and sweets. Go figure.

True there is a designated food break in France. L'heure du gouter/snack time is around 4:30 pm when everything is allowed (though NO eating on the street).

In a city rampant with temptation I'm going to the pool 🏊 regularly to compensate. I just found out today with my pool card I can visit more than 1X a day. Three..four..five times in one day! This may become essential with my bad snacking habits. 

The walk home from the pool is tortuous littered with excellent boulangeries. Here is yesterday's post-pool 'reward'. Ouf
 

Today I went armed with a sliced apple. Believe me when I tell you the Fr do not even bring an apple to their lips out in the rue. Nevermind, I need some time to adjust. I even chose a different route avoiding yesterday's Chausson au pomme like the plague.
 

No go. I waltzed right into boulangerie Maison Privat, grabbed a palmier and made for the door. At least I left half uneaten but what's to be done? Will I ever acclimate? Do I stand a chance in this town as a life-long street-eater? And what about when Summer comes and there's ice cream on every corner? What then dear PB readers? I see doom and gloom on the horizon. Can you suggest something?

Paris is not the paradise you imagine.
This giant poster in Sephora's windows may be my only hope - a pacifier. Come live in Paris. You'll soon see. Just you wait. Humph
 

Bringing Up Bebe

 Last night I heard Pamela Druckerman (author of my fav book, Bringing Up Bebe) talk at Barnes & Nobles. Pamela spent 3 years researching/writing her book while raising three children in Paris. She never expected all the controversy or enormous interest it's aroused. She thought perhaps only new moms or grandmothers would read it. In fact there is interest world-wide. A French edition will be coming out. The French want to know what their doing right!

 Reading BUB as an aunt/grand-aunt, there are many things I would do over given the chance. But mostly I find Pamela's book full of clues to what makes the French tick. My copy is a wreck of notes and yellow underlinings.

French enfants are nudged onto 4-X-a-day set feedings exactly when the whole family eats. Is it any wonder the French have low obesity (8%)?

8am-12noon-4:30 snack-8pm

That's it.

No snacking in between.

French children learn to wait for mealtime.

 Isn't 'La Formule' (entree+plat+dessert) served in French restaurants at noon a continuation of the 4-course lunches children eat at la creche?
 

  The French Paradox may be more about eating in moderation at set times than drinking wine.

 French enfants are given their first doudou at la creche. Is it any wonder they remain attached to stuffed animals? Where are the cashmere bears at Donna Karan's?
 

 Cashmere for him, for her and a giant panda too. Childish playfulness is ongoing for the French in my opinion.

 Everyone, young and old, loves nounours/chocolate marshmallow bears.
 

 Why is there no serious museum in NYC with ongoing + new toy exhibitions like Musee des arts Decoratifs?
 

 A French passion for the things of childhood (including La vache qui rie cheese).
 

 Creates an inherent playfulness in French culture as I see it. Spritz yourself in Bloomingdales with perfume and you'll be set upon by staff. In Printemps/Galeries Lafayette it's a free-for all. Spritz and play as much as you want. No one cares or expects you to buy.
 

 If you want to see French parenting in action take a stroll down rue Vavin, 75006 - a pedestrian street. Or read Pamela's book if France is not on your menu.

(Just two weeks to go!)

 I plan to eat a lot more fruit compote (merci Pamela) this time in Paris.

And less peche mignon(forbidden pleasures).

And only at set meal times! So that's my take away from Bringing Up Bebe.

I'd love to hear yours.

 

Bringing Up Bebe

 Have you wondered how come French kids are so bien-eleve/well-behaved?

 They don't seem at war with their parents

 Ex-pat American Pamela Druckerman's Bringing Up Bebe has many answers I'm seeking.

 Plus (perhaps unintentionally) what makes the French...so French. Why the culture is the way it is. Even why French women are thin.

 It begins in infancy and even before. French women experience pregnancy as a 'spa' period to lather attention on themselves. Pregnancy is not thought of as a 'personal research project'.

 Druckerman, a former Wall Street Journalist,has been living in Paris for 10 years with her British husband. As a new Mom with 3 young children she became curious about French parenting. Should her first-born enter a creche/French daycare at 9 months? Would this effect her child's development? Where were alphabets in the classrooms? What were tots 'learning'? 
Compassion and respect for others.
Read Judith Warner's reponse in Time.

 Fr parents create a secure 'cadre' or FRAME(not a box) for a child to grow and discover life within. "The French believe it's important to be very strict about a few key things, but then to give kids as much freedom as possible about the rest. You can really see this at bedtime. French parents tell me that at bedtime, their kids must stay in their rooms. But within their rooms, they can do what they want", from a Druckerman interview.

 Learning manners is foremost in French upbringing.

Have you walked into a Paris shop/cafe, asked directions of a French policeperson without saying 'Bonjour' first? Then you know the importance of Bonjour + au-revoir, merci, s'il vous plait.

 Parents assert authority when needed with 'non' and 'les gros yeux'/the big eyes to let a child know when they've stepped over the limits. Druckerman says," 'the big eyes' works best when there is mutual respect...strictness comes with flexibility...giving kids autonomy and choices"

 French children learn early to wait/attend. To deal with a bit of frustration.

 The way French parents and children deal with food is such an eye-opener. I'll post more tomorrow on that one. For sure most French children could pass 'The Marshmallow Test' with flying colors. Instant gratification is not encouraged. Learning to wait is.

 Many French toddlers bake every weekend. With parents nearby but not directing much. I was allowed to put a raisin button on the gingerbread man and lick the bowl (not allowed for Fr children). That was it. I never got to make anything from scratch by myself. No wonder I can't bake #$@ macarons.

 I'm always interested to see the plethora of children's cookbooks in France. Now it makes perfect sense to me.

 Photo by Ernst Vikne

'Alone time' is important for French children. Learning to play by themselves and become self-reliant is highly valued. I was scolded for spending happy hours drawing and cutting out paperdolls by myself. "Why don't you go outside and play like other kids", I was told relentlessly. I never paid attention and I still don't go outside enough probably.

 The one subject Druckerman doesn't go into in depth is the French doudou. Perhaps that's my turf to map out. Qui sait? If France interests you (would you be here if it didn't) then you'll learn much about French culture. Druckerman's book is hilarious, laugh-out loud funny to boot. I'll address French food issues tomorrow. Bear has a lot to contribute. Watch a WSJ video of Druckerman here. And here is Druckerman en famille in Paris & NYC.