Métro ! Le Grand Paris Express

Many PBers refuse to take the Metro 🚇 in Paris. Big mistake.

It’s part of the total Paris experience and a part of Paris’ history.

The Doors, not Jim M.

As usual when it comes to creating the letter art, I did a complete U-turn last minute, when I found this old sketch of tiny 19th century figures with parasols…

Instead of painting your favorite French foods as promised, I fell into drawing PARIS DOORWAYS with little figures for the new letter.

Hector Guimard Paris Map

Every month the subject of the map is a tussle. I sketched at least 2-3 ideas when a book of PARIS ART NOUVEAU fell on the floor. Please click on link

I much prefer drawing curvy lines more than straight ones.

For Art Nouveau immersion I went back to my posts on the fabulous PARIS 1900 exhibit

At Petit Palais in 2014. 

Between 1890 and 1930, HECTOR GUIMARD designed and built some 50 buildings, in addition to 141 subway entrances for the Paris Metro, as well as numerous pieces of furniture and other decorative works.

If you've visited Paris you've surely entered one of his iconic METRO STATIONS. Who can forget?

While researching I discovered a fun way to you can travel anywhere from your armchair..

Put an address into Google search. Click on the square photo labeled STREET VIEW.

Paris is a click away.

I did a little time travel.

Back to where I grew up. This morning I want to Santorini (on Google only)...Bon Voyage A reminder March Paris maps are now being sent out by EMAIL till post-Lockdown. Hang in there PBers 🙏🏻 Stay well ❤️Reston chez nous🐻💋💐

Paris-Basques

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This past weekend was the 1st ever 2-day Paris-Basque event held in the 16th arr. along the Seine.

I almost didn't go but the last minutes decided why not?

Dress code: red and black

With lots of RED

Lots of dancing and singing

More dancing

And of course regional foods with a decidedly Spanish influence.

White gazpacho. I was too late for all the grilled meats unfortunately.

Local Basques cheeses.

Fried milk. So many free tastes.

They gave you whole tins of the best-ever anchovies from Salanort in Spain. i wanted to buy more. They kept giving me tins! These are smooth as silk and honey. No bones.

Do you know of Paries? They have a newish shop in Paris at 9 rue Saint Placide with classic Basques sweets. Kanougas are their wonderful caramels in 5 flavors.

Of course mini Basque gateaux. Or you could buy full-size cakes.

Their fabulous ice creams are a don't-miss but the line was too long. Do visit them in Paris.

A big plus visiting these fetes all over Paris - you see parts of town you might never get to ordinarily.

The architecture in the 16th is very Belle Epoch. I looked up and noticed the architect was none other than Hector Guimard for this atelier of sculptor Jean-Babtiste Carpeaux. Look at that row of windows at the top and imagine the light.

Belle Epoch restaurants like Le Methusalem too.

Looks very fun.

One thing about going to regional fetes - you find out about other fetes if you take note of the T-shirts.

Was Paris-Basques fun?

You bet. I hope it becomes an annual tradition in Paris.

Choux d'Enfer

Last night an outdoor degustation/tasting of cream puffs/choux

 

The new kiosque, Choux d'Enfer, a collaborative effort by top chefs Alain Ducasse and Christophe Michalak.

 

The kiosque is at quai Branly and rue de la Jean Rey. A different kind of food truck offering snacks to take to the nearby Eiffel Tower + Champagne. Pastry chef Michalak with food designer Coco Jobard. He's won every pastry prize out there including chef of the year at Relais Dessert still you couldn't meet a nicer guy.

 

He comes up to us (I'm with French Girl) and introduces himself,

"Hi, I'm Christophe Michalak".

He's the George Clooney of Paris Pastry.

 

The puffs are baked on the spot at this kiosk.

 

And filled on the spot too with fresh sweet flavors; vanille, café, chocolat, citron, and caramel.

 

The savory flavors; poivre noir, curry et piment d'Espelett, cumin and piment d'Espelette are flavored gougeres.

 

Crunchy on the outside and creamy inside. Not too sweet and trés leger/very delicate so it's easy to eat many more than one puff.

 

There's caramel dipping sauce of course.

 

Coco dips a vanilla puff.

 

The vanille is delicious.

 

A little background history on pate a choux pastry. Catherine de Medici's Italian pastry chef Pananelli invented the dough in 1540. Called choux because the little puffs were cabbage-shaped. Later Antoine Caréme made changes to the recipe. You're eating pate a choux whenever you bite into an eclair, Paris-Brest, croquembouche, beignets, St. honoré, cheesy gougères or profiterolls to name a few. This pastry can be tricky to make, yet you don't need fancy equipment. It must be airy and light, the inside hollow, perfect to fill with pastry cream or ganache. And perfect to stack up into a tall towering piece montée.

The design of the kiosque is by Patrick Jouin

 

It reminded me of Corbusier's sculpted building.

 

In fact the swooping organic shapes come from Art Nouveau architect Hector Guimard.

 

Jouin's designs are everywhere in Paris - from publicity signs to Velib stands. "He's contributed over 46,000 designs to the urban landscape" says Valerie Guillaume, Pompidou curator.

 

Restaurant designs for Alain Ducasse to boot.

 

The wind was blowing fiercely as we left the Choux d'Enfer kiosque.

 

Clutching my gift bag of choux, I thought I might lose them crossing the rainy,windy pont/bridge on the way home.

They are gone now. I polished them off after painting them.

Do stop by on quai Branly and rue de la Jean Rey when you visit the Eiffel Tower. For no other reason than a perfect snack/gouter of deliciousness. 

CHOUX d'ENFER is open 7/7 9 am - 8:30 pm