Two boulangeries up in Montmartre

Montmartre isn't a place I frequent often, not because I don't like it but because it's so out-of-the-way for me. I think it's actually a really interesting area and I wish I had more time to explore it but honestly, I wouldn't know where to go except for the area north of Blanche/Pigalle/Anvers and topped by the butte, meaning primarily rue des Abbesses. So this is what I did on one of my few Saturdays afternoons that I have left. My intention was to visit Le Grenier a Pain, a boulangerie which won the Grand Prix de la Baguette in 2010 meaning the best baguette in Paris.

I wandered around for all of 15 minutes, getting some exercise by walking up the steep Montmartre staircases before realizing that I really have nowhere to go and might as well just hit up the bakery. I first stopped at Coquelicot where the chouquettes have been eluding me and that day was no different. So I settled on an individual-sized galette des rois filled with frangipane.

And it came in the cutest little pastry-bag I've seen, but whose advise I will forgo.

Tucking it into my bag, I walked down the street to Le Grenier a Pain where I (foolishly) got a sandwich forgetting that hey, most likely it has mayonnaise which I really really really dislike. Sure enough it did but I managed to take a few unadulterated bites. Baguette gets two thumbs up and is definitely worth a try if in the area (demi-baguette is the way to go always). Sandwich itself with sad-looking tomatoes and lettuce, not so much. And I got myself a little present to go - a tarte aux fruits rouges.

I ate my buttery galette and pitiful sandwich (three bites? four?) in a little park right next to the Abbesses metro, famous for la mur des je t'aime or the "I love you" wall on which the phrase is written in different languages. Tourist time:

The tarte aux fruits rouges was saved until Sunday morning breakfast. It wasn't all that but it did the trick until dinner time at Happy Nouilles. Still amazed at how we managed to squeeze 9 of us in there. Love it.

Aki Boulangerie

I wanted so badly for things from Aki Boulangerie to taste delicious but unfortunately, everything kind of fell flat. 

The top of the matcha muffin, which had a subtle matcha flavor, had a pleasant crispy bite to it but the rest of the muffin was too dry. The matcha croissant was flaky but the herbal bitterness of the matcha wasn't really discernible and the walnuts took away from what would otherwise have been a pretty good croissant, even with its lack of green tea flavor. From now on, if I want a green tea fix, I'll head over to the Sadaharu Aoki stand in the Galeries Lafayette.

Not a pain au chocolat

I picked up a plie au chocolat from Kayser after reading about it here. Flaky croissant dough, chocolate and pastry cream sold me and you already know how much I love Kayser. So I was really excited to try this.

Maybe I over-hyped it for myself after reading Wendy's entry but I wasn't a huge fan. Then again, I prefer a plain croissant to a pain au chocolat. Next dessert from Kayser? The breton cake I've been eyeing down for months...and then the crumble pistache griottes.

Sugar rush - Part II

Apologies, apologies. I meant to post some before I went on my two-and-a-half-week-French-mandated-long-August vacation to NYC, Miami and Las Vegas (last two courtesy of my wonderfully AWESOME bf, JP, for our 3 year anniversary :)) but more on those later. I may have a flurry of posts in the near futures so bear with me. But lets start chronologically somewhere at the middle / end of July...

You may remember a while ago I went to a ton of bakeries in the Marais (if not, click on the link). This time, it was a ton of bakeries in the Saint-Germain-ish area (6th and 7th). Another macaron virgin - BB. Naturally, I wanted to lead her to Pierre Herme. Alas, it was closed. As was Gerard Mulot so off we went towards Sadaharu Aoki. The fun was only just beginning (I think my friends underestimated how much of an obsessed-with-food-establishments person I am). This guy makes serious French pastries with a Japanese twist

But we (almost) resisted. Et voila, 3 macarons for each of us (4 ppl = 12 macarons)

Pretty, isn't it? I went for the matcha, hojicha (roasted green tea) and sesame flavors. Suprisingly, we only doubled flavors once - the matcha. My favorite were the cassis, early grey, hojicha (roasted goodness!), matcha and sesame flavors (notice how I like all the ones I got? hehe). The yuzu disappointed and tasted merely of lemon rind. I think Mr. Aoki is more successful with the offbeat flavors. The chocolate was very one dimensional and not even in the same league as Pierre Herme's chocolate one. Overall, these macarons are solid but a little too sweet and unfortunately, they were somewhat stale. I'd recommend going with the more exotic flavors if you try them. But even with those, he is incomparable to the master (yes, Pierre Herme I am obsessed with you) and I kinda forgot I didn't really like his pastries that much. And yes, I brought a cutting board (you didn't think we just found that in the park, did you?) and a knife. But SM had a serrated knife - he one upped me.

And then we ate this green thing. Usually, I'm not one for eclairs but this matcha eclair was bursting with green tea flavor, which I can rarely resist.

While working our way towards Hugo Victor I couldn't not take everyone by Poilane for a taste of the best rustic apple tart in all of Paris. As my friend put it, it's like an awesome apple croissant with chunks of soft, baked apples and a dough slightly heavier (weighed down by the apple liquid I think) than a plain croissant. I can easily finish one by myself. This one we thankfully cut into quarters and proceeded to get out next sugar fix.

At Hugo Victor I opted for the apricot tarte tatin-like thing that I read about on Dorie Greenspan's blog the night before. Apologies, not the prettiest picture but I couldn't wait to dig in:

The top was apricot gelee and some liquid caramel running down the center with a base that tasted like a cardamom-infused hazelnut sponge cake to me (according to Dorie its a dacquoise and the cardamom may or may not have been galangal). I love cardamon but not in baked goods. Throw it in a stew or into my favorite chunky apple cranberry sauce (thanksgiving!) and it lends a warmth. In baked goods I just find it to taste stale and overpowering. Was totally jealous of these delicious strawberry verrines that both BB and SM got!

There was also a grapefruit tart floating around but I didn't take a picture. We were already feeling the sugar coma set in but no, we had to press on! On to La Patisserie des Reves. Dreams? Pastry shop of dreams? YES exactly. Pastries are displayed under glass domes and after perusing you order at the counter and they bring you a pastry from the back.

 

They all looked amazing, but I was there for one thing and one thing only...

...the Paris-Brest.

Has nothing to do with boobies (hah, boobies, I make myself laugh); the pastry is circular and named after an old bike race that went from Paris to Brest (or the other way around?) since it looked like a bike wheel (supposedly). And supposedly the best Paris-Brest in the city according to various sources including Le Figaro.

This is like putting liquid sugar in your mouth times ten (not as hot I assume!). We cut it up into the little ball sections. Choux pastry with praline creme and liquid chocolate praline on the inside, this was enough sugar to last me a long long time - never have I tasted anything this sweet. The delicate choux easily gave way and a bite revealed a liquid praline, caramel-like center. Delicious? Yes. But I wouldn't get it again, its too much! Thankfully there were ppl to share it with. The tarte de fruits noirs, on the other hand, was an interesting spin on the tarte de fruits rouges you see more commonly.

It had good flavor and a good textured crust but I was so done after that ball of liquid sugar. 

And who do I spot while walking back from our pastry hopping? Ms. Dorie Greenspan herself sitting at Au Chai de l'Abbaye (where I had a few weeks ago witnessed a little old man courting a well put together old lady in the cutest way...I think he got her number!) proofing (or so I think) her new book which she kindly held up to show us! I think SC was more excited than me since she is a pastry chef...I had to be coaxed into saying hello to her, which I did, under the pretense that SC would be doing the talking after that, and she did.

One more for the road before you head off to read SM's entry of pastry bliss:

 

Salade de carottes

I eat carrots for lunch. Probably about 2 of them, with a piece of bread at least 3 days of the week. I am ridiculously obsessed with the carrot salad at Eric Kayser which also has cabbage, raisins and a vaguely asian tasting vinaigrette (rice vinegar?). 

Sometimes I come too late and they don't have it. Sometimes they just don't have it that day in which case I unwittingly take a plain shredded carrot salad (€3.10 for three carrots, a mini bottle of vinaigrette and a petit pain or slice of baguette) since I'm too lazy to go elsewhere. In which case I also get a madeleine. They are ridiculously good there. They once over-baked  them and they were darker than usual but I really like the crispy edges of madeleines so I totally didn't mind. But I've also been eyeing Kayser's tarts lately (as well as the tart cookbook) and it seemed like a good day to get the tarte monge, which is filled with a llight mousse and topped with fruits rouges. Sweet from the mousse, sour from the the fruit and the base providing that perfect amount of crunch. Mmmmm, yum. Too bad I can't let it become a daily indulgence.

May day

Being a perpetual returner, I needed to go and return some clothes I bought. But I completely forgot it was May 1st and didn't realize everything would be closed. That hindered my returning-abilities but at least the Marche des Enfants Rouges was open. I've been really awful lately and needed to get some salad leaves in me. On the way there, I stopped by Hure, a bakery which I'd heard has fantastic savory mini-breads. I wanted to get the Reblochon-Lardons (essentially cheese and bacon) but they had run out, so I settled for the Lardons.  

It was so ridiculously good. Imagine a soft, mini ciabatta stuffed with bacon bits and all the dough being infused with that smoky flavor. Wow. I need to go back and try some other ones (they had merguez, chevre, tomato mozzarella, among others), but it will be hard to resist the bacon. Thankfully it's a 10, rather than a 5 minute walk from me, else I'd be in even more trouble.

Also, on May Day, they sell one of my favorite flowers of all time everywhere - Lily of the Valley! Most people buy a stem or two; I got a whole bouquet. 

The smell is super intoxicating. Either that, or lilacs, are going to be my wedding bouquet. I also like snow drops but those wilt super fast. Yes, I'm planning ahead. That and that my food will be served family-style. Moving on.

I also stopped by my butcher where I attempted to explain that I wanted hanger steak by pointing to my chest (hanger steak "hangs" from a cow's diaphragm). They figured out what I wanted and asked how many people its for cause I only wanted half of it. I had to confess and say one. So sad. So so sad. Steak is not something you should eat by yourself. Chicken, fine. Veal, ok. Even ground beef. But not steak. Anyhow, I rubbed some TJs taco mix seasoning I had on hand and threw it on a hot cast iron skillet. The result:

Mmmm. Really good meat. The seasoning was good but a little too much cumin for me. Maybe something a little simpler next time. Regardless, I ate it all.

Sugar rush

I have a dryer that does what its supposed to do! Dry! And the washer washes! Although I'm not sure why it takes it 2.5 hours to wash, and then 2 hours to dry...Regardless, I am so happy I can finally do laundy....thankfully I have so many clothes that I wasn't in much danger but I was running low on the necessities and was starting to take pieces from the "nice lingerie" stash. TMI? Sorry, its all the sugar talking.

How much sugar did I have today? A lot. And probably double that amount of butter. I pastry-shop hopped (similar to bar hopping, minus the alcohol, plus the baked goods). The list had 14 places on it. We got through probably 8. Its a lot harder than it sounds, and the thing is, everything was super close. You're never really more than 5 minutes away from the onset of diabetes around here.

I started by getting a few of my favorite croissants from Le Moulin de Rosa, which used to be an Au Levain de Marais. I thought it still was but apparently I've been mistaking this whole time. 

First official stop: Gerard Mulot. Their store in the 6th is much prettier and probably twice as large, but what do I care when their passion fruit basil macaron is so good? The caramel wasn't bad either. 

And next, a test of my favorite croissant. The real Au Levain de Marais, just a few blocks down. 

They were fresh out of the oven (literally, we had to wait). I don't know if it was because they were hot and the flavor hadn't settled in yet, but I wasn't that impressed. I need to try them again when they're not SO fresh.

Then on to La Fougasse. I'd read a lot about it and heard good things. Their tarts are really pretty. I wanted to get a sable, which apparently come out of the oven on huge cookie sheets before they cut them into squares and top with some jam. But, unfortunately, they were out. So I got a Magellan, a lime-infused chocolate and hazelnut layer cake. I love anything with lime zest, it gives it a certain something which you can't place if you've never had it, since it doesn't really taste like lime. Reminds me of my fresh blueberry lime bars...so good! We also had a St. Tropezienne which is two slices of brioche sandwiched by mousseline cream (super thick) and topped with powdered sugar.

This is the caramel eclair from Jacques Genin, a really famous chocolatier who is even more famous for his caramels. 

Textbook-perfect but, unfortunately, I still don't really like eclairs. There's just something very very cloying about them, and this is coming from someone with a pretty big sweet tooth. And of course, I couldn't leave without buying some of the caramels! Last time I only got a bag of plain caramels, this time I snuck in a few mango-passionfruit ones. Oh so good!

We also stopped by Maison Brocco on Place de Republique but please, don't bother. I was way underwhelmed by their chouquettes (way too egg-y) and madeleines. Not even worth a picture.

By then I was entering into a sugar coma and looking at my list I became a little disappointed - there was no way we were getting through it. After break, featuring the most awful mojito I had ever tasted, the last patisserie was Pain de Sucre. Their tarts are beautiful, incorporating not only fruit but also herbs! But I was there for one thing - to try their guimauves (marshmallows), which are stacked in large glass jars. 

I remembered the marshmallow JP and I had at L'Assiette Champenoise. It was bubblegum flavored but so good. These? Really pretty, but such a disappointment, even though the flavors seemed promising (cassis and caramel). Maybe I just don't like French marshmallows. But I'm more than willing to give Pain de Sucre a second chance for their verrines and tarts.

We finished at Pozzetto (again...but I didn't have anything there). Now I have to go tackle the other half of my list...

The move

While my poor movers were going up and down 3 flights of stairs carrying boxes of clothes, shoes and a couch or two, I went to Au Levain de Marais, which will probably become my new local boulangerie. First time in my life that I've had a croissant that was still warm from the oven. I walked back holding it in my hand and trying not to crush it, all the while hoping it would stay warm in time for me to eat it.

Flaky shattering butterly salty sweetness. With a touch of warmth and a gooey inside. Yum.

FYI, according to my French teacher (Google confirms), there are actually two types of croissants. This one is a croissant au beurre, as opposed to a croissant, and has an elongated shape, rather than the shape with the sides tucked in. The difference? Croissant au beurre must be made with 100% butter (apparently French butter at that) and have no other kinds of fat like margarine or oil. The other ones, croissants can be made with fats other than butter. But if you're going to eat it, why not go for the real, 100% buttery goodness? Apparently you get in trouble if you mis-label or mis-shape your croissants. Frenchies are serious about these kinds of things.

That thing is messy and you get shards of pastry all over the place. So I snuck in bites when the movers weren't in the apartment. Oh, and I got them some water. In between cursing my apartment to l'enfer, they made fun of how much stuff I had relative to the size of the apartment.

Then they discussed whether or not my couch would fit through the doorway to the apartment. And what I was going to do with two couches (the apartment came furnished). Well my couch didn't fit so they're coming back next week and putting it through this window. I don't know what I'm doing with that other leather couch (its actually super uncomfortable).

And on Saturday I spent 12:30pm - 9pm assembling furniture, cursing Ikea to l'enfer while putting together, pulling apart, and breaking off pieces of my bed, being thankful that I had the foresight to pack a hammer and a screwdriver, and organizing my kitchen and shoe closet. Yes, I have a shoe closet. Although depending on how things go, it might become a stacked-clothes closet. Still lots more to organize thought and gotta get it ready by Saturday morning in time for JP! Stay tuned for pictures of the apartment after it's ready next week!

Sweet sunshine

Yesterday was the nicest weather it's been since I got here. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, I had no umbrella with me. I walked around, got one of my favorite breads from Bread and Roses (rye loaf studded with raisins and currants) and some Bordier butter from La Grande Epicerie. It's supposed to be the best butter ever. I think I need to put it on some plain bread, not the rye bread, to really taste it. But it tastes like creamy sweet sunshine. And looks like it as well. It has that nice freshly churned yellow butter color. I also found my 0% cherry yogurt but LGE is all the way across town and €2.34 for a pack of four! I get a pack of 8 mixed flavors for that much! 

And then I was off to brunch to meet up with my new-found Texas friend. And then I realized she's never had macarons (seriously? I was appalled!). So I made it my mission to have her try some. There is no way you can live in Paris and not eat macarons. I barely know anyone who doesn't like them (although some find them too sweet, I think there's a flavor for everyone). First stop was Pierre Herme, where I was foiled yet again and failed to get an Istaphan macaron. One day I will find it. So instead I got passionfruit chocolate and apricot pistachio. Then Gerard Mulot for the passionfruit basil one there. I'm glad to say she's now an official macaron lover. 

Between brunch and macaron store hopping, I stopped by Poilane to finally pick up one of their rustic apple tarts. I took it home. It didn't last long.

I kept stealing bites in the kitchen over the course of 15 minutes. Then I couldn't take it anymore. And shoved the rest in my mouth. And chewed. Happily. Very happily. 

Cookies the size of my face

Like I said, there's very few things open on Sundays. However, you can always count on things being open in the Marais (for the most part). I dropped by Boulangerie Malineau while in the area and couldn't help but buy one of their many different sables (shortbread cookies aka lotsa butter).

I've read good things about their checkerboard sables, and how could you not want to try something so colorful?

I got the sable au chocolat pistache. The thing is huuuuuge. I can't decide if I actually liked it. All I know is that I couldn't stop eating it. As much as I say I eat everything in front of me (which is usually the case), if I don't like something, I won't eat it. Yet curiously, I kept eating this...I don't think sables are my thing but if I had to eat one, I'd pick this one. 

And yes, I went to Laduree and Malineau the same day. And ate those pastries, macarons and that cookie the same day. Go me. Salad next week.

Impracticality

I’ve been craving choquettes like whoa for some reason. And, for some reason, they’re actually not very easy to find. All I’m asking for is an unfilled cream puff sprinkled with pearl sugar! I don’t want the ones from Paul, I feel it’s a cop-out to get them from a chain. I want to find a bakery where they aren’t completely hollow on the inside but somewhat dough-y and egg-y still (yes, I know I don’t like eggs, but this is different). I wandered over the La Grande Epicerie today where I gawked at things and had to restrain myself from picking between 10 different kinds of fleur de sel for €10 each (granted, they were quite hefty pots, and they looked gorgeous) by being practical. “Nads, this will not fit in your suitcase. Why do you need this in NYC when you’re going to leave and come back here again? You can get some when you have an apt in Paris.” So that €10 pot of fleur de sel with piment d’espelette is an expense for the near future. It would look beautiful sprinkled on a piece of baked white fish…

Regardless, I managed to pick up some caramels pomme au beurre and some maldon smoked salt (ok fine, maldon salt is british but whatevs). I also picked a log of chocolate flavored with pimente d’espelette, fleur de sel and violette but then put it down because I tried to be practical again. And then in the bakery portion I spied choquettes. And then I decided the line was too long and the guy I got the chocolate from would notice that I didn’t have it anymore and felt bad. Plus I figured I could get some at Bread & Roses, my next stop. So I continued to wander around the store being fascinated and trying as many samples as I could.

After avoiding les pompiers trying to sell their Christmas calendars outside Le Bon Marche, getting somewhat lost, thinking Christian Constant was where I was going (it wasn’t, lets save that for another trip) I found Bread & Roses. Alas, I was foiled and there were no choquettes. I wasn’t really feeling buying anything, but I always feel awkward going into a small store or a bakery and not getting anything. So I decided to get the pur seigle noir aux raisins de corinthe (rye bread with currants). Don’t think of it as jewish rye bread (I really don’t like jewish rye), but its like a moist sourdough studded with plump raisins and a super crispy exterior. Good choice Nads, good choice.

And yes, there is only half a loaf left. I wish I had some really good butter to put on this...fattie Nads, again. The quest for choquettes will continue when I am back in January! Pan de queso will have to do in Brazil. I have a feeling that will be a very, very bad idea

Mr. Kayser is my new frenemy

I’ve been scarfing down demi-baguettes at a ridiculously rapid pace…but they taste so good! Warm baguettes from Eric Kayser? Oui oui! And its genius to get demi-baguettes as I can (a) stuff it into my bag and (b) not eat a yard of bread. Last weekend I grabbed one after work and stuffed it with smoked salmon. And ate it. ALL OF IT. omnomnomnom.

The past week I was in the capital of the Motherland. I decided to forgo an extra 30 minutes of sleep and take advantage of the breakfast there. Fresh fruit and berries? Check. 10 different kinds of fruit and veggie juices? Check. Sausages, mushrooms, eggs, smoked salmon and potatoes? Check * 5. And breakfast pastries and all this other stuff. And red currants. Although those were used as decoration…but I took them and ate them. My hotel room was ridiculously nice as evidenced by the bathroom:

And since I’ve been eating all these baguettes and smoked salmon and pastries, I decided to go light for dinner today. After being a lazy bum all day, I finally got myself out the door (the weather was 60F!!!) and wandered over to the Marche des Enfants Rouges (one of the few markets open in the late afternoon). It’s a covered market that also sells prepared foods that you can either take home or eat at the picnic tables provided. Apparently there used to be an orphanage nearby where the kids all wore red uniforms, hence the name. I’ve been craving veggies (note to self: buy a salad spinner when I’m back in the U.S.), so I picked up a head of Batavia lettuce, a few tomatoes and a handful of clementines. I was actually surprised that it was all so cheap…and I’ve heard numerous people say that produce in Europe tastes better than in the U.S. Perhaps. But the thing is, at these markets, a lot of the produce is shipped from all over the world, same as in the U.S. It doesn’t necessarily come from local farmers or other places in France, but can come from Mexico or Peru or wherever. So I’m not sure what people are talking about when they say things taste better. Maybe its because things are more seasonal here than in the U.S.

Regardless, my salad tasted goooood (perhaps it was the olive oil from Nyons?). I had it with a pounded chicken breast simply sautéed in olive oil with lemon.

I'm not a fan of cooking for one. Yesterday I made mushroom risotto and I always overestimate when it comes to grains and pastas. So I have some left over but not enough for a full serving. But then again, I ate more than one serving to begin with...