Loyal readers may remember the ill-fated French Pastry Project I conducted a few years ago. In which I made a thwarted attempt to taste every one of the iconic French pastries. A continuation of this project on a smaller scale has added to my waistline over the years.
I was reminded of this when, visiting Charleston recently, I went into a new and very authentic French patisserie that opened up in a luxury hotel. They had some classics, but also some innovative interpretations. Once again, I wanted to order every one. And Reader, I did it!
I hit on an idea, which was to have a French pastry tasting. With enough friends, we could sample them all. I put them on display, then we cut them into bite sized pieces and we had a bite of each. A Pastry Flight, if you will. I accompanied them with French vin d’orange, and it was a great way to spend a winter afternoon. Now I will repeat this at home with French friends.
So, do you know your French pastries? I’m not talking about those stars of the petit déjeuner, croissants and pains au chocolat; but about the serious sugar bombs that they serve for dessert. I’ve included a couple of posters here, plus some photos, so you can perfect this essential part of your French education.
French patisseries tend to get creative, but you will find the basics as well at most of them: éclairs (usually chocolate, coffee, or marron), lemon tarts, fruit tarts. Here is a list of more classics, and how they got their interesting names:
Can you spot some pastries from our list in today’s photos? Attempting to make any of these is way beyond my culinary skills, so no recipe today. Now, are you wondering how the French manage to stay so thin, surrounded by such temptation? That is a post for another day.
In the COMMENTS:
Thanks for all your comments on the new look. You will find some new features too, especially the archives. They are listed after the comments, with a descriptive sentence for each. You can also find them by clicking on ‘Read my blog’in the side bar. Ali, check the Pages on the sidebar, for photos of the château.
Chris, you have a fabulous memory to remember my step-daughter’s book, Sailing to Jessica. It’s been a while! Hope you have a great trip. Julie B., I think we followed you on this one, thanks for the idea. Julie F., I’m with you, but I think the vibe is different during the festival. Debbie, enjoy the snow, that’s pretty crazy. Mary James, lucky you to live down in the sunny south. And Ella too, who also lives on the Med.
Favorite READS: Natalia keeps us happy with French themed books for francophiles. This week her recommendation is The French Winemaker’s Daughter. And again from Chris, by email, comes a recommendation for the series of mysteries by Susan Hill, which she says you will like if you like Louise Penny. I’ve started reading first mystery, The Various Haunts of Men, and I do like it.
6 thoughts on “The French Pastry Project, Part II”
What a fun post Lynn, merci beaucoup! I am still in the process of trying all of the various pastries here in S France. I have to ration my sampling. Your descriptions are most helpful! Bon weekend. xx
Bonjour Lynn! I particularly enjoyed this little taste test of yours! One of my favorite things to do when I guide my “Women in Burgundy” excursions is to bring my guests to my little home in Pommard for afternoon tea and the beautiful selection of “mignardises” pastries from our village’s wonderful Boulangerie-Patisserie, just steps from my front door. I can purchase them by the dozen, and everyone is always delighted by these colorful, three-bite confections representing many of the classics you have described. Thanks for a wonderful post! – ❤️your neighbor in Pommard, Carolyn.
Lynn,thank you for another wonderful and beautiful post– and! Most needless to say! Those PHOTOS!!)!!
What a bevy of beauties you shared with us!!!! (And what a coincidence!all my
favorites! )You have left me drooling(despite the fact that I just indulged in a heavenly canele, washed down with Cafe au lait for my mid morning snack!)(Ah yes,life is short.DEFINITELY eat dessert first– or last, or ANYTIME, for that matter!)
And I just have to tell you again: I love our new format !!!
My book suggestion this time :”Last Twilight In Paris” by Pam Jenoff.She is absolutely one of my favorite writers; I have never run across anything from her that I did not like.This volume is no different.Paris.Wartime.A plot that grabs you and holds your imagination.
My favorite has always been the Paris Brest. Yum. First enjoyed years ago in Anglet. Fun piece this. Several pastries are new to me.
We had breakfast at that pastry place in the fancy hotel once–we were spending a month in Savannah and drove to Charleston for the day–only at the end of the day, we wanted to stay longer! So we checked into a hotel, requested amenity packages since we had not prepared for an overnight stay, and the next morning we had a lovely breakfast before heading back. This post brings back lovely memories! And now that we live in France, with two boulangeries just steps away, we are on a lifetime mission to try all of the pastries!
I wouldn’t be able to waddle back home if I spent my time in France tasting all the goodies. So, personally, I’ve decided to limited it to one item that I try at all the shops. An eclair vanille, which I eat after lunch almost every other day.