Happy New Food de la Grande Epicerie

If I could snap my fingers and have two store-bought American treats appear before me, they would be Entenmann’s glazed pop’ems and Twizzlers. (So gross, right??)

But not far behind on the list of so-bad-they’re-good are these imports, newly available at Le Bon Marché:







I mean, a strawberry milkshake-flavored Pop-Tart?! How awesomely American is that?

Oh cruel day of missing City Bakery

Lemon, chili pepper, ginger and even cinnamon… I can accept that I’ve missed the first few days and flavors of City Bakery’s annual hot chocolate festival.

But missing today’s flavor? Banana peel? It’s like gently dying somewhere deep inside.

January Tour: A hop, skip and a cupcake

One street, three must-eat sweet spots. But since three seems a bit of a gyp compared to the gluttony of other months (well, it is January my friends, the month of great, big healthy intentions), all you have to do is pop around the corner for one last take-home indulgence—the icing on the cake, if you will.

Start at 35, rue Rambuteau. If you know your chocolate makers, you’ll know this is Pralus not by the claret red storefront but by the rainbow of colors of the chocolate pyramids (why they’re called pyramids instead of blocks, I’m not sure, seeing as they consist of 10 squares) and pink-spotted brioche (the famous “praluline”) in the window. The chocolate bars’ colored wrappings correspond to the origin of the cocoa beans. Aqua is from Cuba, violet, from Ghana, mustard yellow is from Indonesia. The pink in the brioche is from the (dyed) Piémont hazelnuts and Valencia almonds that are roasted, crushed and then baked into the sweet, buttery brioche. With either treat, it’s not the colors but the taste that matters (duh), and the flavors are indeed vibrant and delicious.

Speaking of color, a few doors down (23, rue Rambuteau) is the brash cupcake maker, Berko. They weren’t the first to seize the American trend in Paris, but they’re certainly the loudest. Crimson red, hot pink, florescent green, polka dots, gumdrops, chocolate swirls, cookie chunks—these cupcakes cause strollers to suffer from whiplash on the sidewalks every day. Other treats are equally colorful (and sinful), including cheesecake, custardy tarts and caramel-doused shortbread bars.

Jump to the other side of rue Rambuteau, where another patisserie creates sidewalk bottlenecks. Pain de Sucre, which was opened in 2004 by two pastry chefs, is the haute patisserie of the street. Great big, square tarts of rhubarb and raspberry are accented with rosemary; tablettes of chocolate are studded with wild strawberries or whole hazelnuts; and the perfect rows of macarons include flavors like elderflower, lime, chocolate mint and cherry-pistachio.

To bookend this short but sweet tour in chocolate, turn right onto rue des Archives for a visit to Jadis et Gourmande (39 rue des Archives). More gimmicky fun than serious artistry, this Parisian chocolate shop (one of five in the city) has chocolate Eiffel Towers, chocolate plaques that spell out P-A-R-I-S as well as delicious disks of milk and dark chocolate that are topped with dried fruit or nuts.

The incredible, all-too-edible, cakes of Lille, France (part II)

Yes, between Meert’s window dressings and the dangerous, seductive visit to Patisserie Charle, there were other sweet diversions in Lille.

Aux Merveilleux was perhaps the most unique. Rustic, I’d call it. Borderline dated in a Renaissance Fair sort of way, but still charming and delightful.


These are cakes you’re more likely to see in America than France: meringue-coated chocolate whipped cream, rolled in chocolate chips sprinkled with icing and sugar and topped with whipped cream. (I mean, seriously??)

Nearby at Luc Olivier, the dazzling jellies and macarons stood out louder than the pastries.



But what I was most excited about were the chocolates.

Valrhona bonbons in flavors like Tahitian vanilla, Cointreau, lavender, pear and praliné.



I stopped short of buying myself a box of 25, the smallest offered, and instead took a modest 10 home in a cellophane bag.

But it was Patrick Hermand who took the cake. Right?

These little cakes were arresting.


Absolutely exquisite.


Stunning.


Too pretty to eat, almost?


I’d eat one though. Hell, I'd probably eat eight.

The incredible, all-too-edible, cakes of Lille, France (part I)

Pierre, Gerard and Arnaud, eat your hearts out.

I trained up to Lille, in north-northeast France and discovered Paris isn’t the only place where patisserie is prized. I was dazzled by cakes at every turn.

I sought out Meert, a celebrated and historic tea salon. Sure, the millefeuilles, rochers, operas, baba rhums, tarts, muffins and cakes looked good.





But then I kept exploring. Besides Patrick Hermand, Aux Merveilleux and Luc Olivier, I discovered Patisserie Charle.

Incredible creations of pineapple and coconut, pears and salted caramel...

...apricot and pistachio, vanilla and raspberry...

white, milk and dark chocolate...


Too much beauty and temptation for one day.

Moulin de la Vierge

Voila. Just one of Paris’ classic patisseries. (Roughly translated to “The Virgin Mill.”)

Behold, the Art Nouveau façade.

Inside, things only get prettier.

And, presumably, more delicious.

I could only try one treat (which broke my week-long sweets embargo, I might add).

There were so many amazing choices.

Tarts, éclairs, macarons, millefeuilles,…




I thought a breakfast pastry, it being 11 am, was the most appropriate.

So I went with the pain aux raisins.

Not the cupcakes.

Not the pizzas or savory tarts.

It was a good choice.

Brown and white and absolutely sublime

You really haven’t had hot chocolate until you’ve had hot chocolate in Paris. Not to be a snob, but it’s sort of true.

I was reminded of this on my most recent visit to Jacques Genin.


This chocolatier/salon de thé is as exquisite as they come. It’s just a year old; a grand and beautiful space in the Haute Marais, with pristine tarts, millefeuilles and éclairs.


Like the space and pastries, the service is, as the French say, nickel (“neeeee-quelllllle”).

The chocolat chaud is served in Villeroy & Boch porcelain….

And the thick creaminess of the melted chocolate is just beautiful against the stark white china…

Until…

Until, carnage!


We obliterated our individual pitchers of chocolat, leaving irrefutable proof of a lovely afternoon spent.

Why not, biscotti?

Biscotti is hardly the stuff that my dreams are made of. It’s not gooey or chocolaty or rich and creamy. It doesn’t ooze pastry or almond cream or stick to the roof of my mouth in heavenly defiance. So when Niels suggested we go to Bis.Co.Latte for a snack, my expectations were as low as a short-stack from Clinton Street Baking Co.

Little did I know how cute this joint is. Never did I dream biscotti could be so fun and exciting.


A tasting bar displayed the world of flavors this sweet café cooks up.

Cherry apricot, caramel walnut oat bran, fig and date, Kahlua espresso bean, lemon poppy seed, chocolate ginger, fennel almond, white chocolate lavender, Reese’s pieces… the list goes on. And on! 50 handmade varieties of biscotti, as a matter of fact. There's even a Goober biscotti.

Accompanied by a café au lait or chai latté, this little Hell’s Kitchen café just might be what some dreams are made of.

667 10th Avenue at 47th
212.581.3900

Long live the kings!

January sixth is the Day of Epiphany in France—a religious holiday that celebrates Christ being visited by the Three Kings on the Twelfth Night. Fair enough. But what makes the holiday worth nothing is that the French celebrate all month long with wonderful galettes des rois.




The cakes beckon from everywhere; from neighborhood boulangeries to renowned patisseries, hard to miss because of the paper crowns that top them.

They’re not the prettiest cakes the French make. But they’re exquisite for anyone who loves creamy almond paste as much as I do.



The construct is relatively simple—essentially frangipane (almond paste) inside flaky puff pastry. A little egg and sugar, maybe some crème fraiche or Grand Marnier. It depends on the recipe and baker. But I’m quite certain all versions are delicious.


There are also some strange traditions associated with this celebration: a small plastic charm, une fève, is hidden inside for some lucky recipient to get and become king for the day.

Once the galette is cut, a child hides under the table to give the name of the person that will be served next.

The galettes are often washed down with cider or dry white wine.

Another reason to love the French.

Mini red velvet bundt cakes

There I was in Harlem. Within three blocks of Make My Cake, which I had wanted to visit ever since Mitchell introduced me to their moist and amazing cupcakes. For over two years the memory of the dense, spongy cake and sweet (but too much so) frosting had haunted me. And there I finally was—an egg toss away.

The thing is, it was 9 in the morning. Would it be hideous to start my day with a 400-calorie sugar bomb? Maybe. I went in anyway.

I was charmed by the pink and exposed brick walls and tempted by the display cases. Trays of cupcakes: chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, yellow cake with chocolate frosting and, the prizewinning red velvet cupcakes, with or without crushed walnuts on top.




Giant three-layer cakes beckoned, too: yellow with strawberry frosting, German chocolate, double chocolate, carrot cake. Plus, cookies and pies and puddings.

But then a little number caught my eye and I knew I’d found breakfast: the red velvet mini bundt cake.

It was the same delicious red velvet cake the bakery’s known for. Springy, even in this novel form, and a titch chocolaty. Instead of a thick cloud of frosting, it was delicately drizzled into ribbons of sweetness.

Was it the healthiest way to start my day? Of course not. Were the hundreds of calories worth it? Hideous. But, yes.

December Tour: Chocolate, more chocolate and even more chocolate—say Hallelujah!

’Tis the season for offering great, big, decadent boxes of chocolate. And one little stretch on Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the eighth arrondisement serves up a gorgeous selection of the best bonbons.

Starting with Neuhaus (189 Faubourg Saint-Honoré). For over 150 years, this Belgian chocolatier has been peddling its pralines, and they happen to be some of my favorite treats in the world. So rich and creamy, so nutty and thick, each one is a magnificent dessert. If only I could stop at one…

It’s not much easier to resist the temptations at Patrick Roger’s fourth boutique in the city (199 Faubourg Saint-Honoré). House specialties include chocolate-covered caramelized almonds, cubes of rich praline nougatine, and pristine bonbons made with cheeky ingredients like basil, oatmeal, tonka bean and Creole rum.

Keep going up the street to the granddaddy of Parisian chocolate shops, La Maison du Chocolat (225 Faubourg Saint-Honoré). While you could sink your teeth into a sumptuous chocolate éclair, chocolate tart, or chocolate macaron, hop in line and order up a customized box of ganaches and pralines. And don’t miss the plain truffles.

After all that exertion, reward yourself with a lovely dessert across the street at Mariage Frères (260 Faubourg Saint-Honoré,). The Happy Day cheesecake is made with their classic Wedding Imperial tea and caramelized apples. The Russian Kiss is panna cotta with Russian Kiss tea, dark chocolate mousse and a gelée d’orange. But, given the season, I’d go with the Hallelujah!, a dark chocolate fondant cake infused with their special Christmas teas.

Yuletide logs

They are everywhere here in Paris: Christmas logs of individual and ginormous proportions. Christmas logs of mocha, vanilla and raspberry. Christmas logs adorned with butterflies, mushrooms and children’s balloons. They are France’s Bûche de Noel and they are something to behold (and dig into).




The traditional dessert is generally made with Genoese sponge cake, flavored with liquor and covered with butter cream. And, as you can, the pastry chefs go to town with the decorations: mushrooms made of meringue, holly made with marzipan, fresh berries and macarons, powdered sugar to create a snowy effect…


Often the bûches are served with cake cut off from one side and set askew to resemble small branches. They can actually be a little garish. But they’re still delicious.

I'll swallow that

“I’m a soy bean-eating, recycling-devoted, vintage clothes-wearing, used Volvo-driving, low-carbon-footprint person in the first place. Sometime during the Bush years, that administration’s intense assault on the environment left me feeling that as a business owner with a large and loyal customer base, I had a responsibility to begin talking about the environment.”

Go, Maury! Here’s to the New York-based, French-trained, bi-coastal pastry chef who’s now sharing his good morals and gut-busting cookies at a third location.

Spot on cupcakes and dessert

I flew 3600 miles for one of Pichet’s cupcakes. And was richly rewarded with cheesecake, chocolate ganache and semifreddo.

I was crushed when Batch and p*ong closed. Crushed. My favorite cupcake in the world, the carrot salted caramel cupcake, gone. Ovaltine, lychee and huckleberry surprises on the dessert menu, no more.

But say hallelujah. Pichet opened a new dessert bar in the East Village, Spot, and I was so happy to catch him there when I was home in New York.

I dragged Bennie along with me; my perfect partner in crime. As soon as we sunk our teeth into the cupcakes, he said, “Forget the flavors—the cupcake itself is so much better than a Magnolia cupcake.”
Of course he’s right. We sampled the mocha maldon salt caramel and the vanilla caramel Vietnamese coffee cupcakes (along with the coconut macaroon nutella almond bar, just for kicks. Anything with Nutella is a must-try).


The cake was so moist, the flavors were potent and the frosting was super generous. Pichet’s cupcakes never disappoint.

But he wouldn’t let it rest there; he sent out other goodies to try.

The soft cheesecake, elegantly spilling out of a highball, with huckleberry compote, crushed walnuts and lemon foam.


The white miso semifreddo, a surprising, sweet-savory plate of moist cake, flavorful olive oil, raspberry sorbet and almonds.

And lastly, the uber rich chocolate ganache cake, served with green tea ice cream, crackly caramel crunches and Pichet’s patented malted chocolate (also on the cupcake) bits.

Maybe I’ll have to fly back again for the imminent opening of Village Tart.

Baby brownies

Best brownie ever? I surely wouldn’t go that far. But when your hotel offers turndown service with a nice two-bite Fat Witch brownie, you can’t complain. At least I didn’t.

I was surprised and a little sad that, instead of going across the street to City Girl Café for their decadent Valrhona brownies, 60 Thompson scoops up these babies from across town at the Chelsea Market.

So in addition to testing out new chocolate chip cookies and indulging at Pichet Ong’s new dessert bar, Spot (more on those later), I plunked myself down for a few bites of baked goodness every day during my short but sweet stay at the hotel.

The brownie fared better than the blondie with a dense, undercooked middle (the way I like ’em).


The blondie had the chocolate chip bonus, but were a bit on the dry, crumbly side.


Next time I’m in town, I’ll have to give some of the other flavors—available only in full size—a shot.

It's only fair that I try the walnut, caramel and spicy brownies before denying Fat Witch the best brownie title.

Parisian douceurs, New York style

The grass is always greener and the sweets, sweeter, when you’re away from your home territory. Here are five sweet spots in New York where I’m indulging in Parisian douceurs.

Michel Cluizel
The master is back in NYC after closing shop in ABC last year. Now you can sink your teeth into a cup of cocoa or a grand cru chocolate bar at his new boutique at Fifth and 47th.

Kee’s
Or scoop up some artisinal chocolates instead. Kee Ling Tong puts the same meticulous care into her insanely delicious bonbons as she does her homemade macarons. You just can’t go wrong.

Ceci Cela
Anyone who’s ever had a croissant from this Nolita darling—be in butter, almond or pain au chocolat—knows they’re the real deal.

Butterfield Market
Payard, lost and found! While the patisserie sadly closed earlier this year, you can still get Francois’ exquisite French éclairs—or go whole hog with the buche de Noel—at this Upper East Side market.

Thé Adoré
I love this little spot on 13th that always goes under the radar. Once you step inside the narrow salon de thé and get a gander at the pretty fruit tarts, you might as well be in Paris.

November Tour: Rue Montorgueil’s Embarrassment of Rich-Riches

I don’t mean to boast, but I chose my neighborhood well. At the one end of rue Montorgueil, you have Deliziefollie. At the other, Eric Kayser. And in between, it’s a sheer embarrassment of riches.

Let’s start with Deliziefollie (7 rue Montorgueil), the Italian gelateria. They have dozens of decadent flavors to ogle, from the savory (hazelnut) to the spicy (cinnamon); from fruity (mango) to boozy (rum raisin) to just plain sweet (strawberries and cream). And if a frozen dessert on an autumn day doesn’t cut it, you can get a piping hot Nutella crepe from their stand out front.

Just a couple doors up, Charles Chocolatier (15 rue Montorgueil) is a heavenly oasis of artisinal treats. The long-standing chocolate shop (since 1910) offers lovely dark chocolate bonbons and tablettes, plus killer hot cocoa.

Does Stohrer (51 rue Montorgueil) have the best chocolate éclair in the city? Despite the obscene number of times I’ve been in this gorgeous little patisserie—a historic gem, founded in 1730 by King Louis XV’s pastry chef, Nicolas Stohrer—I still haven’t tried one. Although Stohrer has received city’s best honors from Le Figaro, I can’t seem to get beyond the puits d’amour, tartelette aux figues or Neptune cake, which is like a giant Rocher chocolate.

I know Paul (63 rue Montorgueil) is a chain, and I can be a world-class snob when it comes to chains. But besides their heavenly baguettes, Paul makes a perfect pit-stop for pain au chocolat, tartes aux citrons and those pepito loafs that are chock full of chocolate chips and sweet pastry cream.

My love for dried pineapple is no secret. Nor should it be a surprise that A la Mere de Famille (82 rue Montorgueil) is my supplier. Beyond their luscious bins of dried fruit is a cute little store filled with caramels, marzipan, lollis, marshmallows and chocolates.

My incredibly rich mocha birthday cake this year came from Maison Collett (100 rue Montorgueil) so I have a soft spot for this patisserie.

Despite having all these delicious options, I will often walk by them to get to Eric Kayser. Another master breadmaker, Kayser also knows his sweets. With goodies like the chocolaty Opera cake, beautiful raspberry pistachio cake, and strawberry bressane—a round, flat pastry topped with cream, sugar and berries, from the Bresse area of the Rhône-Alpes—wouldn’t you?

Nante's candy bins

Not only did I try the caramel kouignette from Larnicol in Nantes, but I went back twice to load up on the chocolate bonbons by the kilo.

How could I not, with such a bright and tempting selection?

Dried pears dipped in milk chocolate? Praliné, inside dark chocolate, inside a crispy candy shell?

Technicolor macarons in flavors of the rainbow?

It's no wonder that I went straight into one of my mini sugar detox programs after my weekend getaway.