The Paris Effect
  • Welcome
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Press

Paris Takes the Cake

10/6/2014

2 Comments

 
Picture
Cake, lovingly displayed, tempting to all. 
Window shopping is a sweet surprise in Paris.
Pâtisseries offer a hefty dose of happy,
a honeyed narcotic that you'll never want to kick.

  A bite of cake is a reward - a standing ovation - for celebrating a birthday
or an anniversary, getting married, or just surviving a tough day. 
When it comes to French cakes, you get a full-frontal view of a nation's food culture.

  Cakes (gâteaux) represent France's inspired cuisine -- the care, the quality,
the beauty and the passion of French food architects. 
Yes, architect -- one who plans, designs and makes.
  A French pastry chef (pâtissier) is a virtual builder of mouthwatering temptations,
creator of triumphant finales that put the legend in the legendary French dining experience.

Picture
Walk into a Parisian pâtisserie and you'll be overwhelmed by an excess of choice.
  Much too much of a good thing. 
That's when you'll realize you need your math skills after all.

   If you have seven days in Paris, how many different tastes can you experience?
  Hint:  You'll need all your fingers and toes -- at the very least.

Here's the short list of tempting creations:

Dacquoise - layers of almond & hazelnut meringue topped with whipped or buttercream

Moelleux - similar to a fondant or molten lava cake, soft & flourless

Croquembouche - little choux pastry rounds piled high, held together by threads of caramel

Financiers - very small cakes flavored with buerre noisette (browned butter)
and ground almonds, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside

Baba au rhum - small yeast cake doused in rum & filled with pastry cream

Bûche de Noël - Christmas specialty frosted & rolled again & again, a
fancy sponge cake that screams holiday, decorated to look like a yule log

Mille-feuille - sometimes called a Napoleon, it translates to cake of a thousand sheets - layer after layer of puff pastry and pastry cream, the poster-child of pâtissiers everywhere

Gâteau Basque - chewy and handheld like a cookie, the Basque specialty is filled
with either cherry preserves or pastry cream -- a personal favorite of mine,
I once ate three in one day and had a stomach-ache for two.  Buyer beware!

Paris Brest - made to commemorate the Paris-Brest bicycle race in 1910,
the wheel-shaped choux pastry is filled with luscious praline cream

Petits Fours - petite iced cakes meant for small bites

Saint Honoré - choux (cream puffs) dipped in caramel on top of a pastry base

Opèra - sponge cake layered with coffee & chocolate buttercream and glazed
in gleaming chocolate - quite decadent, it's the picture of sin

Forêt-Noire - Black Forest Cherry Cake

Gâteau Breton
-  a specialty of Brittany, made with the region's famous
salted butter, a bit like shortbread with French flair

Madeleines - small spongecake baked in a shell-like mold.  This is the famous
 treat that triggered Marcel Proust's memory in "Remembrance of Things Past"

Marjolaine - similar to the dacquoise but long & rectangular with almond and hazelnut

If la cuisine francaise is a portrait of Lady France,
the irresistible cake is surely her eyes, window to her soul.
  So much of the sensation is in the look, the presentation.
Expressive, colorful and dramatic, this portrait is a masterpiece.


Picture
You'll find several really good pastry shops in every neighborhood.
  I'm a fan of Gérard Mulot, Ladurée, Dalloyau and Jacques Genin.
Knowing Parisians' love of sweet endings, I realize there are dozens of
new shops to try and shouldn't exclusively stick to the tried and true.

  So next time, I'll try something new, perhaps from this list: 
La Pâtisserie des Rêves, Sadaharu Aoki, Des Gâteaux et du Pain,
Carl Marletti, Gontrain Cherrier, Blé Sucré -- and that's just for beginners.

  I'm sure you have a favorite, too.
  A special place where you almost made it past the window.....
  You knew you were looking at "art" and couldn't help yourself.... 

Picture
Now that your taste buds are engaged and ready, I'll admit
my first impression of a French cake wasn't so rhapsodic. 
Twelve-
year-olds from America expect a birthday cake covered in
oodles of icing and rosettes, sweet and intoxicating. 

My French aunt didn't go to the pastry shop that day, hoping to show her love
  and generosity with something made from scratch in her own kitchen.
 Parisians don't often make their own desserts since it's so easy to find
something deliciously ready-made just down the street. 

I was pretty excited, knowing that it would indeed be exquisite -- after all,
Tata's cooking was fantastic and I'd have bragging rights at home with tales
of my very own French birthday cake.  This was kid-cloud-nine.

Imagine my surprise when she presented a rather plain and homely looking
one-layer yellow cake -- naked (no icing or decoration of any kind). 
It even looked a little burned around the edges. 
Remembering my manners, I said merci and smiled as I took my first taste ----
I grew up a little that day and learned a valuable lesson.

It was the best cake I had ever tasted in my life. 
Even without icing, chocolate or sprinkles, it was delightful.
  Quality ingredients coupled with technique, tradition and know-how
play a bigger role than an overload of sugar and embellishment.

So you're probably wondering, what kind of cake was it?
  It was the old fashioned, very traditional, easy-to-make French Yogurt Cake. 
You don't even need a mixer to make it, just quality ingredients
like good French yogurt and farm fresh eggs.
 Trust me, your family will think you're a pastry genius once they bite into this.
The French yogurt cake is a pâtisserie's ugly little sister --- the one that
surprises you with her ingenuity and charm. 
Winner.

Picture
Whether you fancy your baked goods from a luxe Parisian landmark patisserie -
or prefer perfecting your own special French recipe at home, you'll enjoy the end result. 

Celebrate the good life and give in to the French Cake Cure.
The Cure involves a different taste every day.
What could be more simple -- or delicious.

  Respect for quality ingredients coupled with matchless technique,
the French have perfected this divine taste of heaven.
With each bite, they engage our endless passion for fine food.
Just part of The Paris Effect.

Self indulgence is a specialty of Paris, a joyride around every corner.
So go ahead, give in to your lust and take the Cure.
Pleasure and contentment sometimes come in small packages.


Cake, the uncommon cure for just about anything.
Picture
Picture
2 Comments
    Picture

    AUTHOR
    MICHELLE MOGGIO

    Thanks for visiting  my blog!

    I've been experiencing the joys of Paris since the ripe old age of eleven.
    As a big fan of duck fat, raw oysters and bad French movies, my long career in advertising helped pave the way for drinking at lunch. When not living la vie en rose, my husband Gary and I live in Brentwood, TN, where we stay busy planning our next travel adventure and offering unsolicited advice to our daughter.

    Archives

    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014


    RSS Feed

    Click below to buy
    The Paris Effect 
    book today
    Enter your email address to receive blog updates -
    Subscribe Now
    Buy Now

    Categories

    All
    100th Blog
    20th Arrondissement
    Abbaye De Fontfroide
    Absinthe
    Academie De La Grande Chaumière
    Adrian Leeds
    Aix-en-Provence
    Albi
    Aligot
    Alsace
    Ambassade D'Auvergne
    Amboise
    American History
    American Revolution
    Amphitheatre
    Antibes
    Apartments
    Aperitif
    April In Paris
    Arc De Triomphe Du Carrousel
    Architecture
    Arena De Nimes
    Ariége
    Armenian Cathedral Of Paris
    Art
    Art Deco
    Artistic Paris
    Artlover
    Art Museum
    Art Nouveau
    Atonement Chapel
    Auray
    Avenue Foch
    Avenue Frochot
    Avignon
    Baccarat
    Baden-Baden
    Baguette
    Basque
    Bayeux Tapestry
    B&B
    Benjamin Franklin
    Bénodet
    Bercy Village
    Biarritz
    Biot
    Biot France
    Bistros
    Bonbons
    Books Set In France
    Boulangerie
    Brassaï
    Brittany
    Brittany American Cemetery
    Burgundy
    Cagnes-sur-Mer
    Cakes
    Canal Du Midi
    Candy
    Cap D'Antibes
    Caracalla Spa
    Caramels
    Catalan France
    Cathars
    Cathedral
    Cathedrale St-Just
    Cemetière De Passy
    Cemetière Saint-Vincent
    Chantilly
    Chapelle Expiatoire
    Chapelle Saint Vincent De Paul
    #Chapel Of Hospice Saint-Jean
    Charles Aznavour
    Charles Trenet
    Chartreuse Du Val-de-Benediction
    Chateau
    Chateau De Clisson
    Chateau De Foix
    Chateau De Fougeres
    Chateau De Malmaison
    Chateau Grimaldi
    Cheese
    Chinon
    Chocolate
    Choice Vs. Chance
    Christian Constant
    #Church Of Saint-Volusien
    Cimiez
    Cité Des Fleurs
    Cité De Trevise
    Claude Monet
    Clisson
    Cocktail
    Coco Chanel
    Cognac
    Cointreau
    Cole Porter
    Comedie-Francaise
    Cote D'Azur
    Coulon
    Cours Mirabeau
    Cours Saleya
    Coussin De Lyon
    Crêpes
    Dessert
    Dijon
    Dreams
    Duck-confit
    Eating In France
    Ecole Des Beaux-Arts
    Ed Clark
    Edith-piaf
    Eglise Notre Dame De Clisson
    Eglise Sainte-Trinité
    Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Prés
    Elsa Maxwell
    Entrevaux
    Environmental Challenges
    Eric Kayser
    Eugene Delacroix
    Fabergé Museum
    Falling For Paris
    Famous-faces
    Fashion History
    Fauchon
    Fernand Léger
    Fete De La Transhumance
    Fête De Vendanges
    Fish Specialties
    Foix
    Folies Bergère
    Fontainebleau
    Fontaine Du Palmier
    Food Markets
    Fougeres
    Fragrance
    France
    Francois-premier
    Free Museums
    French Atlantic Coast
    French Bread
    French Cuisine
    French Food
    French-food
    French History
    French-islands
    French Musee D'Art Moderne De La Ville De Paris
    French Music
    French Resistence
    French Revolution
    #FrenchRiviera
    French Riviera
    French Slave Trade
    Friedrichsbad Spa
    Fun Fair Museum
    Genevieve De Gaulle-Anthonioz
    Genièvre
    George Sand
    Germaine Tillion
    Germany
    Gertrude Stein
    Gordes
    Grand Mosque Of Paris
    Grand Palais
    Grasse
    Guerlain
    Gustave Moreau
    Harvest Festival
    Haut-de-Cagnes
    Healthy Travel
    Hediard
    Henri Le Roux
    Henri Matisse
    Holocaust
    Hometown Memories
    Hotel Belles Rives
    Hôtel De Soubise
    Hotel Dieu
    Hotels
    Ile De Bréhat
    Ile De Ré
    Isadora Duncan
    Jacques Genin
    Janet Flanner
    Jardin Samuel-de-Champlain
    Jay Z
    Jazz A Juan
    Jean Seberg
    Jewelry
    Josephine Baker
    Josephine Bonaparte
    Juan-les-Pins
    Keith Haring
    La Campagne A Paris
    La Couveroitade
    Lafayette
    La Jourrnée San Voiture
    Lalique
    Language Skills
    Languedoc
    La Rochelle
    La Verrerie De Biot
    Lavinia Wine Store
    Le Bonbon Au Palais
    Le Bon Georges
    Le Capitole
    Le Carrousel Des Mondes Marins
    Le Clos Lucé
    Le Cochon à L'Oreille
    Le Coq Rico
    Legendary Lovers
    Le Grand Véfour
    Le Musée Montmartre
    Leonardo Da Vinci
    Le Rostand
    Les Cocottes
    Les Fauves
    Les Invalides
    Les Machines De L'Ile
    Les Sept Iles
    Lichtentaler Allee
    Lille
    Little Gourmand
    Loire Atlantique
    Luberon
    Luxembourg Gardens
    Maison Carrée
    Malmaison
    Man Ray
    Marais Poitevin
    Marc Chagall
    Marché Beauvau
    Marché D'Aligre
    Marché President Wilson
    Marché Victor Hugo
    Marie Curie
    Market Street
    Marquis De Lafayette
    Matisse
    Maurice Utrillo
    Medieval Festival
    Medieval France
    Memorial De L'Abolition De L'Esclavage
    Memorial De La Shoah
    MFK Fisher
    Minervois Wine
    #ModernArt
    Monolithic Church
    Montmartre
    Montmartre Museum
    Montparnasse
    Montparnasse Cemetery
    Montpellier
    Movies Set In France
    Musee Carnavalet
    Musée De La Chasse Et De La Nature
    Musée Des Arts Decoritifs
    Musée Des Arts Forains
    Musée Des Beaux-Arts De Dijon
    Musee D'Orsay
    Musée D'Orsay
    Musee L'Orangerie
    Musée Marc Chagall
    Musee Marmottan Monet
    Musée Matisse Nice
    Musée Picasso
    Musée Yves Saint Laurent
    Museum
    Museum Of Decorative Arts
    Museum Of Hunting & Nature
    Museum Of Modern Art City Of Paris
    Nancy
    Nantes
    Napoleon Bonaparte
    Napoleon III Apartments
    Narbonne
    Nashville
    Natalie Portman
    Nazi Atrocities
    Nice
    Nice France
    Nimes
    Normandy
    Not-far-from-paris
    Not-far-from-paris
    Notre Dame De Lorette
    Notre Dame De Paris
    Occitanie
    #Occitanie
    Off-the-tourist-track
    Off-the-tourist-track
    Opera-garnier
    Operation Dragoon
    Oradoursurglane
    Our Lady Of Paris
    Palais Lascaris
    Palais Royal
    Paloma Beach
    Pancake
    Pancake Pantry
    Parade
    Parc De Bercy
    Paris
    Paris 1968
    Paris Arrondissements
    Paris Art Museum
    Paris Art Schools
    Paris At Home
    Paris Cafes
    Paris Fashion
    Paris Friend
    Paris Markets
    Paris Metro
    Paris Neighborhoods
    Paris Parks
    Paris Patisseries
    Paris Pets
    Paris Predestination
    Paris Retail Therapy
    Paris Travel
    Parks
    Passage Boudin
    Passerelle Simone De Beauvoir
    Pastis
    Patisserie
    Patricia Wells
    Paul Cezanne
    Perfume
    Pernes-les-Fontaines
    Pet Cemeteries
    Petit Palais
    Photography
    Picpus Cemetery
    Pinching Pennies
    Pink Granite Coast
    Place De Furstenberg
    Place De La Concorde
    Place Des Vosges
    Place Masséna
    Place Stanislaus
    Place Vendome
    Ploumanac'h
    Poilane
    Ponr Alexandre III
    Poster Art
    Promenade Des Anglais
    Provence
    #Provence
    Provence Markets
    Puffins
    Pyrenees-Orientales
    Rambouillet
    Raoul Dufy
    Regional Cooking
    Rennes
    Renoir
    Robert Doisneau
    Robert Wuhl
    Roquefort
    Rue Cler
    Rue Cremieux
    Rue De L'Eole Du Medecine
    Rue De Nil
    Rue Dénoyez
    Rue Des Ecoles
    Rue Des Martyrs
    Rue Irenee Blanc
    Rue Jules Siegfried
    Ruelle Des Chats
    Rue Montorgeuil
    Ruth
    Saintdenis
    Saint-Emilion
    Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
    Saint-Etienne-du-Mont
    Sainteustache
    Saint-Goustan
    Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert
    Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
    Saint-Malo
    Saint-Medard Church
    Saint-Paul-de-Mausole
    Saint-Remy-de-Provence
    Saint-Vincent Cemetery
    Sculpture
    Senlis
    Serendipity
    Shopping
    Sliceoflife
    Slice Of Life
    Small Paris Pleasures
    Small Town Saturday Night
    Social Media
    So-Pi
    Springtime In Paris
    Square Des Peupliers
    Square Montsouris
    St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral
    Street Food
    Suzanne Valadon
    Suzy Solidor
    Sylvia Beach
    Texas
    The Avignon Papacy
    The-dreyfus-affair
    The Hunchback Of Notre Dame
    The Louvre
    The Moose
    The National Archives
    The Pantheon
    The-paris-effect
    The Pink City
    Toulouse
    Toulouse-Lautrec
    Tourrettes-sur-Loup
    Travel
    Travel Advice
    Travel Planning
    Troyes
    U.N. World Climate Conference
    Urban Art
    Uzès
    Vacation
    Vacation Planning Food
    Vel D'Hiver
    Vichy
    Vieille Bourse
    Vieux Nice
    Villa Eilenroc
    Villefranche-de-Conflent
    Villeneuve-les-Avignon
    Vincent Van Gogh
    Walking
    Walking Paris
    Willi Ronis
    Wine
    Wine Festival
    WWII
    #WWII France
    WWII Paris
    WWII Provence
    Yachts
    Yves Saint Laurent

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.