January 5th, 2014

10 hours to explore Paris

Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - Trocadéro Plaza

(Pose~!)

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The day after teaching the chocolate workshop, I woke up early & checked out of the hotel. My Eurostar train back to London was at 18:15 that evening, which meant that I had something like 10 hours to explore Paris.

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The early morning métro was super busy with commuters walking super fast, especially at Gare Saint-Lazare (large terminus railway station) where I changed lines. – Is it my imagination or does the Parisians walk much faster than the Brits? Is that the secret to maintaining their trim figure I wonder…?

– Anyway, getting on the métro was a doddle. The system is similar to the tube in London – colour coded lines (also numbered) with the name of the final stop displaying which direction it goes to. And as for buying the fare tickets, Mrs C’s husband had kindly walked me to the nearest station to show me how to use the ticket machine. (Thank you!) :-)

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My first destination was Pâtisserie Carette by Trocadéro in the 16th arrondissement. I decided to go there prior to this trip by doing my research on Trip Advisor on where best to go for breakfast, & I read that the scrambled eggs at Carette was very good. That information coupled with the photograph of ‘French-style’ scrambled eggs… – had me. Because, though I knew of this ‘French-style’ egg cooking method from before, I had never sampled it. And what better way to introduce yourself to a new food than to eat the best from the very beginning? ;-)

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And it certainly did not disappoint my high expectations. It was sublime. French-style scrambled eggs (Oeufs brouillés), as you can see from the picture below, is much moister/ runnier. (And it came in a soup plate!) Oh-my-God, it was so heavenly creamy… Is this probably the best scrambled eggs I’ve ever had? Yes… Can I go back to my usual scrambled eggs now that I know better? Er…, no, not anymore. Not now that I have tasted the yummiest way to eat scrambled eggs ever! (… talking of ‘ever’, it was the most expensive scrambled eggs ‘ever’ too…)

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https://www.cocoandme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/cocoandme_carette_paris.jpg

(Carette’s also came with two batons of perfectly flaky puff pastry. Hmm! Only the French…!)

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Another reason why I chose Carette is because it overlooks the iconic Eiffel Tower & I quite liked the idea of starting my Paris trip near it. ~ It seemed fitting! With only a minute’s walk from the pâtisserie to Trocadéro plaza, you get a fantastic view of the Tower that is across the river. A couple asked if I could take their photo, which I did. Then they offered to take mine on my iphone too. Pose~! (the photo is at the top of this article.) Ah, before you mention it, there were several police guards patrolling the plaza which made the place feel safe (& the couple looked like nice people anyway).

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Next stop – Les Halle located in the 1st arrondissement to visit the cluster of  cookware shops. I remember coming here over 7 years ago, visiting the same shops, especially falling in love with MORA. I overspent then & I overspent again this time. Lol… My purse strings loosen when I’m there…

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - MORA in Les Halles PARIS - cookware shop - chocolate and pastry work equipment

(MORA. Pastry & chocolate work heaven…)

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - MORA in Les Halles PARIS - cookware shop - chocolate and pastry work equipment

(Just look at the extensive stack of polycarbonate chocolate moulds!!!!!)

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - MORA in Les Halles PARIS - cookware shop - chocolate and pastry work equipment - Hard polycarbonate chocolate mould - 3 dog

(Hard polycarbonate chocolate mould.)

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Amongst my purchase of a piping tip, cake tin & chocolate scraper, I bought this 3 doggy polycarbonate chocolate mould for 41 euros. Imagine…, white, milk & dark chocolate dogs… Or even strawberry or caramel colour/ flavour…, lining them up like soldiers. The chocolate figure could be solid or it could be hollow like an Easter egg. I could even stuff it with ganache like a bonbon! Or…, ah! What about shoving a strip of paper with a message in the hollow figure, just like a fortune cookie?! That might be quite cute…! – Possibilities,  possibilities…!!

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - MORA in Les Halles PARIS - cookware shop - chocolate and pastry work equipment - Fèves ceramic ‘beans’ to nestle in the Galette des Rois on Epithany

(My new collection of fèves. The size of each charm is less than 2cms.)

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I also bought 2 assorted bags (9.50 euros a bag) of dinky fèves. – Fèves are ceramic ‘beans’ to nestle in the Galette des Rois on Epithany. The rule goes that the lucky person who finds it in their slice of pie would then become the King for the day! (Check out my Galette des Rois designs from last year!) – – Do I need all these feves? No. But but but… y’know what it’s like, This Girl Can’t Help It…

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After this, I hurried to the Rose Bakery in 9th Arrondissement to meet… guess who?! Clotilde from Chocolate & Zucchini! Yup, I asked her out for lunch! Yayyy, after all these years, I finally got to meet her! Super exciting! And it was so absolutely lovely chatting with her. There was so much to talk about!! It was non-stop! Lol. In a strange way, it felt like we’ve met before, because we knew so much about each other through our blogs & also through the email exchanges over many years, ever since she mentioned me on her brownie recipe back in 2009. (I also wrote a guest article on her blog last April too) ^^.

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - Rose Bakery in Paris with Clotilde - mushroom risotto

(Clotilde! ~ Mushroom risotto!)

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After Rose Bakery, my Paris food pilgrimage continued on with my travel bag with chocolate-work equipments from the workshop the day before, & the new purchases from MORA & marrons glacés from G.Detou, plus a signed book from Clotilde that she gave to me (it’s her new French Market one, which now I have two copies of, since I owned one already! By the way, I’ve tried several of her recipes from it & I can vouch for the book! ^^).

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Conveniently on the same street as the Rose Bakery, there is Popelini, a choux à la crème (cream puff) shop. It is a cake shop that was on my list of ‘want to go’ places. Resisting the urge to say: “May I have one of every kind you have, s’il vous plait?”, I picked out the one that is on the left of the picture below. Well, it had the most cream on it didn’t it?! Lol! Happy to report, it was delicious. Wicked in sizing.- Moreishly small, & dainty in a hip sort of way.

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - Popelini, a choux à la crème (cream puff) shop - Paris

(The choux display in Popelini.)

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Two to three minutes stroll down the same street toward the Notre-Dame-de-Lorette station, is another great cake outlet – Patisserie Sébastien Gaudard.

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - Patisserie Sébastien Gaudard -  a mini Le Paris Brest, it's circular shape representative of a wheel to commemorate the Paris to Brest bicycle race. - Paris

(Le Paris Brest.)

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I purchased a mini Le Paris Brest, it’s circular shape representative of a wheel to commemorate the Paris to Brest bicycle race. It is choux pastry cut horizontally piped with praline cream inside. So pretty… And so perfectly made. Respect. And what is it about these small card plaquettes that make a pastry look so darn special! It sure adds the value-factor don’t cha think?? Although…, from a seller’s point-of-view, I guess it only works when you’re a high-end (& well-known) establishment that people want to parade perhaps? – Like, it’ll totally work to its disadvantage if the establishment were a Lidl (discount supermarket)…, for want of an example. One would be foolish to take around a pack of Lidl branded cakes if in need to up your game to impress.

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - Patisserie Sébastien Gaudard -  mendiant tart, tarte - Thin tart shell packed with mixture of dried nuts swimming in good-looking caramel. Very Christmassy. - Paris

(La tarte mendiant. Thin tart shell packed with mixture of dried nuts swimming in good-looking caramel. Very Christmassy.)

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After this, I managed to go to another ‘must-go’ destination on my list. La pâtisserie des rêves par Philippe Conticini near Rue du Bac station in the 7th Arrondissement. I bought the lemon tart that has a ingeniously created meringue top. I knew about it from watching his website video sometime ago! – By the way, I recently heard that La pâtisserie des rêves is opening its London branch this February! Yayyy! Me says I-Can’t-Wait.

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Walking down the same street going south, I found the famous Angelina on the opposite side. It is their new outlet which is take-away only, no tea room. Happily surprised, I, quite naturally, walked in & bought their famous Mont Blanc (6.70 euro) Y’know, to sample ofcourse…, for research… cough cough.

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - Patisserie Angelina - famous cake - Paris - Mont Blanc eclair cake window display.

(Window display at Angelina.)

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - Patisserie Angelina - famous Mont Blanc cake - Paris - sweet meringue base, very flat & small, mountain of lightly sweetened chantilly, & chestnut cream beautifully piped over it.

This Mont Blanc was consumed in the Eurostar, half way inbetween France & England. Yet again, happy to report that this was also amazing. I’m so glad I bought it. I also don’t know of anywhere that sells Mont Blancs here in London, other than in Laduree in Harrods, & I’m never down that end of town. For me, it’s intriguing to sample good cakes, especially those that are their signature ones,  to see what’s so winning about it (or, I sometimes pick out the most obscure item on the menu if it sounded unfamiliar.). - Eating them is like deciphering like a detective, I taste each component separately first, then eat it as a whole to see how it unites. Oh, it’s super fun!

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Angelina’s Mont Blanc is simply a thin sweet-meringue base, mountain of lightly sweetened chantilly, & chestnut cream beautifully piped on it. The chestnut cream was really special. Flavorsome, not too sweet, & also very dense. A lot denser than I thought actually, which by the end, really filled me up. I imagined eating this with their famed hot chocolate in their famed tea room. I reckoned it’ll be too much for me. Though, then again, I guess you’d be spending a long time in the tea room, taking time to eat & drink, soaking in the grand atmosphere…?

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Anyway, back to the story about my trip walking down Rue du Bac. After Angelina, weighed down by even more things to carry – cakes, & then souvenirs for my kids that I bought in Pylones – I walked in to a large Food Hall called La Grande Épicerie de Paris. This again, was only a stones throw away. (The walk down Rue du Bac toward the south is a food dream alley!)

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Thinking ahead to supper-time on the Eurostar heading home, I bought a slice of ‘Le Croque Classic’. An indulgent double-decker sandwich made of bread, turkey, pancetta, cheddar, tomato, cucumber, hard boiled egg, iceberg salad, mayonnaise & worcestershire sauce. 5.90 euros. Not sure why it’s called ‘classic’ (I would’ve thought croque is more like croque monsieur with ham & cheese only? I might be wrong though! ^^), but it was worth every penny & went down well.

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - La Grande Épicerie de Paris - 'Le Croque Classic'. An indulgent looking sandwich made of bread, turkey, pancetta, cheddar, tomato, cucumber, hard boiled egg, iceberg salad, mayonnaise & worcestershire sauce. 5.90 euros. - Paris

(My take-away food to eat aboard the Eurostar.)

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - French madam deliberating a panettone loaf in La Grande Épicerie de Paris -  - Paris

(French madam deliberating a panettone loaf in La Grande Épicerie de Paris.)

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I deliberately left pâtisserie Sadaharu Aoki for my final destination before boarding the Eurostar as I knew I would be buying the most cakes there. Thinking, oh yeah, I can walk from La Grande Épicerie to his shop on Rue de Vaugirard no problem – wrong. Gah, I was lost. It seemed simple enough on the map, but somehow I walked around a block twice. Not what you want to do when your bag is digging in to the shoulders.

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Nevertheless, I trudged on, only because I’m not in Paris so often am I & if I missed going there now, the next time will probably be way away in the future. Luckily though, after about a troubled 15 minute “Oh dear I’m lost” moment (which felt like at least double its time), I found the pâtisserie. I bought these 3 items: Genmai-cha (Japanese roasted tea) eclair, millefeuille with vanilla crème pâtissière & another of those in green tea version.

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - pâtisserie Sadaharu Aoki - Genmai-cha (Japanese roasted tea) eclair, mille feuille with vanilla crème pâtissière & another of those in green tea version.- Paris

(These survived the Eurostar journey!)

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - pâtisserie Sadaharu Aoki - Genmai-cha (Japanese roasted tea) eclair, mille feuille with vanilla crème pâtissière & another of those in green tea version.- Paris

(Cross-section picture to just prove to you that I took my time & didn’t wolf it down…!)

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I’m jealous of the perfectly caramelized top on the millefuille. It’s not weeping (wet). Other than the only niggle of the genmai-cha sprinkled on top of the eclair being slightly soggy & had lost it’s crunchy characteristic, all three purchases were ah-mazing. So good. So perfectly balanced. Sadaharu Aoki is my favourite pâtissier… Shame he doesn’t have a London branch… (Or, then again, perhaps that’s a good thing?? My sugar-fueled figure certainly doesn’t need the source of maniacal obsession so close by!)

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Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - Coco and Me - pâtisserie Sadaharu Aoki - Genmai-cha (Japanese roasted tea) eclair, mille feuille with vanilla crème pâtissière & another of those in green tea version.- Paris

(This was a freebie gift! Sadaharu Aoki’s ‘Chocoron’. Macaron coated in Domori chocolate. Cute transfer on one side like a chocolate bonbon.)

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Anyway, thank you for reading this rather long post! I hope you enjoyed it! ~ Happy New Year everyone! xx

14 Comments »

  1. That surely counts as one of the best uses of 10 hours I can think of! :) So glad you had such a great time and that you got to meet Clotilde! I love Mora too, I justify any money spent there with the knowledge that whatever I buy is probably cheaper there than it would be in the UK (or States – I once bought myself a set of silicone financier moulds, went back to the States and discovered that the same thing cost four times more there… I kid you not).

    I’m definitely adding your patisserie finds to my list for next time I’m in Paris (I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never been to Sadaharu Aoki). And next time you are there you must pay Arnaud Larher (in Montmartre, near Lamarck-Caulaincourt metro) a visit…

    Happy New Year to you too! xx

    Comment by Rachel - January 5, 2014 9:12 pm

  2. Hi Rachel! Super to hear from you! xx Thank you for the tip about Arnaud Larher!! I just google-imaged, & oh boy, the pastries all look so pretty! If I had more time in Paris I would’ve explored Montmartre too. – I’ve never been to Sacré Coeur for example… My trips to Paris is always so short… boo…! As for Aoki, I def. recommend to you also!! – Rachel, I hope you’re having a great start to the new year, & I wish you lots of sweet things ahead~!! xx

    Comment by Tamami - January 5, 2014 11:15 pm

  3. I am impressed with how much you saw and were able to purchase! I am so tempted to book a sneaky day trip, I just need to find a babysitter first…xo Oh and so very jealous that you met Clotilde! I adore her and that book is wonderful :)

    Comment by Bake - January 6, 2014 9:43 am

  4. Hello Bake! :) It really was the perfect cherry on top to meet Clotilde in this trip! She is just as adorable as her website! :) I’m very thankful that I was fortunate throughout the whole time in Paris, although I was mega tired by the end!! x

    Comment by Tamami - January 6, 2014 11:03 am

  5. Thank you for this fantastic report! So happy to read that you enjoyed your time in Paris and made the most of your trip the way you had exactly planned!! Looking forward to welcoming you again or seeing you in London. Happy new year!!!

    Comment by Caroline - January 6, 2014 11:42 am

  6. Caroline!!!! :) :) :)
    Yes, the following day went almost as planned minus I didn’t get to climb the Eiffel Tower like I told you – Seeing so many tourists near it by the Trocadero plaza made me think that it’ll take up too much of my time to queue & stuff – it changed my mind…!! Maybe next time when I have more time… – Anyway, hope to see you in Ldn one day also! Happy new year to you & your lovely family!!!

    Comment by tamami - January 6, 2014 12:08 pm

  7. Oh, man. I really do miss those French pastries…

    I LOVE the feves! It looks like you really had an amazing time, good for you.. you deserved it! Now that you’ve made me feeling hungry, I’m off to fix dinner. No eclairs for dessert, though. Boo.

    Comment by cocopuff1212 - January 6, 2014 10:14 pm

  8. Lol, cocopuff1212!! I could do with getting my teeth in to an eclair right now too – & it’s past 11pm here…!! I bet you fix an awesome dinner though…! Surely?! xx

    Comment by Tamami - January 6, 2014 11:15 pm

  9. Tamami, first of all wish you and your family a very happy and prosperous new year. Hope the year brings you lot of happiness, luck and success. I hadn’t visited here for the last several weeks and I have been reading all about your wonderful Paris adventure for the last half an hour. I am so happy you had this opportunity and looks like you had a blast. What a perfect way to end the year. Someday, I hope I can invite you to India for a similar workshop. I would love to learn from you and I think you would love visiting :)

    Comment by Poornima - January 7, 2014 10:20 am

  10. Poornima! Poornima! Poornima! Imagine! India! How unexpected, but seriously really really lovely of you to say that! Y’know what I did when I read your comment? I google-searched on visiting places in India, & what foods are good/ recommended on the web as ‘must-eats’. Wow, it’s such a feast for the eyes, imagine actually eating them…!? And it’ll be awesome to meet you – You’ve been such a support for me over the years!! :)
    – Anyway, thank you for always checking on my blog! As you are surely aware, I am inconsistent in regularly updating it…!! The longest I’ve left it was FOUR months!!! Shame on me…!
    – Poornima, may many happiness be sent your way for the year 2014!! T xx

    Comment by tamami - January 7, 2014 2:27 pm

  11. That sandwich looks especially awesome! Not sure about the eggs though. The photo has them resembling eggs over easy (or, as I like to call them, ‘sushi chicken’). Thank you for taking us all to Paris :)

    Comment by jonquil - January 17, 2014 2:41 am

  12. Hello Jonquil! :) Lol, yeah, that sandwich WAS seriously good! As for the eggs, I know what you mean, I think if some place served them in this country, the customer will send it back to the kitchen! – The french style is cooked very very slowly over the bain marie, & the result texture is unbelievably creamy! If you ever get a chance, see it on a menu somewhere, please give it a try! xx

    Comment by Tamami - January 17, 2014 10:24 am

  13. Very good I’m chief and owner in copper melt patsery in Egypt

    Comment by Mohamed ragab - September 16, 2014 12:09 am

  14. Thank you!

    Comment by Tamami - September 16, 2014 8:16 am

 

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