Iโve had a long love affair with Chartreuseย liqueur, even before I visited the monastery back in the 1990โs. We were led through a somewhat terrifyingย display of hooded monks (not real ones, fortunately, but long-face replicas), the kind you see in historical or agricultural museums in France that are meant to depict a historical representationย of something, even drying prunes โ likely for educational purposes, but alwaysโฆ
Itโs always nice to meet your heroes and many years ago, I was fortunate to meet one of mine. But I canโt claim Nick Malgieri as โmine,โ as heโs been a guiding influence for bakers everywhere, publishing books with recipes and technique for making everything from traditional Italian pastries to Viennese tortes and even Middle East and Greek sweets, to the delight of bakers nearโฆ
UPDATE: I created the Paris Pastryย app to feature and highlight hundreds of the best chocolate shops, bakeries, and pastry shops in Paris.ย Unfortunately, the technology of building and maintaining the app eventually exceeded myย capabilities and it wasnโt possible for me to update it as often as wanted to. Because of those limitations, and others, Iย made the difficult decision to remove the app for sale. Ifโฆ
Some say that the French can be very narrow in their definitions of things, which is why traditional French cuisine can be so simple, yet spectacular; because the classics donโt get messed with. Other cuisines, however, do get modified to local tastes, like les brochettes de bลuf-fromage, or beef skewers with cheese, at les sushis restaurants, popcorn available as salty or sweet (!?), and whileโฆ
One of the things about living in a city like Paris is that you spend a lot of time โ well, dealing with life. Bills to pay, paperwork to do, typos to avoid, stolen bikes to replace, smokers to dodge on sidewalks waving lit cigarettes (I got nailed the other day โ ouch!), or buying a pair of shoes, can easily take up much โโฆ
Although thereโs some dispute as to where the croissant was invented, itโs become an iconic symbol of Paris. Or at least of Paris bakeries. The most popular story claims that croissants were invented in Austria, during (or after) a period of conflict with Turkey in the 1600s, whose symbol is a crescent. And people were happy to bite into, and chew, a pastry representing theirโฆ
If youโve ever wondered how French pastry shops make cream puffs with that distinctive decorative crackly topping, look no further. (If youโve never wondered, you can skip to the next entry.) The topping is called craquelin, a simple dough thatโs easily put together and is a nifty little trick to gussy up ordinary cream puffs.
Iโm often asked about upcoming trends and each time it happens, I am sorely tempted to respond, โIf I could see the future, Iโd be buying lottery tickets.โ I guess it makes good press โ but the unfortunate thing about most trends is that they are often temporary. (In many cases, itโs a relief to see them go when their time is up.) Yet otherโฆ
Since a number of people have been asking, whenever I ask the bakers who are making flatbreads in Lebanon, specifically what their formula is for they breads they are rolling out (or tossing), Iโll get the same, vague response; โFlour and water..oh, and a little olive oil.โ And thatโs it, as they continue with their busywork. While I suspect if I pressed them further, theyโฆ
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