Femme et Fleur: Inspiration Paris

Bienvenue mes amis.

Miss Nancy Boyle

My French teacher at North Shore High School, Glen Head, NY

I had an email from a high school friend, Ricky Zimmerman. Here's what he said about Femme et Fleur.

If you remember, our French teacher told the American Friends Committee that I was incapable of learning. I think she was speaking generally but try not to use too much French in your new blog. This is the first blog I have ever responded to so write away. ricky

Inspiration Paris, Part Two
Because I am a compulsive organizer, when I go to Paris I do exhaustive research, culled from favorite blogs, on pâtisseries, restaurants, shops and museums. Here are some of the sources: The Paris Kitchen, Bonjour Paris, Girls Guide to Paris, and David Lebovitz.

Typical notebook entries may say: "eclair rue de Buci, any vendors - do many." Or, "autumn day, row to island in Grand Lac in Bois de Boulogne, lunch in a deserted restaurant." Or, from The New York Times, Lenny Kravitz likes: L'Amis Louis for dinner, Kai on rue de Louvre for sushi, Paris Opera, favorite building.

Oui, Deyrolle, cabinet de curiosités should be on your list.

I dutifully type up my notes like Saint Carol de Paris. But once I'm there, ah, that's another histoire. I may have 10 pâtisseries on my list and get to only two.

This chap at Gérard Mulot cannot believe that les Americains are ordering so many macarons!

Quel cochons!

One evening after dinner we skipped dessert at the restaurant and ran like the devils food cake to beat the shop's closing time of 8 p.m..

What a riot of beauty, cornucopia of color and surfeit of sweetness. Coming in on a tarte and a prayer, we made our selection.

The packaging is as delicieux as the pâtisserie. Lush pinks and salmon hues.

Let's see. I think we bought one of those raspberry tartes and that red bombe thing to the right. It was blueberry inside.

These pyramids of macarons were the inspiration for I.M. Pei's glass pyramid at the Louvre.

Some little hostess gift, n'est pas?

Back at the hotel, the booty ready to be opened and devoured. But first, we order a bottle of Château de Gérard Mulot with hints of chocolate and raspberry.

Would you believe these are chocolate Easter bunnies? I didn't think so.

While on the topic of desserts, one I like to dwell on interminably,

we went to the Musée Jacquemart-André, ostensibly to see a show of the art of Fra Angelico, but really to dine in what I'd read was the most beautiful tea room in Paris.

Voila! Parfait for les Madames qui déjeunent.

Fra Angelico was an Italian Renaissance painter of religious subjects.
A Bishop Saint, Fra Angelico (Guido di Pietro) (Italian, Vicchio di Mugello ca. 1395-1455 Rome) Date: ca. 1425,
courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.metmuseum.org
Call me a philistine, but how many pictures of gold-leaf saints can a person look at.
This is much better.

I worship at the altar of Napoleon, the pastry, not the emperor.

Little-known fact: the Musée Jacquemart-André was used as
Maurice Chevalier's house in the movie Gigi.

These people (and Monsieur Le Chien) look like they're enjoying lunch too.

Le Jardin du Luxembourg is a civilized place for a stroll, to see and be seen, to enjoy the pond and the plantings.

The gentleman on the left got the same memo as Richard for what to wear in the Jardin. It's like walking on a sandy beach. You must wipe the fine blond dust from your shoes after your walk.

Speaking of Richard, he always manages to inject a bit of fun.