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Two Seductive Paris Sweet Spots It never ceases to amaze me. Remarkable ‘foodie’ treasures are tucked into Paris quarters on and off the beaten path, inevitably manifesting in what seem like delightfully less-likely places. During my October forays to explore Belleville, Batignolles, the Faubourg St. Antoine and ‘So-Pi’ to develop my new Paris Off the Beaten Path culinary explorations, I discovered numerous new-to-me gems, some hiding in plain sight near other perennially favored venues. The first sweet spot that is absolutely vaut le voyage up to the northeastern rim of Paris is Lecureuil, a gorgeous little patisserie par excellence. Lecureuil is ‘reinventing’ classic French patisserie to delicious effect. Located on the northern reaches of the top-quality rue de Lévis market street, Lecureuil sits in a very residential quarter amid multiple adorable shops that feature childrens’ toys and clothes (take note parents and grandparents!). Laurence Edeler, the charming and animated owner, has teamed up with her pastry chef-husband and a brigade of talented staff-bakers to create drop-dead-gorgeous French patisserie that is ‘market-driven’, true to their culinary roots, but less sweet and rich than most. Indeed, the Pudlo Guides noted Lecureuil as best new Paris patisserie in 2008. Market-driven patisserie? That means patisserie that is crafted from ingredients at their seasonal peak, using the best fruit and berries from the markets, highlighting freshness and dense, pure flavor. It also means creating patisserie that uses the best butter and cream but to the end of enriching the primary flavor, not dominating it. Sugar and icings are generally either kept to the minimum or not used at all. For example the luscious multi-layered millefeuilles or the éclairs do not have icing. They do have a razor-thin layer of bitter dark chocolate or other complimentary topping that attracts the eye and delights the palate. Babas are not drenched in a sweet rum syrup, they nestle in a pure fruit coulis. In early October the traditional Tarte Bourdaloue featured a very up-to-the-moment poached pear set like a jewel into a pastry and cream frame. Beautiful to regard and delicious too! Lecureuil also makes some of the best macarons that I have tasted anywhere in Paris, including those from the famed shrines of macaron-dom. And of course macaron flavors change seasonally. In early October cassis, rose, lemon, lavender, passion fruit and other fruity, floral flavors joined the classic flavor pantheon of chocolate, coffee, praline, raspberry or pistachio. The madeleines are also superb with an interesting dense texture shot through with a hint of honey and orange. In addition to the splendid patisserie selection, one can find several savory tarts and on weekends, the selection is expanded to include hearty Alsatian cakes and breads. The attractive little shop also sports a nice selection of pure fruit jams, floral essences, herbal teas from Normandy, flavored ‘finishing’ sugars and chocolates. Lecureuil, 96 rue de Lévis, is close enough to the Parc Monceau or the Parc de Batignolles to buy treats for a delectable picnic. Closed Mondays. Nearest metro: Villiers or Malesherbes. www.lecureuil.fr The second sweet-spot of note is tucked behind Bastille in the Faubourg St. Antoine quarter off the leafy Square Trousseau. Blé Sucre is also a relatively new patisserie and like Lecureuil, this shop is also the venture of a couple well versed in French cuisine and pastry. Fabrice and Céline Le Bourdat left a solid career serving a palace hotel clientele to open a little gem of a patisserie in the still-funky, arguably more ‘real’ 12th arrondissement near the Aligre market. The bakery offers splendidly made classics…. Madeleines, Éclairs, coffee Religieuse’s, Mont Blancs, lemon and fruit tartes, among others. There is a small but well thought through line of very good breads and baguettes. They also offer decadently delicious croissants, brioches and pain au chocolat. Blé Sucre’s pain au chocolate tied with Julien for second best in Paris (Secco in the 7th was voted best) in this year’s extensive Le Figaro poll of top picks from fussy Parisian pain au chocolat aficionados. Suffice it to say, on a Sunday morning, sitting outside this sweet little bakery at one of its few tables, watching kids play in the Square Trousseau, soaking up autumnal sunlight while sipping a strong espresso, deconstructing my flaky, buttery pain au chocolat was nothing short of sublime. If you find yourself near Bastille, or are exploring the rue Paul Bert or Aligre market area of the 12th put Blé Sucre on your list. Blé Sucre is one of Paris’ off-the-beaten path culinary treasures and the surrounding neighborhood continues to sport new and interesting small shops and restaurants. Vaut le voyage? Definitely. Blé Sucre. Square Trousseau. 7 rue Antoine Vollon. Paris 12. Nearest metro: Ledru Rollin. Not far from Bastille or the Place d’Aligre market. Closed Mondays. Sally Peabody is a Paris Specialist who works with independent travelers year round to get them to their best in Paris. Sally also leads engaging small-group culinary tours in Spring and Fall and will be launching a new (May and October 09) four-day “Paris Off the Beaten Path” experience to explore four of Paris’ hottest up and coming quarters. Check out http://www.yourgreatdaysinparis.com for details. |
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sally@yourgreatdaysinparis.com |
