Peaches in Paris.
Plus, tips for navigating Paris as a baker, and a mum.
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Due to my travels, this fortnight’s post is a little different from my usual fare;
To begin, a short story of peaches. Born from this month’s prompt ‘I didn’t belong there’ from Mark Diacono’s wonderful monthly writing group. I was unable to attend due to being away sampling the delights of Paris (oh no, poor me). But, rather missed it so still managed to grab an hour to write.
My Dos and Don’ts in Paris for when you love food, but have kids in tow. And if you don’t have kids? There is still good stuff.
Oh, and if you still want a bake experiment? Here’s one with Madeleines, to help give you the baking skills of a French Maman.
I didn’t belong there…
Despite my desires, I’m not Parisian Chic, elegant or waiflike. My attempts at the language are clumsy at best. Exacerbated perhaps, by my brain urging me to sing Girls Aloud’s ‘Can’t Speak French’ to every French person I meet. Rendering me slightly dumb so the lyrics don’t slip from my mouth mid conversation, letting the funky music do the talkin’. (L’horreur!)
But, how nice it is, as the early morning sun dapples into my Paris apartment, to take a flat peach from a brown paper bag and nibble it as my family sleep.
To crawl back into bed, with dazzling white sheets, a too big pillow. I cup my hands entirely around the peach, to ensure the juices don’t run down my hands or tip onto the freshly laundered perfection. Envisioning the cleaners frustration at my peach spots.
As if in a secret hideyhole, I bring my knees up to my chest. Rubbing my nose to the delicate peach skin, gently fuzzy like the velvety heads of newborn babes. Trying to stretch this rare moment of solitude and not tear chunks of summery sweet flesh with my teeth and gobble it all down.
Sweeter, and more mellow than the round peach, the flat peach - or pêches plates in French - is also known as a doughnut or Saturn peach. Italian Mama and Food writer Giada Condello tells me that in Italian, they are called pesche saturnine or tabacchiere, rather adorably meaning ‘snuffbox peaches’.
My first taste of pêches plates was in Paris, 12 years ago. Barely 30 and still full of vibrant youth. Before children, and the fella and I were disgustingly soppy in our love. Meandering Montmartre at our own pace, falling for those little ovals softly nestled in wooden boxes, decorating market stalls at every corner.
Even now, a little brown cardboard punnet full of those shades of golden pinks and reds signifies Parisian romance to me. The beginning of what could be.
In my mind, these are not peaches for baking with. Too tricky to cut into decent chunks or slices. No, these are eating peaches. For savouring. So long as you get the moment of ripeness just right - one day, they are hard as rocks, and then two days later, squidgy and overripe. You must not miss that day in between, when the flesh is perfectly fragrant, tender and sweet. Grab your moment, while you can.
As I have smugly managed to do, in this place I don’t belong, luxuriously eating a syrupy peach in bed. My holiday within a holiday. Where I am not rubbing sun lotion on small arms, brushing a child’s hair, or carrying three pairs of sunglasses, three hats and an extra pair of shorts, just in case. Instead, I am taking in the floral, honeyed scent, enjoying the mellow flavour on my tongue.
Soon, the peach is gone. Nothing more than a sticky stone in my hands. My husband stirs, my son bounds by my door, my daughter pads in for a cuddle. The day has begun.
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Paris Dos and Don’ts
Taken from the perspective of both a mum and a patisserie baker. Gone are the days where I frogmarched my boyfriend across Rome to find a hidden restaurant with a smashing review and excellent wine list, or searched the backstreets of Seville to find that place with the black pudding stuffed squid dotted with violas. Once there are children in tow, your priorities change. Your culinary prize becomes Le Menu Enfant.
Unlike Italy and Spain (Barcalona is surprisingly child friendly), Paris to me felt akin to London. Where children are tolerated, but for the love of god do not take them to a fancy restaurant with nice white tablecloths.
So, here is my quick guide to navigating Paris with kids, but still managing to eat relatively well. And if you don’t have kids? There’s plenty here for you too.
Do go Full Tourist and eat Macarons up the Eiffel tower.
Pierre Hermé has a Macaron bar on the second floor. It’s not cheap (and good macarons take a lot of skill so they shouldn’t be) but it’s worth it to look out over that view with macaron in hand. You deserve it after the long queue.
My daughter loved the pink raspberry, lychee and rose, and my son loved the pistachio. The vanilla basil is a gorgeously fresh flavour combination definitely worth a try.
Do visit the Musée d’Orsay and their restaurant.
A highlight of our trip and I am thankful to Lulu, from Good Food for the recommendation. On Lulu’s suggestion, we watched the film Hugo beforehand. The children loved looking at the big clock from the film. My daughter even squealed; “We’re in Hugo!”
The art was sublime, of course. But a pleasant surprise for us was the rather sumptuous restaurant. A historic monument, filled with glittering chandeliers and ornate Versailles style frescos, and is surprisingly family friendly. The kids were even given some colouring along with their own menu. As well as ice cream while sat on colourful chairs.
Meaning my husband and I actually got the lavish restaurant meal we were craving - with roasted duck, mousseline and an excellent herb salad of tarragon, chervil and celery crisps. And baked John Dory, with shellfish jus, ratte potatoes and samphire.
Do visit Abra Patisserie for the incredible Lemon Tart
This fun patisserie has a bright, modern interior, with rows upon rows of glorious pastries, and great coffee. But, the jewel of its crown is the awe inspiring dessert display.
Patisserie is an art form, but Abra Patisserie is next level creativity. A cheesecake shaped like a Babybel, a Tiramisu shaped like a tower of biscuits, desserts in the shape of a Circus Tent, a Cratered Moon.
And it’s not all style over substance. The Lemon Tart is spectacular, with the filling somehow sharp and light all at once. The pastry crisp, the perfect amount of Italian meringue, which didn’t even begin to border on sickly. Decorated with a super fun yuzu chocolate lemon squeezer.
Chef Tal Spiegel served us with such patience, explaining the desserts (in English!) and letting the children happily take lots of (unfortunately blurry) photos. You can also see the pastry chefs at work in the kitchen with their air spray guns, a wonderful touch.
Do take a wander down the historic Rue Mouffetard
Based in the Latin Quarter, take a morning wandering down this charming cobbled market street.
One of the oldest streets in Paris, it is best to go in the morning, as the market stalls will closed by the afternoon. But be aware that some of the shops won’t be open until 10am. And, as we initially found to our disappointment, most of the street will be closed on a Monday.
Start with a little breakfast, by popping into Le Moule à Gâteau, for pain au praline and cappuccino so gloriously thick I had to eat the froth with a spoon. Visit colourful vegetable markets, fishmongers, boulangeries with artful piles of baguettes. Pop by one of the many creperies if you fancy a snack. Buy yourself some beautiful cheese, a bottle of wine. There's everything you need to take yourself for a slap up picnic on the Seine.
And if the day is hot? Try the pineapple sorbet from Compagnie des Glaces opposite the church.
Photographers tip: If you go early in the morning, between 7-9am the light is perfect to illuminate the market stalls, capturing the colourful displays.
Do accept that sometimes, a tourist trap will do the job fine.
It was day two for us and the temperature hit 35°C. After trailing around Montmartre in the harsh sunlight, we are all sweating and grumpy.
The children are hungry and tired. We just want to eat. I traipse into Gavroche. Clearly a total tourist trap near the Sacré-Cœur. But the staff are sweet, it has a menu for children and good, crunchy chips. They give us a spot in the shade and hand me some wine. A busker who looks like the son of Lenny Kravitz plays alternative 90s nearby with his acoustic guitar and gravelly voice.
I have a salad with burrata which actually, does the job just fine. My son gets excited by his crossiant burger. The wine does its work and I actually start to… enjoy myself.
Sometimes, it’s not about finding the perfect culinary delight discussed in hushed, reverential tones forevermore. It’s not always about showing off your award winning plates of food. Sometimes, it’s about getting your family fed with something decent and mum a much needed drink. Also, Gavroche looked far better than the overcrowded place over the road.
Don’t take your children into La Maison d’Isabelle
Famous for their award winning crossiants, we found La Maison d’Isabelle busy, fast and chaotic. Staff juggling several orders at once did not take well to dithering children. So, decide what you want beforehand, and then just one adult go in to order (preferably one with a decent command of French). Or, go early in the morning, when it is said to be quieter.
As well as beautiful crossiants, their Strawberry Tart boasts some beautifully crisp pastry.
Don’t write off the Shakespeare & Co cafe.
This could so easily have become just a tourist spot, but in Shakespeare & Co’s tiny cafe, the coffee is excellent, the interior so beautifully rustic you will sigh to look over the vintage books on the shelves, and they bring in pastries from local bakeries. The to die for chausson aux pommes rhubarbe from bakery Ten Belles had perfectly flaky pastry, a crunchy sugared top, and just a little bit of tartness from the rhubarb.
To finish, this week on notes…
A little madeleine experiment, with the impact a silicone vs. metal mould has on your madeleines (click to read more).
Until next time… when we will be investigating the Jammie Dodger.
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and I will try the pineapple sorbet!!
What a great post Shell! Thank you for sharing a bit about your trip to Paris. I feel like I learn a lot about parenthood from your little tales. :) Sounds like you had some great bites even though that couldn’t be the focus of the trip. I think your kids have some appreciation for food and dessert, no doubt due to you, so it’s lovely that you all could enjoy some patisseries together. I loved your vivid piece about Saturn peaches, too. Felt like I was experiencing it as I was reading.☺️