Composed

Rainy day, relaxing afternoon chez a pianist-compositeur.

Overcast

  A café a restaurant a kiosk... a cloudy day.

Through the grapevines

 The grapes of Montmartre's vine-covered hillside are nearly ready for the annual récolte.

Flashback Friday

Today's flashback is to Cadaqués, Spain, just south of the French border, circa mid-80s - days of celebrations, couch squatters, droppers-in, gallery openings, seaside horchata and feasting - that we will always call home. - BPJ

 Above: large watercolors of mommy's helper ❤️ Danielle❤️ on our terrace at sunset overlooking the crescent bay and village (the artist was an Australian art student en passant, hence the kangaroos - if she spots these, I hope she contacts me!)

 

Heavenly

There's a saint for almost everything in France, and indulging in this pastry, the Saint Honoré, named for a 6th century bishop from Amiens who became the patron of bakers, is a quasi religious experience.

***

The American woman at Pierre Hermé refused to try a "Vanille Bourbon" macaron - that exquisite variety of vanilla hailing from the former Bourbon islands (such as Réunion, once called Île Bourbon under the French kings) - because, she explained, she was "on the wagon" - assuming it had been infused with bourbon whisky....

In French pâtisserie tradition, vanilla is highly prized for its complex, aromatic depth derived from real vanilla beans (gousses de vanille), the best sourced from Madagascar and Tahiti. True vanille flavor comes from scraping the tiny black seeds (grains or points noirs) from the pod, infusing creams, custards, and pastries with authentic richness far superior to synthetic vanillin or artificial extracts. When encountering a dessert labeled “vanille” - such as crème pâtissière in éclairs, tarts, or mille-feuilles - the more discerning might be spotted bending over inspecting closely to make sure certain expectations are being met. Yellow ice cream labeled “French vanilla” would never cut it in France, as the true hallmark of genuine quality is the presence of those characteristic tiny black specks. - BPJ 

Wet Wednesday

 

 

Coffee and rain near Square d'Anvers.

Baking bad

Paris' boulangeries work round the clock, in good times and bad, turning out an essential part of French life.