Sweets I am thankful for

Orange-kissed cinnamon rolls from The Smile to Go—vegan, no less.

Teuscher champagne truffles. Perfection.

One Girl Cookies, in general.

Receiving the gift of Levain cookies.

Breakfast club with Bennie. Especially one that includes almond croissants at Lafayette.

Or gluttony at Doughnut Plant.

Peanut butter cookies from City Bakery. Sigh.

Butter Lane cupcakes. Take your pick.

And from Paris...

The untouchable praluline

Les escargot from Du Pain et des Idées.

Anything from Jean-Paul Hévin.

A light and lovely Gerard Mulot croissant.

And the Ispahan croissant from Pierre Hermé.

So, so much to thankful for.

Oh you, almond croissant

Lafayette. Have you been? It's pretty awesome. As buzzy as it is for dinner, go for breakfast. Jen Yee's pastries are divine.

There is no shortage to choose from.

But I can never neglect an almond croissant.

I cannot convey to you how soft, moist, sweet and almondy delicious and perfect it is. Go now.

Trés French on the Upper East Side

Monsieur Francois Payard has many tentacles in the city now. One being across the street from Eric Kayser.

It's a bona fide French ghetto up there.

So if you want ice cream sandwiches with some serious panache...

... or exquisite bonbons, filled with sesame almond praline, raspberry purée or fresh ginger...

And don't forget the vachon, a delectable little number of mixed berry sorbet, sandwiched between two fine licorice-flavored meringues with just a little bit of whipped cream...

well, you know where to go.

Francois Payard Patisserie
1293 Third Avenue at 74th Street

Macaron Day 2013

This Wednesday, March 20th, is the eighth annual Jour du Macaron.

Pierre Hermé started the brilliant celebration in Paris.

Three years ago, Francois Payard imported it to New York.

Wherever you find yourself this week, I hope you indulge in something beautiful...

(From top, Kee's, NY; Three Tarts, NY; Bosie Tea Parlor, NY; Chantal Guillon, San Francisco; Pierre Hermé, Paris; Ladurée, NY or Paris, LA Burdick, NY)

Something good right under your nose

Do you know L.A. Burdick?

I’ve always known them for their chocolate mice. I don’t know why. Even after they moved into a quiet strip of 20^th Street here in New York and I’d stroll through from time to time to ogle the pastries, I only thought of them for chocolate mice.

 

So I was happy to meet a friend for breakfast early one weekday morning. The pastry case was plein, full.

 With cakes and torts of various sizes, flavors and fashions.

Let’s get a closer look at those.

And they had plenty of French specialties. Macarons with nice croutes.

Miam.

 Miam, miam.

Madeleines...

...and, the reason we were there: pain au chocolat.

The perfect way to start a day: breakfast with a friend over French pastries.