Ottolenghi Tart Meringue!

Lemon weekend torture for you. The twice annual trip to Ottolenghi (in the Guardian)for the superb passion fruit meringue tart is an essential.
Get out at tube stop, High Street Kensington, cross the road (carefully), seek out the almost hidden passage Kensington Church Walk. Turn right, walk to the end of the road to #1 Holland Street et voila! Heaven awaits.

Of course one must make a pretense of eating something sensible before dessert...

And there is certainly a plethora of sensible food here...

La salade...

TA-DA!

This time I got as well the lemon marscaponi tart as well. It was unctously lemony with sugar as a low note thank goodness.

At last, la piece de resistance! This tart does not disappoint. Louise, PLEASE come to London to complete your meringuee etudes. The topping is just the right amount of sweetness with exactly the right texture - not crunchy as you might expect with the toasty look of the meringue. Just enough sugar to contrast the very tart custard below...

I'm salivating just attempting to describe this tart's perfection. The heights have been reached.

I'm a disgrace when it comes to crust :(

But calories have been saved is the positive take on this loss. Still, can one truly experience inner meringuenese (if there is such a thing) by skipping the crust? Perhaps not.Later I met up with Karen of the delightful Pas Grand Chose. I'm addicted to her book reviews almost as much as tarte citron. We stop at Maison blanc to view my menu artwork...

Fortunately there are no meringue tarts on the premises.

In the evening at Piccadilly Prete a Mange for another sensible salad (balance is key) this lemony/gingerbread/cheesecake layered concoction beckons. The spoon must dive deep and then stir things - you feel you've had a hand in the making of it don't you?

This morning a friend mentioned her favorite toffee at Fortnum and Mason. Naturalement I must researche...

Somehow I resisted the toffee and instead went looking for lemon meringue flavors.
Fortunately there were none.

The club's lemony cat, Squeak, is guarding my seat at breakfast so I'll go down and start the day.
Do more lemon tarts await?

BONJOUR LEMON ANYTHING!

Brick Cafe Astoria

Last night I went out searching for my inner mussel. Luckily I live nearby the Brick Cafe Astoria.

Not only is Brick loaded with bistro-esque Frenchie touches.

But the Michelin guide saw fit to give them 1-star!

And they serve a mean moules/mussels marinere with THREE different sauces. Natch I went for traditional white wine with a touch of parsley and basil, since my illustration assignment calls for it.

It occured to me, why not grab a few shells, toss them in my bag for preparatory sketching later on at home.
Naturally just then the owner comes by, catches me red handed and asks,

"Is there anything WE can help you with?"

(Like stuffing your bag full of OUR mussel shells..ahem)
Oh s---!

I mumbled something unintellagable.

Ta-Da!

BTW this was so good I practically licked the plate. I may return for more research tonight. I should of grabbed a few shells with the mussels still in them. What was I thinking?

For some unknown reason I always end up at the rather so-so Belgian chain, Chez Leon's in Paris for their moules marineres - not nearly as good as The Brick except the for the Belgian mussels being tastier and more plentiful.

I do love their pitcher of water and glasses but is that reason enough?

Studying the construction of a mussel.

I got to thinking it looks a lot like a macaron. Non?

THANKS for all your GREAT suggestions yesterday PBers!!

Huff came up with a near perfect solution - the iPod Touch (4th generation - 8 gigs) I can get all the Paris Metro maps and more and. Well what do you think?

Cheers and may you be living on higher ground.

BONJOUR THE BRICK CAFE!

Maison Blanc UK

Maison Blanc Petits Fours, watercolor, 9" x 11" Last May I was forced to immerse myself in petit four pastries day AND night. Really the correct French word is mignardises for these cuties.

I was forced to wolf down great quantities to find my inner, ultimate petit four self...

How else can you paint something?

If you don't know it...

Up close and personal?

I was commissioned to paint illustrations for Maison Blanc Patisseries in the UK.

June a year ago, by chance I stopped in at the Fulham Road Maison Blanc for a spot of tea...

A pleasent combination of Frenchness and British afternoon tea don't you think? Tres charmant French chef Raymond Blanc is their maitre in charge of every bite and their desserts are quite stupendous.

I had a bite of their luscious Concerto chocolate cake

Naturalemente I took a shot of the menu...

Inside and out...

And this past May I was immersed in doing illustrations for their new menu thanks to Paris Breakfast.

That's why all the petits fours and chocolate gateaux torture around here.

And it's why I spent my birthday in May getting upclose and personal with a tunafish sandwich too. If you're in the UK do stop in and say bonjour for me.
Bonjour MAISON BLANC & Bonne Fourth to YOU!