Fraise Knock Out!

I hope you didn't spend your weekend arm wrestling a jar of strawberry jam like I did...

I wasn't thrilled with last Friday's watercolor - the reds were...just too red!

Off I marched to Union Square Farmers Market...

Ringside the Day-neutral berries were just waiting for me to show up...

Across the aisle the strawberry jams were aiming to hit hard...

Mon dieu! But at $8 bucks a jar I hesitated...

To the left the $8 dollar ready-to-eat lobsters were yelling out,

"Take us home and paint us!"

I asked Beth's Farm Kitchen,

Do you have something for a little less?

Beth's:Not really, unless you want the jar that didn't jell for $4?

Me:I'll take it!

Me:Do you always have something on sale every week?

Beth's:Never! We've been making jam for 30 years!

Me:Oh...ooops

I grabed the strawbs, jam AND the lobster and headed home...

Time to duke it out with some pencil 'thumbnails'

Then a slugfest with the red pigments...

Second entree into the ring wasn't so bad, but the berries got the upper hand...

Parisian pastry chefs always keep the upper hand with their strawberries. You can't walk a block without bumping into one or two strawberry tartes in Paris... I found out from Relais Desserts that strawberries are not even a fruit. Who knew? It's those little yellow seeds, the 'achenes' that are the actual fruit. Louis XIV sent Amedee Francois Frezier (is that where le fraisier got it's name?) off to South America. He brought back many new varieties. Now there are at least 600 kinds of berries to put in your tarte, though the Plougastel, the gariguette and the mara des bois are the most popular. I was chastised in Monoprix for buying berries from Spain - mechante/naughty

Et voila

Have a BERRY Good Day PBers!

Julie's Jam Jars

Just one look last night and I was head-over-heels in love...

Photo by Julie Whitmore Pottery

Over at Julie Whitmores I fell again for another jam jar...

Story of my life really...

For a girl who should NOT even look at sugary jams I never seem to learn...

Staying with French Girl in Paris is like being in a field of jam landmines - I need armour at that place truly...

I used to collect mini-jam jars desperately trying to subvert my addiction. Ha! A lot of good it did me...

News Alert*

I must report dear PBers, that I am throwing in the 'macaron' towel as far as baking goes. I've had it. 3 strikes and I'm OUT!

I'm going to stick with painting thumbnails instead...

And practicing watercolor layering, instead of layering failed meringues with buttercream...

I'll be having another 3-day sale of older watercolors in September...

And as a bonus for the 1st 8-10 watercolor sales, I'll throw in my French (and Japanese) macaron cook books. Lucky you.

I'VE HAD IT with baking!!!

Photo by Julie whitmore Pottery

Do stop in at Julies for a delightful visit.

You'll thank me I know. Just look out for those enticing jam jars.

BONJOUR JULIE'S JAM!

Almondine Bakery

Le Fraisier Classique, watercolor, 9" x 11"

On Saturday I just discovered Almondine Bakery in Dumbo on Water Street - a patisserie loaded with Frenchness...

They even have an ardoise/big blackboard and write out the specials by hand...

And homey made lemonade perfect for a summer day...

When you buy a croissant or other vienoisserie, you get a REAL French boulangerie paper bag straight from France! That's a first.

You can buy Chef Herve Poussot's macarons just one at a time freshly made rather than pre-packaged...

Of course Almondine has many classic French desserts...

Like the very Summery Fraisier...

The French version of our strawberry shortcake...

Parisian chef Gerard Mulot's fraisier with a checkered 'Vichy' topping...

A rather grand Fraisier a la Dacha at Cafe Pouchkine in Printemps...

The Japanese adore le Fraisier - they add to the mix a delicate touch of Matcha green tea...

Munch..munch

miam...miam

Why not watch my favorite General I mean chef from L'atelier des Chefs show you how to faire un fraisier?

BONJOUR ALMONDINE BAKERY!!

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Bonjour Pate Sucree!

Les Tarelettes aux Fraise, watercolor, 9" x 11"

I've had a rude awakening of late...
For years (at least 5) I've been walking around Paris, admiring, shooting, leche-vitrine and eating altogether way too many pastries...
Only to discovery I know ZIP about pastry making! Ouch And to add insult to injury...
I've been leaving the crusts on way too many tartes...
Like this Fauchon tarte au citron. SHAME on moi!

How did I make this alarming discovery? By browsing Japanese pastry books. It became crystal clear I don't know beans about pate sucree and pate brissee. What's more I will NEVER know if I don't eat the $#@! crust! How can one claim to KNOW pastry intimately if one does not eat the total affair?

I'm ready to give up Japanese pastry books and head for French books or English. Your suggestions are most welcome.Better yet should I head over to the French Culinary Institute for a crash course in the anatomy of a tartelette?

BEAR, comme habitude, is way ahead of the game. He's studying more and eating less. Watch this video from L'atelier des Chefs to become better informed about what we put into our mouths. Pastry is serious business! It's not just about flannering around gazing into glorious patisseries vitrines! Mais non!

BONJOUR PATE SUCREE!