From sweet tooth to new bakery project....

Do you know what I love to eat more than anything...ok you know, you read the last Paris blog about pastries. Well I repeat I love cakes, sweets, anything chocolate, vanilla, anything that is made with Sugar.

Well "60 minutes" never told me (or called me, they have my number) that they were going to run a segment about "sugar being toxic"


Well too bad because the day after, see the picture of the new bakery at work (USF Bon Appetit.)

Well don't get excited and run for freebies..this is not mine. But what do you think?




And all began on a Saturday while I was strolling around the city checking for French style macarons (not macaroons like coconut macaroons.) And I found Chef Alex. He is actually in charge of the Premiere class at Virgin and now he is adding to his sellers' list Bon Appetit at USF. And the kids are lovin'it.


So here is my next project...Begging Chef Alex to make these..

and I will invite 60 minutes for the launch. And the Oreo Cookie Monster (a.k.a. Steve Joseph)

Why you should go and see "THE ARTIST"

San Francisco Chronicle published all the reasons you need to see this wonderful movie and guess what....Yours truly is the author:

"Why did "The Artist" win the Oscar? Imagine being transported for 1 1/2 hours into a silent world. Most of us might not even know what silence is. With music in our ears, phone in our hands, we are constantly texting, speaking, checking news, television or radio. Noise is like the new unwanted guest that does not want to depart from our home. It invades our space, our peace. Try to take a cab lately and check the screen in the backseat constantly moving with images, messages and ads. Try to watch any TV show or news and see small moving characters on the bottom of the screen.

Silence does not exist anymore. So here you have a perfect little movie with no special effects, no extra-loud sounds and a nice little story to follow. Hats off to the director from all of us who are dreaming of silence.

Simone Joseph, San Francisco"

In memory of the US soldiers who died in Irak

I celebrated my last birthday in Washington, DC. I went to Arlington Cemetary. Yes I did see President Kennedy's grave. You cannot miss it with all the signage right? But guess what? Not a single sign to pay homage to the US soldiers who fell for the last Irak war.


So just some pictures to make you think. No comments.

What to do in Paris: eat beaucoup de cakes...

I did not go to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower

Or see the Elysees Palace by night

Or walk on the beautifully decorated Champs Elysees

or check the Galeries Lafayette Christmas Tree

I went to Paris to check on the new pastry chefs....And they are numerous making miracles out of flour, sugar, butter and chocolate...
Check this one first

I know not impressive enough
What about these ones?

And the Santa Claus Christmas hats?

And more amazing ones..

This "baba au rhum" is for 2 people...

The shoe is made out of chocolate

And check the chocolate displays of the Maison du Chocolat

Another nice dessert we loved...

And the mango mousse ice cream cake


And that was the mother of desserts for 2011. The famous buche made by Lenotre. A masterpiece that should have been eaten next to Mona Lisa, in the Louvre

Oh sorry, that was the box for the dessert, check carefully on the left. And no you are not dreaming, this is a dessert.

Better?

Our dessert table on December 24


And with these kinds of coffee

who could resist?

I was ready to come back when....on our return flight, I was in sweet paradise:
Tarte aux pommes Joel Robuchon plus Fauchon tea as a snack.

So next time you go to Paris, after you have seen all the monuments and enjoy the tourist sights, go for a coffee and cake and remember, sweet life is definitely in Paris.