Elizabeth's Blog

Following last week’s “art walk” of French pastry shops, I thought it would be fascinant (intriguing) to go behind the pâtisserie scenes and see how some of this edible art is created. Our virtual visit takes us to Jouvaud, a divine pastry and chocolate shop in the heart of Carpentras in Provence.

The French Affaires Fall 2009 Trip visited Carpentras this past October as part of our “Best of Provence” adventure to France. Now I normally would not put Carpentras on my list of “must-do’s” while in Provence—no slight intended to those who live there. There are just other Provence towns and sights that are a higher priority in my book. But of course, food and related activities can make some destinations in France very palatable.

Friday is market day in Carpentras, drawing together social groups who don’t usually mix:  the local bourgeoisie, immigrants from North Africa, country people who live in the region, vacationers from Paris who have second houses nearby, and tourists. We were in Carpentras as guests of Serge Ghoukassian, the celebrated wine expert, passionate gourmand (foodie) and creative mind behind Chez Serge, his wonderful restaurant in the center of the old town. He makes a mission out of sharing les bonnes choses (good things) and les bonnes adresses (good contacts) so had put together a special food and wine day for us. Were we in for a treat!

Our first stop was Jouvaud which is owned and run by Serge’s close friends, Frédéric and Nicole Jouvaud. Frédéric’s parents began the successful venture in 1948, and today, three generations of their family are involved. Click here for the story of the family’s pastry odyssey in their charming online ‘scrapbook.’  They also own another pâtisserie in Avignon. 

As the town mobilized for the Friday outdoor market, we enjoyed coffee and viennoiseries (breakfast pastries) on the terrace in front of the shop. My pain aux raisins (raisin croissant) was hyper bon (wildly good).

You can see a small round chocolate peeking out from behind the pain aux raisins. They gave us some of their signature chocolates with “J” on them to sample with breakfast. The French are wonderfully generous, especially when it comes to good things to taste and to drink. And who could resist chocolate even at that hour of the day?

But this wasn’t the main show. After our petit déjeuner (breakfast), Serge took us up the back stairs of the shop to the kitchens where the daily pastry magic happens at Jouvaud. We met Frédéric who maintains a hands-on approach to running his sweets operation. Here he is in a tablier (apron) ensuring that each chocolate is perfect before placing them in the shop’s vitrine (display case) below.

In every corner of Jouvaud’s kitchens that morning, something wonderful was happening. I was particularly interested in the watching the cake chef create the chocolate shavings that garnished these for-the-moment-nondescript gâteaux (cakes).

First the chocolate is gently melted in the bain marie.

Next, the chef spreads a thin layer of chocolate on a prepared board. It is just the right consistency and temperature for him to lift it off and then expertly form it into chocolate waves.

They are then laid perfectly on the cakes. He makes it look si facile (so easy). I wonder how many times he attempted this in pastry school before it came out right?

I wish we had the time and space to share the whole tour here. But suffice it to say, all of Jouvaud’s sweet treat are worth a detour, and the entire staff is warm and welcoming. We ended up making Jouvaud our home base that entire morning in Carpentras. In case you make it to Carpentras soon, here are some quick snapshots of some of Jouvaud’s other spécialités de la maison (house specialties) which are indémodables (never out of style) and à ne pas manquer (not to be missed):

Les Fruits confits (candied fruits)–a must to try when in Provence

Candied clementines still in their syrup

Les Rocailles, meringues with bits of hazelnut and a gooey center, so named for their resemblance to the stones at the top of nearby Mont Ventoux. They come in vanilla, coffee & chocolate flavors.

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Art is top of mind this week. In our advanced French Conversation class, we read a recent article from Le Point magazine on French attitudes toward art and museums. In a February 2010 survey of 1000 French persons 18 years old and older, six Français sur dix ont déclaré visiter un musée au moins une fois par an (six out of ten reported that they visit a museum at least once per year). In addition, the survey noted that museums are where most French go to take in art. Interestingly, les expositions temporaires, les galleries et les foires (temporary exhibitions, art galleries and art fairs) garner less attention.

But some of our group wondered why the French did not go to museums more often with so many temples of great art at their disposal. Class participant Kathy declared in lovely French, “Si j’habitais en France, je visiterais un musée au moins une fois par semaine!” (If I lived in France, I would visit a museum at least once a week!)

This got me thinking about other types of “art” that the French frequent more often in their everyday lives. Take the neighborhood pâtisserie (pastry shop) for instance. The daily expositions (exhibitions) of pastry art in France are breathtaking.  The various arrays of les gâteaux et les tartes (cakes and tarts) are des chefs-d’oeuvre (masterpieces) of color, creativity AND flavor. I would be willing to faire un pari (make a bet) that the average French family enjoys an edible oeuvre d’art (work of art) at least once a week, whether at Sunday lunch with the family or while entertaining à la maison.

To see firsthand the fruits of these creative pastry labors, let’s take an “art walk” through various pâtisseries in Paris and Provence: 

Gosselin in Paris…EACH fresh raspberry has a perfect dot of raspberry glaze.

In Paris, Pierre Hermé’s Ispahan confection blends raspberry, litchi & rose.

 Béchard in Aix-en-Provence is a veritable field of raspberries.

 A cream puff of a cake also at Béchard in Aix.

Béchard even whips up ice cream cakes…Adieu Baskin-Robbins, bonjour Béchard!

In addition to all the regular art, I am fascinated by the mini versions of luscious pastries. What a labor of love to create each one of these little jewels. And their small size means you can taste a variety of flavors all the calories of the regular size. I wish more French pastry shops in the U.S. would include the mini pastries in their repertoire. Ah well, I’ll have to keep going to France for that one.

It is tempting to want to collectionner (collect) these edible art objects and keep them on the shelf, they are so beautiful. But of course, photos will have to do instead—and memories of wonderful tastes.

Next week, we’ll take a behind the scenes tour of a French pastry shop and see the art of pastry-making in action. Until then, add a comment at let us know your favorite type of French edible art!

French Take-Out™ ~ La France à emporter

My experience of Art in France is that the French highly value their culture, history and art. Museums—large grand ones like the Louvre or small regional ones, historic monuments, and châteaux are packed on weekends and often during the week. There is even a “French Heritage Days” weekend (Les Journées du Patrimoine) every September where fabulous buildings and properties—both government-owned and private—are open to the public for two days. The lines outside participating establishments are very long but the French consider it worth the wait.

If you are planning to be in France in September, you won’t want to miss this incredible weekend of French Art. While the Journées du Patrimoine web site is not up yet for 2010, you can bookmark it for future reference:  www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr/.

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I woke up this morning thinking about Provence…the bright sun, rich colors, intense flavors. As I am not sur place (there in person)—and also as an antidote to winter– I decided to give myself a taste of this special region of France and pull together a short visit via favorite images. Je vous invite à m’accompagner (come join me)…

In St. Rémy de Provence, these colorful baskets are just waiting for owners to nab them and go shopping at the lively Wednesday market…

Every market day, this berry vendor makes an art out of arranging her framboises (raspberries), mûres (blackberries), fraises (strawberries), and more. Though she was none too pleased when I took a photo of her wares and did not make a purchase. I told her the next time I was there with a kitchen available, I would make a tart with her fruits!

In the meantime, I can pick up a ready-made tarte aux framboises (raspberry tart) at Béchard in Aix-en-Provence. Béchard is a top-notch pâtisserie (pastry shop) in Aix and one of the primary purveyors of calissons (a regional specialty made with almonds and candied fruits).

The climate in Provence is so blessed that everything grows well, from all sorts of fruits to vegetables to flowers. And the olive–really a fruit–is a major player in this agricultural bonanza. I think this is my favorite olive vendor in all of Provence. There every Wednesday in St. Rémy, she has an amazing selection of cured olives and takes great care with her presentation…

When I pass by the vendor selling des oliviers (olive trees), I am tempted to buy a dozen and start an orchard. But olive trees are slow growing. It would take decades for them to mature and bear fruit.

But you can go to a pépinière (nursery) in the south of France and purchase 100-year old olive trees, no problem. In the village of Maussane near St. Rémy, I once saw a gardening team install a “decades old” olive orchard in one morning. C’était très impressionant (It was quite impressive)!

In addition to olives and olive oils, garlic and herbes de Provence are staples in Provençal cuisine. In fact, garlic is sometimems known as the “truffle of the South.”

Garlic, herbs and olive oil show up in all sorts of dishes including this luscious pizza from Chez Serge in Carpentras. (Pizza is not just for Italians!)

And one of my preferred dishes that combines the best of regional products is the salade Niçoise. Originally from Nice, you can find this lovely lunch option at many cafés. Les Deux Garçons in Aix-en-Provence has a version I particularly like…along with the requisite rosé wine.

For a tasty–and transportable–small Provence dessert, I drop by Joël Durand’s chocolate shop in St. Rémy and pick up a small box of his ‘alphabet chocolates.’ This talented chocolatier (chocolate chef), pictured here, has specialized in making artisan chocolates infused with local flavors, and each chocolate is known by a letter of the alphabet. My current choice is “L”…dark chocolate ganache with lavender essence. In the summer, he also has a lavender caramel enrobed in dark chocolate…hmmm…how to choose. The best part is that when you go in the shop, Monsieur Durand or one of his aimable associates will let you taste before you buy. Bonne dégustation (happy tasting)!

French Take-Out ~ La France  à emporter

When it comes to all there is to see, smell and taste in Provence, this post is just an “appetizer.” Come join us for more at our upcoming event “The Best of Provence / Gourmet Provence” on Sunday, February 7, at The Cultured Cup in Dallas, Texas. We’ll take a visual and tasting tour of the south of France and talk about what makes this region’s cuisine and culture special and unique. As an added treat, we’ll also enjoy a tasting of rare olive oils from the hills near Aix-en-Provence and Avignon. To register, contact us at 214-232-5344 or visit our web site.

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There are some things that are found only in France: the Tour de France bicycle race each summer, the Meilleure Baguette de Paris (Best Baguette in Paris) contest every March, fairytale châteaux by the hundreds, les villages perchés (hilltop villages) of Provence, transportation strikes when people need the Métro and trains most—i.e., at vacation time, le muguet (lilies of the valley) to celebrate May 1, over 400 varieties of fromage (cheese). The list could go on and on. The point is that while many of France’s riches are exportable, there are many that are not.

One of my favorite French treats does not often make it beyond its point of origin in the south of France. Part of the reason is its seasonality and the fact that it does not conserve well. This humble product is the olives cassées (cracked green olives) from la Vallée des Baux de Provence.

What are les olives cassées? They are the salonenque variety of olive that is very typical of the Les Baux valley. It is picked in late September or early October. (Olives destined to make the exquisite French olive oil are not harvested until late November or the beginning of December.) The early olives are cracked with a hammer to release their bitterness and then treated in a salt brine flavored with fenouil sauvage (wild fennel) and occasionally other herbs.

It might sound strange to wax poetic about a simple olive dish but once you have tasted the cracked olives from Les Baux, you will know what I mean. They have a nutty yet fruity olive flavor that is quite different from regular cured olives. In short, it is like tasting the fragrant hills of southern France. At previous French Affaires gourmet events where we have tried these delectable olives, those who don’t normally like any type of olive found them to be outstanding.

During what I call the ‘cracked olive season’ from roughly September to January, many southern French restaurants will serve the olives with your apéritif. You also can find them already prepared at local outdoor markets or occasionally in sealed jars in gourmet food shops. When I want to take the real thing to the U.S.–and successfully pass the customs inspectors, I look for jars of olives cassées made by Raymond Gonfond near Maussane-les-Alpilles. They prepare the cracked olives according to artisanal methods using the best olives from the region.

And if you want to make your own olives cassées, you can find the uncured salonenque olives at local markets. I noticed several vendors in October selling the bright green fruit. Note to self: Do not eat the uncured olives raw. They are mind-numbingly bitter!

Whether you purchase the olives ready-made or make your own in France, be sure to use a wooden or plastic spoon when transporting them to a serving dish. Contact with metal will cause the salt brine to turn an unattractive brown. You will see olive vendors at open-air markets always stick to wood or plastic when dishing up their wares.

The next time you are in the south of France during the fall or early winter, look for this unique Provençal treat—and toast one of the many wonders of France.

French Take-Out ~ La France à emporter™

Our French Affaires Weekly web postings are now in blog format–that is to say, we post and you can respond. Feel free to comment on that week’s topic, share your experiences, ask questions…In short, we invite you to be an active part of the French Affaires community and enjoy France from wherever you are based. Bienvenue (welcome)!

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A couple of weeks ago via French Affaires Weekly, we took a photo tour of Aix-en-Provence and its remarkable collection of oratoires urbains, mini places of prayer affixed to houses and buildings. But the sacred art in Provence doesn’t end there. There are les églises (churches), les chapelles (chapels), les cimetières (cemeteries) and les cathédrales (cathedrals). Pedestaled crosses of all shapes and sizes are on view both in town and countryside. These three crosses from the hilltop village of Les Baux-de-Provence are striking from any angle.

I think I am the most moved, however, by the solitary crosses along rural routes. Their weatherbeaten iron and stone facades hold a sacred space through sun, wind and rain. One of my favorites is this simple croix along a quiet lane outside the village of Maussane-les-Alpilles, just down the hill from Les Baux.

Before leaving Maussane and its environs, I like to visit another sacred sight located along the main street of town. Erected in remembrance of the great plague of 1720 that ravaged Provence, this free-standing oratoire houses the figure of Saint Roch, known for his healing powers against la peste. In olden times, spring water from la Fontaine des fièvres (the Fountain of Fevers) filled the small basin at the base of this oratoire.

French Take-Out ~ La France à emporter™

Our sacred Provence tour ends with this private chapel on an estate outside Aix-en-Provence. Cette chapelle has remained in the same family for generations. Scores of French family members have been married there.

I was reminded of it earlier this year when I attended a French-American wedding in Florida. The bride was French, and the groom American. The ceremony was held in both French and English, with Notre père (the Lord’s prayer, literally ‘the Our Father’) as part of the service. Here is the French version which I took away as my souvenir:

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