Strolling the streets of Paris, hardly a week goes by where a new bakery or chocolate shop doesn't opens its doors. Here are our two latest, delectable finds to indulge in.
Le Biscuit Alain Ducasse
Master chef and entrepreneur, Alain Ducasse, who has more Michelin stars than there are in the sky, has yet again expanded his gourmet food empire with a new shop dedicated to cookies. Situated next to his bean-to-bar chocolate boutique and artisanal ice cream bar, Le Biscuit Alain Ducasse now makes it a triple sweet threat on the rue de la Roquette, just off Place de la Bastille.
As always, Ducasse puts a new and modern spin on traditional French foods and at Le Biscuit Alain Ducasse, he introduces unexpected pairings and tastes in his cookies. Corn, smoked vanilla and chocolate; chickpea, honey and chocolate; chocolate, butter and buckwheat rice; Madagascar chocolate and cocoa nibs; rye and coffee are just a few of the flavors on offer. A selection of layered cookies covered in chocolate, reminded us of the iconic American Mallomars, but with more elevated flavors such as hazelnut, pistachio, coffee and lemon. Thin, elongated cookie bars, resembling granola bars, come in flavors such as milk chocolate, dried fruit and orange, dark chocolate and cocoa nibs, and almond praline with candied fruit.
It was difficult to contain our desire to buy one of everything in the store, so we narrowed it down to buying a box of Crocfins, which are nine micro-thin cookies in a hexagon shape, made with dark chocolate and embedded with slivered almonds. Needless to say, we enjoyed every last morsel, and were pleasantly surprised they weren’t super sweet.
Visit www.lechocolat-alainducasse.com.
Babka Zana
The Jewish style pastry, babka, has recently become the rage in many upscale Parisian bakeries, where the old-time classic pastry has been updated and reinvented. Just off the Place des Vosges in the Marais quarter, Babka Zana opened its doors last June, marking its second location in Paris.
Dedicated to upholding the beloved babka recipes mothers and grandmothers have baked in past generations, Babka Zana is taking these recipes and offering them to the next generation.
Freshly baked on the premises throughout the day, the babka loaves and individual rolls are available in four flavors: Dark chocolate and hazelnut, halvah and lemon, pistachio and orange flower, and cinnamon. Babka Zana also sells a range of other Jewish pastries, including rugelach, cheesecake, strudel, kouglof, and boreks, plus sandwiches, tartines, and salads. Classic challah bread for Shabbat comes with either poppy or sesame seeds, multi grains and natural flavor, in addition to a more Middle Eastern version with olive oil, rosemary, za'atar and sea salt.
We were there at lunchtime and the tempting sandwich board had specialties such as smoked turkey and avocado, house made gravlax and Caesar salad, all on challah bread, but we indulged in the Tunisian-style tuna sandwich with Kalamata olives, chopped potatoes, hard boiled eggs, served with a fiery harissa and lemon sauce.
The small bakery has a few sit-down tables to enjoy the treats along with a coffee and soft drink menu. The new location can be found at 8 rue de la Pas de Mule, 75003, while the second shop is at 65 rue Condorcet, 75009.
Visit www.babkazana.com.
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