Ah Paris!
How many of us would gladly move there for a year, if we had a dream job of working for Louis Vuitton? When I came across Amy's Sweet Freak blog while looking for a French typeface (don't ask- future crafting project, maybe...), I fell in love with her pictures of both New York and Parisian desserts, and new it was something I would LOVE to read! And luckily, I got to!
Synopsis: Forever a girl obsessed with all things French, sweet freak Amy Thomas landed a gig as rich as the purest dark chocolate: leave Manhattan for Paris to write ad copy for Louis Vuitton. Working on the Champs-Élysées, strolling the charming streets, and exploring the best patisseries and boulangeries, Amy marveled at the magnificence of the City of Light.
But does falling in love with one city mean turning your back on another? As much as Amy adored Paris, there was part of her that felt like a humble chocolate chip cookie in a sea of pristine macarons. PARIS, MY SWEET explores how the search for happiness can be as fleeting as a salted caramel souffle's rise, as intensely satisfying as molten chocolate cake, and about how the life you're meant to live doesn't always taste like the one you envisioned.
Part love letter to Paris, part love letter to New York, and total devotion to all things sweet, PARIS, MY SWEET is a treasure map for anyone with a hunger for life.
Review: I fell in love with this book from page one. I do suggest you NOT ready it on am empty stomach though, because Amy's descriptions of selecting just made French bread and pastries, and New York desserts, will have your taste buds salivating! I don't think ANYONE can get through this book, without wanting to go spend a year in Paris too! Amy gives you such great info about the locales, places to see (and eat at), and adjusting to life living in a foreign country, that you can't help but to want to share her experience! She also gives you some really insightful ideas about how cooking trends come and go on each side of the ocean!
Helpful are the Top 10 places in NY and Paris list in the back, as well as addresses for all the places, mentioned in her book, that are still operating (at time of the book release!).
My own detraction about the book, is that I wish they could have included some of Amy's VERY excellent photos from her blogs, of the yummy desserts at different locations, and included a recipe to two, especially for the Salted Carmel Cupcakes with key Lime Filling, from the former Batch restaurant in New York ("Hey Amy, HINT: Please send it if you still have it!!!!!!! Thanks!")
Ready for a great Parisian recipe?
Pierre Herme's Nutella Tart
Tart Dough: Pierre's Tart Dough recipe is a blog post in itself! I'd say use the one you like best, or a prepared one. As an FYI, his includes butter, confectioner's sugar, ground blanched almonds, salt, vanilla bean pup, eggs and flour. This filling recipe would fill four 8 3/4" inch tart pans.
Filling:
2/3 cp Nutella (2/3 cup)
4 3/4 oz bittersweet chocolate (Herme' uses Valhorna Noir Gastronomie)
7 tbsp butter
1 large egg, room temperature, stirred with a fork
3 large egg yolks, room temperature, stirred with a fork
2 Tbsp sugar
1 cp Hazelnuts
Directions:
1. Toast the hazelnuts 10 minutes in at 350F, in a preheated oven.
2. Remove from oven, and cool slightly, then remove as much skin as possible by rubbing the hazelnuts inside a kitchen towel. Chop coarsely.
3. Increase oven heat to 375F.
4. Melt chocolate and butter separately. Allow to cool to 104F on candy thermometer.
5. Spread the Nutella at the bottom of the tart shell
6. Mix the single egg into the (cooled down) chocolate. Do this gently to avoid incorporating air. Then add the yolks, little by little, to the mix, and then the sugar.
7. Finally, fold in the melted butter, stirring gently. This will take a little time.
8. Pour on top of the Nutella and sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts.
9. Bake for about 11 minutes. The sides of the filling should be set but the middle still slightly wobbly if shaken (that's how it's supposed to be).
10. Let cool to room temperature. Eat!
Note: Any remaining tart can be stored in the fridge!
About the Author: Amy Thomas is a New York–based writer who, for two lucky years, got to call Paris home. In addition to working as a copywriter in advertising, she writes about food, travel, design, and fashion for various publications such as the New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, Town & Country, and Every Day with Rachael Ray. She is slightly obsessed with sweets. Check out her Sweet Freak blog and her God I Love Paris blog!
Helpful are the Top 10 places in NY and Paris list in the back, as well as addresses for all the places, mentioned in her book, that are still operating (at time of the book release!).
My own detraction about the book, is that I wish they could have included some of Amy's VERY excellent photos from her blogs, of the yummy desserts at different locations, and included a recipe to two, especially for the Salted Carmel Cupcakes with key Lime Filling, from the former Batch restaurant in New York ("Hey Amy, HINT: Please send it if you still have it!!!!!!! Thanks!")
Ready for a great Parisian recipe?
Pierre Herme's Nutella Tart
Tart Dough: Pierre's Tart Dough recipe is a blog post in itself! I'd say use the one you like best, or a prepared one. As an FYI, his includes butter, confectioner's sugar, ground blanched almonds, salt, vanilla bean pup, eggs and flour. This filling recipe would fill four 8 3/4" inch tart pans.
Filling:
2/3 cp Nutella (2/3 cup)
4 3/4 oz bittersweet chocolate (Herme' uses Valhorna Noir Gastronomie)
7 tbsp butter
1 large egg, room temperature, stirred with a fork
3 large egg yolks, room temperature, stirred with a fork
2 Tbsp sugar
1 cp Hazelnuts
Directions:
1. Toast the hazelnuts 10 minutes in at 350F, in a preheated oven.
2. Remove from oven, and cool slightly, then remove as much skin as possible by rubbing the hazelnuts inside a kitchen towel. Chop coarsely.
3. Increase oven heat to 375F.
4. Melt chocolate and butter separately. Allow to cool to 104F on candy thermometer.
5. Spread the Nutella at the bottom of the tart shell
6. Mix the single egg into the (cooled down) chocolate. Do this gently to avoid incorporating air. Then add the yolks, little by little, to the mix, and then the sugar.
7. Finally, fold in the melted butter, stirring gently. This will take a little time.
8. Pour on top of the Nutella and sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts.
9. Bake for about 11 minutes. The sides of the filling should be set but the middle still slightly wobbly if shaken (that's how it's supposed to be).
10. Let cool to room temperature. Eat!
Note: Any remaining tart can be stored in the fridge!
About the Author: Amy Thomas is a New York–based writer who, for two lucky years, got to call Paris home. In addition to working as a copywriter in advertising, she writes about food, travel, design, and fashion for various publications such as the New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, Town & Country, and Every Day with Rachael Ray. She is slightly obsessed with sweets. Check out her Sweet Freak blog and her God I Love Paris blog!
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