Today was the final day of my A-term and I was very sad it had to come to an end. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning the traditions and cultural importance of each of these pastries, and of course also getting to taste them all. To close out this course, I ended with a bread that France has nominated for UNESCO heritage status: The baguette. The baguette is the embodiment of French bread, a cultural icon. In France more than 25 million baguettes are sold and eaten daily! And they’re not even the biggest consumers. In Algeria close to 50 million baguettes are sold each day, while Morocco, Tunisia, and Vietnam are also baguette superspots. The baguette has literally been immersed into French culture. Inviting someone over for dinner? In France it’s considered rude not to have a fresh baguette to go with the meal. Eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Better run to the nearest bakery to pick up a baguette straight out of the oven. But what makes this bread so popular? And what make...
There’s nothing quite like cutting into a beautiful cake only to be delighted by the elegant and perfected layers inside. That is the experience I attempted to replicate with my Opera Cake today. Also known as a G âteau Opèra, this sponge cake alternates layers of joconde, French buttercream, and dark chocolate ganache. Then to top it all off it is covered in a chocolate glaze to give it a beautiful smooth finish. This cake was created in 1955 by pastry chef Cyriaque Gavillion, who was employed at the Dalloyau shop in Paris, which to this day is a world renowned pastry shop. The goal of this cake was to create something where the entire cake could be tasted in one bite. The many layers give you this effect by providing a perfectly balanced combination of cream, chocolate and cake. When Gavillions wife saw it, she said it reminded her of the Paris Opera House, most likely because the alternating light and dark layers resemble the look of the balcony seats. Since then the name has s...
Comments
Post a Comment