American Smackdown, Éclair Edition

Paris, we have a winner!

For the second American Smackdown in Paris, we (happily) got after another French classic: the crunchy, custardy chocolate éclair (or, “the macaron of the ’80s,” as Emily called it).

There was no shortage of contenders from which to select. Every neighborhood pastry shop along with the plus haut patissiers serves up éclairs. Which makes the Smackdown even more sensational. Whose pastry is the freshest? Whose filling is the most chocolaty-custardy? Whose icing is the sweetest and most complementary? There was only one way to find out. A very select tasting panel sat down to with samples from Stohrer and Jacques Genin to determine… who has the best éclair?

“Omigod, they’re just leagues apart!”

Stohrer and Jacques Genin have both received high accolades. The former is an old-school patisserie—founded by King Louis XV’s pastry chef in 1730. Refined, classic, beautiful. A Parisian landmark.


The latter is a modern chocolatier. After years of supplying the top restaurants and hotels (e.g. Crillon, Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice) with chocolates and petits fours, Genin opened his elegant Haut Marais salon de thé in late 2008. Sophisticated but rebellious.


The two are different on almost every level and evoked very strong feelings.


Appearance, Stohrer

“Love the matte, clean look.”
“These look like doughnuts.”
“Very uniform. But is this a good or bad thing?”
“I like these. They’re very neat.”

Appearance, Jacques Genin

“Shiny is appealing, but a bit messy.”
“Flashy but trashy.”
“More straight from the kitchen imperfections, which I like.”

“Depends if you’re a matte or glossy person, really.”


Pastry, Stohrer


“Nice form. Round, solid structure.”
“I like the lines down the side, it’s very classy.”

Pastry, Jacques Genin


“It collapses. It’s spongy and thin.”
“A bit soft.”

Ultimately, the pastry came down to Emily’s “Squeeze Test”: the consensus was Jacques Genin’s pastry was thin and flimsy, resulting in a messier experience.


Filling, Stohrer

“Rich, chocolaty, smooth, dee-lish. But a little flour-y.”
“Lovely round flavor. A bit too much though.”
“Very round-y kind of warm chocolate.”

Filling, Jacques Genin

“I feel like he’s challenging us.”
“Too cocoa-y.”
“Too bitter.”
“More pudding-like.”

We agreed you could taste the purer cocoa of Jacques Genin—which can be too “bitter” when pitted against Stohrer’s sweeter, more sugary chocolate filling. But, going back to Stohrer from Genin’s chocolate could also “leave a funky aftertaste.”

Overall harmony


Given the positive gut reaction to Stohrer and the bite-by-bite dissent over Jacques Genin, there’s a lot to be said for the melding of Stohrer’s flavors and textures and the balance of pastry to filling. It was clean, neat, sweet and delicious.

Jacques Genin looked snazzy and has the appearance and taste of high-end ingredients, but it somehow fails to please. It’s squishy, messy, and has contrasting sweet and bitter notes.

The Smackdown verdict?

“On the pure line of which I would buy again? Stohrer.”

The best brest in Paris

They say here in France that a patisserier’s skills can be judged by just one dessert: the Paris-Brest. Which puts Philippe Conticini at the top of the choux-filled heap.

Six months ago, Conticini—who opened La Patisserie de Reves last year—was awarded the best Paris-Brest in the city. Two months ago, he opened a gorgeous salon de thé in the 16eme (Bon Marché shoppers arent’ the only ladies who lunch). The man is on a roll.

Of course it’s not all about the Paris-Brest (even if it is a little ring of heaven, with liquid praliné piped inside the hazelnut cream).

Beneath each individual glass-domed frigo is a mouth-watering, stomach-rumbling visual masterpiece.

Raspberry and lemon meringue tartes…


…chocolate and coffee éclairs….

…strawberries and cream.

His daring Saint-Honoré and dazzling Alliance.


Even his wee cookies are arresting.

Some of the delights dare not even be covered by casings.

Like this—the biggest brioche ever.

Rivaled only by the enormous madeleines.

And if you’re worried that you will put away an entire tarte or cake yourself, don’t worry. Individuels!


And a lovely tearoom and terrace in which to indulge.


Best of Paris? You bet.

The perfect excuse to pause for dessert

There is nothing better than un gateau individuel from a landmark patisserie. But there is something to be said for the neighborhood bakery as well.

So the Pause Détente patisserie is not Pierre Hermé, La Patisserie des Reves or Arnaud Delmontel. But it’s a sweet spot all the same.

Located in the 11the arrondisement, they make giant crispy, custardy éclairs and tarts au citron that are accented with chocolate disks.

Many of their individual cakes are studded with fresh cream or berries…


…macarons or chocolate shavings (as well they should be!).

The big cakes get the same kind of trimmings. You just better be sure you have some help with these beauties.

And there’s even an entire section devoted to chocolate. Pralines and ganache. Milk and dark. Simple and elaborate.


It’s the perfect spot for a Saturday afternoon, n’est ce pas?

98 Avenue Ledru-Rollin, 11eme

Moulin de la Vierge

Voila. Just one of Paris’ classic patisseries. (Roughly translated to “The Virgin Mill.”)

Behold, the Art Nouveau façade.

Inside, things only get prettier.

And, presumably, more delicious.

I could only try one treat (which broke my week-long sweets embargo, I might add).

There were so many amazing choices.

Tarts, éclairs, macarons, millefeuilles,…




I thought a breakfast pastry, it being 11 am, was the most appropriate.

So I went with the pain aux raisins.

Not the cupcakes.

Not the pizzas or savory tarts.

It was a good choice.

Brown and white and absolutely sublime

You really haven’t had hot chocolate until you’ve had hot chocolate in Paris. Not to be a snob, but it’s sort of true.

I was reminded of this on my most recent visit to Jacques Genin.


This chocolatier/salon de thé is as exquisite as they come. It’s just a year old; a grand and beautiful space in the Haute Marais, with pristine tarts, millefeuilles and éclairs.


Like the space and pastries, the service is, as the French say, nickel (“neeeee-quelllllle”).

The chocolat chaud is served in Villeroy & Boch porcelain….

And the thick creaminess of the melted chocolate is just beautiful against the stark white china…

Until…

Until, carnage!


We obliterated our individual pitchers of chocolat, leaving irrefutable proof of a lovely afternoon spent.