Viva le Patisserie Francaise

In honor of French Independence Day (or the day the Capet monarchy was destroyed in France, depending upon how you look at it) I'm dedicating today's entry to French pastries. These sinfully delicious treats have always been a part of French life. Luckily , they're a part of American life as well. The problem is what to buy when you go to to your local patisserie.

There's really so much to choose from upon entering this kind of bakery. It will be mostly sweets and very little breads. These are sold in what's known as a boulangerie , a store that sells nothing but bread and rolls. A pastry shop will have a variety of tarts and cakes. You'll can get every kind of flavor from chocolate Savoyard (which are a rich cream and chocolate ganache filled loaves) to fraise bavaroise ,(a filling strawberry cake)There will be baba au rhums, wine cork shaped yeast cakes soaked in rum. A typcal patisserie will also serve plum and apricot tarts. These are cream filled buttery shells topped off with the fruits and glazed with an apricot jam. You can also buy similar ones in apple and strawberry depending upon the season.The French love raspberries so don't be surprised to find a few tartes and cakes filled with them. There is also a plain cake known as a galette which is usually served on Twelfth Nigh t or Three Kings Day , January 6th.

Most patisseries here sell variations of eclairs and Napoleons. The first usually has a chocolate covering as opposed to the traditional caramel. It's usually filled with a vanilla cream but also can be filled with just whipped cream. Napoleon, that classic French treat is another dessert It is also called mille feulle meaning a thousand layers. This was a spin on Greek pastries with the name coming from the Greek word for neck. Patisseries will also sell variations on that sweet roll, the brioche, as well as almond and chocolate croissants.

The French love cookies but not the thick hearty kind. You'll be able to buy tuiles (French for tiles) which are thin crunchy butter cookies. Gaufrettes or wafers are also sold. These are rolled cookies sometimes dipped in chocolate.

Celebrate Bastille Day with a visit t your own patisserie. have a love tart au fraise or some tuiles with your afternoon coffee.