Breakast Club at Doughnut Plant

When was the last time you had a doughnut for breakfast? 

Or... five?

For me, it had been much too long. So I was very happy when Ben agreed to meet at Doughnut Plant, the newer Chelsea location, for Breakfast Club.

Even though they just do doughnuts, the choices are not easy.

But we did well.

Peanut butter and jam.

Vanilla bean.

Tres leches.

 Oatmeal.

And, for good measure, a wee creme brulée doughnut.

So good. So gluttonous. If I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat.

A French patisserie in the heart of New York

Have you noticed? New Yorkers are being seduced by the French (bien sur—it happens!).

Financier Patisserie is everywhere (just ask Carol). Macarons are everywhere. And the latest Franco-bakery: Olivier Dessyn’s Mille-Feuille on Laguardia Street.


I had the good fortune of meeting fellow Sweet Freak Kathy YL Chan there for an afternoon gouter. She had already sampled many of the patisserie’s French classics—crème brulée, vienoisserie, madeleines and more—so she chose the fromage blanc with raspberry jam. Feeling both piggish and greedy, I selected a sampling of two macarons—pistachio and vanilla—and a financier.





Dessyn, who worked with Pierre Hermé in Paris, definitely has the meringue to ganache ratio down on his macarons. And their size is just right. These two essential ingredients make for a more satisfying macaron than most anywhere in Manhattan.

And I like that you can buy vanilla pods…

…but I like that you can taste them in the sweets even better.

The financier, about the size of a playing card, probably had a half a stick of butter in it, judging by the wonderfully chewy-gritty texture.

Throw in a couple of bits of chocolate and call it a day.

The patisserie devotes most of its space to the open kitchen, which is cool to see, leaving a modest amount of counter space for noshing. But the space is welcoming and the sweets are the real deal.


Next time: the signature millefeuille, which comes in vanilla, pistachio or praliné, and the praliné stuffed brownie—the perfect merging of Franco-Anglo heaven if I ever saw one.

The incredible, all-too-edible, cakes of Lille, France (part II)

Yes, between Meert’s window dressings and the dangerous, seductive visit to Patisserie Charle, there were other sweet diversions in Lille.

Aux Merveilleux was perhaps the most unique. Rustic, I’d call it. Borderline dated in a Renaissance Fair sort of way, but still charming and delightful.


These are cakes you’re more likely to see in America than France: meringue-coated chocolate whipped cream, rolled in chocolate chips sprinkled with icing and sugar and topped with whipped cream. (I mean, seriously??)

Nearby at Luc Olivier, the dazzling jellies and macarons stood out louder than the pastries.



But what I was most excited about were the chocolates.

Valrhona bonbons in flavors like Tahitian vanilla, Cointreau, lavender, pear and praliné.



I stopped short of buying myself a box of 25, the smallest offered, and instead took a modest 10 home in a cellophane bag.

But it was Patrick Hermand who took the cake. Right?

These little cakes were arresting.


Absolutely exquisite.


Stunning.


Too pretty to eat, almost?


I’d eat one though. Hell, I'd probably eat eight.

The incredible, all-too-edible, cakes of Lille, France (part I)

Pierre, Gerard and Arnaud, eat your hearts out.

I trained up to Lille, in north-northeast France and discovered Paris isn’t the only place where patisserie is prized. I was dazzled by cakes at every turn.

I sought out Meert, a celebrated and historic tea salon. Sure, the millefeuilles, rochers, operas, baba rhums, tarts, muffins and cakes looked good.





But then I kept exploring. Besides Patrick Hermand, Aux Merveilleux and Luc Olivier, I discovered Patisserie Charle.

Incredible creations of pineapple and coconut, pears and salted caramel...

...apricot and pistachio, vanilla and raspberry...

white, milk and dark chocolate...


Too much beauty and temptation for one day.