What devotion. Shame on us if we ever design a robot that can compete with this labour of love! I cook some, bake some, and occasionally venture into patisserie, and have incredible respect for the years of blood, sweat and tears that goes into developing this skill.
The intermingling of Japanese onamonapia was a wonderful touch. The part about the queen of all apologies, moshiwake gozaimasen had me searching for a pronunciation guide as it seems like a phrase worth keeping in one's back pocket, despite probably not being around anyone who would understand its significance when it would be most called for.
Of course it's been already happening for quite some time, and to be honest quality can be good (but of course can't really compete against the best ingredients cooked by qualified artisan).
The article is well-written, and really a pleasure to read. Not to mention that reading about craftsmanship and dedication should speak to most of the crowd here :)
I had heard that there were many Japanese folks working in Patisseries in France, but I was surprised to read that in that one it was mostly run by a full Japanese staff! What's the Chef doing ?
Here in Japan where I live there are a couple of very decent Patisseries with Japanese staff trained in France (at least the Chef) and they are quite good. The only problem is that they lack butter in Japan and therefore they reduce the butter amount for stuff like Pain au chocolat or Croissant and it does not taste the same as the real french thing anymore. Japan should really import butter, but JA (Japan Agriculture) is probably organizing the boycott of all imports so that they can sell a ridiculous piece of butter for like 5 dollars while the same would cost 10 times less in France.
"Like living in Paris, there is satisfaction in the very idea of pâtisserie: so romantic!"
Where I live, I have a local Pâtisserie. My own observations: each piece of food is the result of precision; hard work; tradition; and the best locally sourced ingredients. The owners are French, so I go there to touch-up my language skills, order a montainard, café, half a dozen croissant for later and sit down.
The produce in the shop window, mirrors the seasons.
The article nails the daily grind of production. If you look at the photographs, [0] you will see each item is identical, neatly presented and fresh. The selection is seasonal because most of the ingredients are home grown. I marvel at how locals ask for, 'Low-fat' versions of what-ever they order. The shop is out-of-step with the mind-set and rhythm of the locals, with the exception of the festive season. At certain times of of year, you have to order or get in early as things sell before ten. Opening hours are nine to four. Saturdays are busy, as is Sunday. Monday is the day off.
The best description in the writing [1] is the transplanted Japanese, busy copying the local French cuisine readying themselves to go home and open their own Pâtisserie. I see this at home, mostly with Vietnamese who also absorbed their cuisine through French occupation.
Go to a Pâtisserie, slow down, savour the produce then order in French. You'll never think of eating a soggy croissant again.
"To make chocolate mousse, enough for 150 people, say, first whip the cream — liters and liters of it."
[1] Minor quibble. When I read something from an Oxford graduate and I come across 'liters' it jars. Litre in both the Uk and Fr is 'litre'. Re-edited for the American market?
I never heard of a pastry called "montagnard". What does it look like?
I think a reference to a political group of a bygone age would be way too obscure (not sure why you mention 1848, the Revolution was long over by then). The primary sense of the noun "montagnard" is "somebody living in the mountains".
It's not a pastry, but a Baguette with a roast meat, salad, cheese slice with a mustard sauce. When I have another one I'll ask for more details why it's named so.
The 'montagnard' reference is accurate and describes a political group during the '48 revolution. 23 June 1848, look it up.
I'll go as far as Belgium (and only the french speaking part of it, la Wallonie as well as Brussels), but German and Dutch cakes, seriously ? Their cakes are horrible (and they know it).
The best British food is very good now, so much better than 30 years ago, but it does cost. It's much easier to find good food on a budget in the rest of Europe.
I found it remarkable that my father came back from England raving about the food, and I always found it to be barely edible. Our budgets were different by at least an order of magnitude though (I like to keep lunch under £5).
Living in Ireland, it's much the same. To give credit where it's due, though, one can get a somewhat respectable burrito in Dublin, while the London ones I tried were all unmitigated disasters.
Pâtisserie is beautiful and also very difficult. Disciplined and talented young people willing to start working at 4am are hard to find, even in France.
That's why many pastry shops choose to buy frozen chocolate eclairs and mille-feuilles and sell it like they made it themselves.
I agree, where if you name your shop "boulangerie" you must make it in your shop, if you name it "pâtisserie" you can use frozen cakes and more and more pâtisseries use them.
The intermingling of Japanese onamonapia was a wonderful touch. The part about the queen of all apologies, moshiwake gozaimasen had me searching for a pronunciation guide as it seems like a phrase worth keeping in one's back pocket, despite probably not being around anyone who would understand its significance when it would be most called for.