Month: August 2019

What is Terroir?

Wine lovers may have heard the word terroir bandied about, but did you know that this term is essential to the French concept of food?

Terroir comes from the same root as “terrestrial” or “terra cotta:” the terr- prefix means “earth.” Terroir, then, is the idea that the food and drinks produced in a region are inextricable from the region itself: the climate, the soil, the air, the water… each of these elements is just as important as the variety of seeds planted to grow local tomatoes or the breed of cattle that makes a local cheese.

In France, the integrity of local terroir as it pertains to foods and drinks is often protected by a label called either AOP or AOC. You’ll often see these two similar labels emblazoned on wine bottles, cheese packaging, and even boxes of lentils. A producer who wants to put an AOP seal on his or her product must adhere to a series of rules established by his or her local AOP board to ensure that the product is consistent: things like when and where cattle can graze on local grass, or where grapevines are allowed to be planted.

The AOP protects the terroir of quite a few French products, including:

  • 400 wines (like Bordeaux, Sancerre, and Champagne)
  • 47 cheeses (like Brie de Meaux, Camembert de Normandie, and Roquefort)
  • 3 butters and a luscious heavy cream

Discover more about terroir on our Best Bites of Paris tour – and taste a few AOP and AOC products, while you’re at it!

5 Off-the-Beaten-Path Baked Goods to Try in a French Bakery

Enter any French bakery, and you’ll be faced with a huge variety of baked goods both sweet and savory. But most folks – especially overwhelmed visitors – opt for either a croissant or a chocolate-filled pain au chocolat. And while we’ve got nothing against either one of these delicious specialties, bakeries offer a myriad of other treats to try. Here are just five that, in our opinion, are unfairly neglected.

1. Chouquettes

Near the register at almost any bakery in Paris, you’ll find a basket of chouquettes. These pearl-sugar-topped puffs are usually sold by weight and make the perfect simple afternoon snack.

2. Religieuse

Take the same pâte à choux used to make chouquettes (and, for that matter, profiteroles), fill the puffs with pastry cream, stack two on top of one another, and you end up with a religieuse. Made with similar ingredients to that classic, the éclair, a religieuse gets its name from its appearance, which some compare to that of a fat little nun! You’ll most commonly find religieuse that are either chocolate- or coffee-flavored. Either way, the fondant frosting will always match the flavor of the pastry cream within.

3. Palmier

Known occasionally as elephant ears, the simple palmier actually gets its French name from its resemblance to the leaf of a palm tree. This combination of flaky puff pastry and sugar is a delicious treat to share or enjoy on your own.

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4. Pain Gourmand

Gourmand is one of those French words that belies translation, often erroneously transcribed as “greedy.” This word, somewhere between “foodie” and “glutton,” is the perfect adjective to describe the breads stuffed with an assortment of ingredients you’ll find in French bakeries. Every baker will use different recipes: sometimes a sweeter combination of dried fruit, nuts, and seeds is used, while others opt for a more savory combo of bacon, cheese, and herbs.

5. Flan Pâtisser

The flan you find in French bakeries is nothing like a South American flan, closer to a French crème caramel. A flan pâtissier is a custard solid enough to stand up on its own when sliced, baked in a pastry crust and dotted with flecks of real vanilla. No need for a spoon to dig into this treat: just take a bite!