Baking in Paris

While in Paris, I took a taxi to a baking class I had booked through Patisserie a la Carte. Chef Severine, a petite lady who fortunately spoke English, taught us how to make French patisseries and Madeleines, that small buttery-melt-in-your-mouth French cookie shaped like a seashell. It was great fun and a wonderful experience. Best of all, Chef Severine packed our baked goods in a little box to take home, guaranteeing a delicious dessert later.

After the class, I looked for a taxi back to my apartment only to learn taxi drivers were on strike (it’s a French thing). Since I didn’t really know where I was, I stopped in a bakery and asked for instructions. They happily said, pointing, “Just keep going down there by the Seine”. Off I went, hoping, in the right direction. After a few winding streets, I stopped at several places, asking again for directions to my apartment by the Seine. The French were very amicable, so I shared one of the Madeleines with everyone who helped me find my way home.

Trips are never over; they are in our memories forever. I smile every time I think of how lost I felt when I didn’t know my way back to the apartment. How kind everyone was, how they appreciated the cookies I shared. Now, when I bake Madeleines in my kitchen, I am transported back to those happy times in Paris, dreaming of my next trip.

You can find the recipe for Madelaines in my new cookbook, Eat Cookies for Breakfast.