Let it not snow...

... because I don't want to get stuck in the tunnel on the Eurostar tomorrow! A new treasury.

Little Venice at dusk

When passing through London a few weeks ago, I had some time to kill at Paddington Station. Just behind, is the Regent's Canal and ten minutes walk away is Little Venice. Some photos of the prettiest narrowboats.

Emma, just behind Paddingon Station. Follow the canal to the left...

Past the Floating Boater restaurant...

A tang of smoke in the air, passing the houseboats...

A floating balcony...

 

The light falls over Little Venice...

Jason's Trip leaves from the basin, and takes the Regent's Canal up to Camden in the Summer, a gentle way to see London.

Little pre-Christmas sale!

We're having a little pre-Christmas sale at pink milk vintage! Take 20% off any item with the code PMV10NOEL until December 14th. Last-minute Christmas shopping is easier when its cheaper...

Christmas shipping...

Please note there will be no shipping from Paris from December 17th-30th. If you want your item in time for Christmas, last shipping day to Europe is December 12th, to the rest of the world, December 6th.

Framed plates

I just realised I didn't post these, and they were one of my favourite parts of our wedding.

After designing and printing our beautiful invitations, the wonderful Helen from Sweet Olive Press let me have the plates she had made for them. Above are the plates I had framed as a gift for my parents, with the rsvp cards and their address, and I had the plate for the invitation card itself framed as a wedding gift for D*. The finishing touch to a perfect day.

*Unfortunately, after being mounted on emerald green silk and carefully framed behind non-reflective glass at hideous expense in a gorgeous blue-grey frame, D's gift was damaged when our flat flooded while we were on honeymoon. It's part of the insurance claim however and the plate itself is still intact and ready to be re-framed when this whole debacle eventually comes to and end.

La Pâtisserie des réves

What a wonderful wedding present, a tasting session at the scrumptious Pâtisserie des réves in Paris' 16th. Created by master patissier Philippe Conticini, these are award-winning cakes to be taken seriously.

We started with a late breakfast of feather-light buttery brioche, doorstep slices of French toast and petits pains gourmands, speciality bread rolls sprinkled with vanilla sugar. Earl Grey and strong black coffee cut through the sweetness, and freshly squeezed orange juice with cloves revived our palates, already straining under the weight of so much butter and sugar.

The salon de thé on rue de Longchamp is light and airy, with double-height windows that look onto a small terrace and a smiling welcome from Vincent. The patisseries are displayed under weighted bell jars, gift items and baking ingredients are high up in niches, giving the shop the air of an art gallery. Fully deserved, as Conticini's créations are culinary works of art.

Take exhibit 1. Post-brunch and already full, we chose to taste the Black Forest gateau, one of the more extragavant items on the menu and rarely seen in patisseries. The gateau, all overblown layers of chantilly cream, dark chocolate sponge and rich cherry syrup, is tucked into a cherry-shaped chocolate shell, itself dipped into cherry glaze. With a tap of the fork, it breaks open with a satisfying crack and spills its contents.

Simple by comparison, our next choice was the sweet orange tart. A dense biscuit base, with a light orange cream and orange glaze that was bittersweet and refreshing. Brioche, bread, toast, gateau, tart, and full bellys.

La Pâtisserie des Rêves

Shop and salon de thé: 
111, rue du Longchamp
75016 Paris

Shop:
93, rue du Bac
75007 Paris

Thank you Delphine Chan!