Edouard Desrousseaux De Vandière is a true creative – and one almost doesn’t want to explain how, because the surprises should be kept for the diner. But do expect that he might arrive to fire up a torch to heat your slate table (directly on the table!), where he literally paints oil directly on the heated table, then proceeds to put down banana leaves and build the most squealingly lovely to-see-and-eat appetizers. Right. Before. Your. Eyes. There’s molecular magic going on in the kitchen with Vietnamese chef Thu-La, who does Asian-French fusion to haute gastronomic perfection.

There’s a reason why we call this a romantic restaurant.

There’s a reason why the French call this a smart address.

And speaking of addresses, this is in the 1st arrondissement—same as the Hotel Britannique:

Mystery Cuisines
37 bis rue de Montpensier
Paris, 75001
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday for dinner.

Understanding chocolate helps you appreciate it more.. At this, now unmissable event, you can meet the cocoa producers, the best chocolate makers as well as all those who share a love of chocolate, that exceptional food item.

Many events ranging from the highly informative to the highly amusing will be held during the show which draws thousands of visitors each year. Chocolate awards, conferences, children’s workshops, a gourmet bookshop, a grand Alter Eco patisserie quiz… the programme is very full!

In a burlesque baroque setting, you can admire the originality and the prowess of the fashion show featuring chocolate dresses dreamed up by young designers. The guest of honour for the 2011 fashion show is the famous fashion designer, Chantal Thomass.

A very festive cocoa show will stage the rites and traditions of the cocoa producing countries.

Over 5 days, the salon du Chocolat with more than 400 exhibitors will be inviting you discover their latest, very scrumptious creations… difficult to resist!

Salon du Chocolat :

• October 20-24, 2011
• Paris, Porte de Versailles – Pavillons 5/2 & 5/3
• Every day, 10 :00 – 19:00
• Further Information: Salon du Chocolat Paris

Hotel Britannique Paris, Romantic Paris Hotel, 3 star Hotel Paris

Un peu d’histoire sur le Clos Montmartre

Do you know the Clos Montmartre in Paris ? It’s the only vineyard in Paris. This may surprise you at first. But let’s go back in time a little.

In the 16th century, Montmartre was a village on the edge of Paris. Its residents were mainly wine growers whose vines spread over the hill and down to the plain.

Over the centuries, the current location of the Clos Montmartre has been variously an open air café, and scrub land. In 1929, thanks to Francisque Poulbot, the famous illustrator from Montmartre, this land was transformed into the Square de la Liberté (Freedom square). Then in 1933, the City of Paris created the Clos Montmartre (a clos is an enclosed field), by planting 2000 grape vines. Ever since, Montmartre has celebrated its annual grape harvest.

The Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival

Many events are planned over the 5 days of the Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival. Wine growers from different French regions will take part in a costume parade, handing out glasses of wine and bunches of grapes.

Stilt men dressed in Medieval costumes, brass bands, and traditional folk dancers will add a festive touch to this unique event in Paris.

This year, the Grape Harvest Festival will take place from October 5-9 and will also join in the celebrations for the Outre-Mer year; Montmartre will therefore be not only celebrating its vines and grape harvest, but also the French islands.

Guided tours of the vineyard, shows, a big concert in which artists from France and Outre-Mer will take part and a superb fireworks display will all be held on the top of the hill, surrounding the Sacré Coeur.

This very popular event showcases the best in gastronomy and regional produce. Many regional culinary specialities will be displayed to the delight of visitors who will be able to enjoy tasting and buying anything that takes their fancy. Sausages, honey and cakes, as well specialities from tropical islands, such as spices, etc. Without of course forgetting the bottles of wine from the Clos Montmartre, for which all the profits go to charitable projects in the 18th arrondissement (district) of the city (to which Montmartre belongs).

For further information, please visit online: Montmartre Harvest Festival.

Montmartre Harvest Festival :

21, Place du Tertre – 75018 Paris

Hotel Britannique Paris, Hotel Britannique Paris, Romantic Paris Hotel, 3 star Hotel Paris

There’s nothing better than waking up to a crisp, golden croissant, that melts in your mouth as you sip your morning tea or coffee or any other hot drink…

The croissant is often considered to be a quintessential part of the French breakfast. And while it is true that we owe the current version of the croissant made with leavened puff pastry to French bakers, it has quite a different origin.

We have to go back in time to the night of the 11th and 12th September 1683.

When the Viennese bakers were working in their ovens before dawn, they spotted the Turkish troops advancing in readiness to attack the city. They sounded the alert in time. Throughout the day the battle of Kahlenberg raged. Long and bitter, it was eventually won by the Austrians, bringing an end to the Ottoman army’s second siege of the city of Vienna.

No doubt you are wondering what that has to do with our croissant? Well, once Vienna was liberated, it is said that the Viennese bakers invented a pastry called the Hörnchen (little horn in German, in the shape of the Ottoman flag).

Hörnchen

It is also said that a Viennese cafe owner used the coffee left behind by the Turks and served it together with a pastry in the shape of a croissant. Whatever the truth, over time the recipe for Hörnchen spread far and wide.

On opening their Viennese bakery in Paris, two Austrians imported their recipes and sold the first croissants to the Parisians between 1837 and 1839. The croissant was originally made with a brioche dough. Many French bakers copied it and were inspired to create their own viennoiseries.

The puff pastry with butter that we know today, appeared in France at the end of the 19th century. It became extremely popular from 1920 onwards.

Today, the croissant is the uncontested star of any tasty continental breakfast. The pain au chocolat is made with the same dough as the croissant, by adding one or two squares of chocolate.

Succumb to temptation and… Bon appétit !

Hotel Britannique Paris, Charming Hotel Paris, 3 star Hotel Paris