From Eye Prefer Paris blog:
« In the Paris patisserie wars, upscale, boutique-like patisseries battle to stay on top and outdo each other with their extravagant confectionary concoctions. Even a simple strawberry tart can be reconfigured in a whole new way that makes it sexy and exciting, as I experienced last week at Fauchon.
On Fridays and Saturdays for the month of June, Fauchon has set up a strawberry tart stand where you can customize your tart. In total there are 27 variations on the theme and here is how it is broken up:
3 types of strawberries: Mara de bois (large wild strawberries), Fraise de bois (small wild strawberries), and Gariguette.
3 types of crusts: pate sable, sweet crunchy, and caramelized millefeuille
3 cream fillings: nougat, pistachio, lemon
3 sizes: individual, 4 people, and 6-8 people
You choose one for each category and voila! you have your perfect, personalized tart.
I chose the individual tart (although I would have had no problem polishing off the 4 person serving in a nano-second) with the pate sucre, the delicate, tiny fraise des bois, and the pistachio cream. I watched in fascination as the pastry chef skillfully prepared my tart. He took a pastry bag and effortlessly filled my tart, whizzing to and fro with the pistachio cream. He carefully arranged the fraise des bois on top of the cream and packed it in a Fauchon shocking pink box to go. It was gorgeous!
I live about 20 minutes from Fauchon, so it was 20 minutes of pure agony waiting to dig into my tart. Without even taking off my coat, I ravaged the pink box into shreds and dove in, mouth first. The crust was crunchy and cookie like, the strawberries tangy and pungent, and the pistachio cream subtle but flavorful. An harmonious dessert trio in perfect sync. »
Fauchon
26 Place de la Madeleine 75008
Open 8Am to 9PM
The tart bat is open on Fridays and Saturdays for the month of June
http://www.fauchon.com/en/
BUT, quality has a price. Be ready to choke…