Bread and pastries in Tours
/
Before we head off to Lyon, I’m popping in with a post to show you what one can enjoy for a VERY reasonable cost here in France. When we’re talking the standards of French viennoiserie, you can’t go wrong with your corner boulangerie or pâtisserie for excellent products at a fraction of the cost you would shell out in the US of A.
Remember - I’m not talking here about the highfalutin shops/tea salons on so many high end streets in so many French cities, but rather the “mom and pop” spaces that are literally around ever coin and down every rue.
Freshly baked breads are also a steal. Not only for their artisanal preparations but their flavor, crust and crumb. Picking up baguettes and other breads from a local shop is part of everyday life in France, a custom that we love to latch onto when we’re here.
For me a fresh slice is so delicious right out of hand without anything on it; OR add a schmear of French butter and a dollop of jam; OR top with a slice of delicious cheese (of which we all know there are beaucoup en France). Mmmmmm good!
Steve purchased ALL of above goodies for a total of 8,60 euros (about $9.55 with the current exchange rate). The mix includes un pain au chocolat, un chausson aux pommes, deux cannelés et une miche du pain (what I’d call a medium-ish size loaf). The broken down cost: 1,70 euros each for the pain au chocolat, chausson aux pommes et cannelés and 1,80 euros for the bread. You can’t beat that!
Just to give you a sense, I did some quick price checking specifically for pain au chocolat in Grand Rapids MI and found that two places that I feel are worth buying from (Field & Fire; Nantucket Baking Company) charge $5 (F&F) and $4.50 (Nantucket) for theirs.
A loaf of country French bread at Nantucket is $5.50. Field & Fire sells a levain loaf for $7.50. I realize these aren’t exact comparisons but . . . . just sayin. And to amp things up a bit, I checked out well known San Francisco Tartine Bakery’s prices - a full sized loaf of country bread $14.95; one pain au chocolat $7.25!! On the other coast at Flour Bakery in Boston I didn’t see pain au chocolat on their menu but their croissant is $4.75 and pain au raisin $4.50.
Circling back to West Michigan, even finding chausson aux pommes or cannelés in GR (chez moi perhaps?) is unlikely. I didn’t see either on the above mentioned GR shops’ menus.
At the famous Bordeaux cannelé maker, Baillardran, depending on how many you buy of the typical boxed set, they run about 3 euros each (the more you buy they less they cost).
I hadn’t made cannelés in awhile - below is a batch I made this past Christmas. Although I’m still working on getting the outside nice and darkly caramel-y, they tasted pretty darn good. I’ve always used silicone molds for these but would consider getting reasonably priced metal ones that would help me achieve that almost burnt looking exterior.
Since West Michigan is huge in the apple growing industry, we do see plenty of places offering apple pies and traditional apple turnovers. But if you ever get a chance to try a well crafted chausson aux pommes, go for it. The oh so flaky puff pastry and sautéed caramel-y apple filling is a match made in heaven.
From The French Tarte’s kitchen
We’re looking forward to our upcoming Lyon stay. I’ll be back!
Meanwhile, here’s a very lovely petite jardin we passed on our walk today - nestled right along the sidewalk.
Enjoy spring wherever you are!
