Le Petits Caprices, Rochefort-en-Terre 06-2017

The quintessential pastry of France may be the croissant, but in Brittany the local specialty is Kouign Amann (still unclear how to pronounce that properly).

The smells wafting from this small bakery in the corner of the plaza in Rochefort-en-Terre leant itself to being the first thing I ate in Brittany. And wow was it special - a honey coated exterior turned crisp housing a layered chewy buttery and sweet pastry centre. There's only so many of these you could eat (before sugar overload or diabetes or heart disease) but it is to be savoured.

The also served Far Breton which is more of a custard tart/flan that was nice too.

Chez Papa, Paris 06-2016

For some reason I seemed to have difficulty finding a good online leader for dinner. Other than Le Chateaubriand which still remains on my list, the Paris places I had were (breakfast) Holybelly, Frenchie To Gogo, (lunch) Chez Alain Miam Miam, Breizh Cafe and (drinks) Chez Jeanette, Lockwood, Candelaria. Maybe it was too much choice and not enough decision-making experience with French cuisine but in the end with no real direction I was wandering the streets.

Eventually I came across Chez Papa (153 Rue Montmartre). It ticked some good boxes - looked homely, French diners, the food looked and smelled good, and everyone seemed to be having similar dishes in large pots or a display on a plate. It seems to specialise in cuisine of South-West France.

After perusing the menu, the English-speaking French family next to me asked if I needed advice. Stick to the specials on the first page - you won't go wrong. I'm glad I did and in doing so managed to try two dishes:

- Special Papa Cassoulet gratinated with breadcrumbs - a superstar dish of deep heavy duck-flavoured stew, with a thick rich sauce that could be swept up with bread;
- Garbure Papa hotpot - a speciality of cabbage with carrots, large French beans and duck meat in the form of neck and wings. The soup is quite thin and mild but distinctly duck flavour. However as simple as this was, the flavour paled compared to the cassoulet.

I want to eat that cassoulet again. I will go next time in Paris. There seem to be a few branches around so it won't be too hard to find.

Melba Glacier Gourmand, Paris 06-2016

A late night barmy evening lent itself to a gelato dessert. By coincidence, luck and fortune, I can across an artisanal seller after dinner.

There's a good list of flavours, but unfortunately on my first visit, the pistachio was sold out, and the deep green I saw was green tea.

Nonetheless it didn't stop me over the next 24 hours from sampling the wonderfully brown coloured pistachio with its intense nutty flavour and minimal sweetness, a rich fruity cherry and a slightly less impressive raspberry.

Amorino Gelato, Paris 06-2016

On a scorching 32C, high-humidity day in Paris, gelato was necessary. After avoiding the soft serve and generally substandard tourist fare, I was lucky enough to spot the golden word Amorino at a stand near the Louvre. Of course this word resonated with me instantly like a mirage from the depth of the desert floor due to my exposure in Lisbon (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/amorino-gelato-lisbon-10-2013).

Due to heat, a lack of lunch and a desire of gelato, I ended up queuing twice for a double each time.

- Pistachio gelato - a sweet version with good flavour;
- Coconut gelato - really delicious flavour with pieces of coconut providing texture;
- Pistachio sorbet - a stronger nuttier flavour, less sweet and preferred over the other (contrary to what I wrote in Lisbon);
- Mango - a strong fruity version as though mango had been blended, thickened and served.

Thanks for saving me. I hope to see you elsewhere.

Pierre Herme, Paris 06-2016

It must be nice to be awarded the 2016 San Pellegrino Best Pastry Chef in the World.

It must be nice to credited as having the best macarons in the world.

Although I'm not huge on macarons, it seemed difficult to pass up the opportunity to try them. This particular store in Galeries Lafayette  Maison (35 boulevard Haussmann) serves macarons but not pastries so I'll have to leave the latter to another time.

The macarons eaten included the recommended, popular and award winning mogador (milk chocolate with passionfruit) and montebello (half strawberry, half pistachio). The flavours are nice and sweet but not sickeningly so. The flavour starts off very lightly and intensifies at the end. What is most impressive is that the shells are soft and delicate, unlike the firm crispy versions I've sampled elsewhere all over the world. This is refinement.