Croissants

Mom and I went to a workshop this morning at a boulangerie in the 12th arr to learn how baguettes, pains de tradition, croissants and pains au chocolat are made. It was discouraging - but not surprising - to learn that croissants are 30% butter and that 50% of French bakeries buy frozen dough and bake it on site. A checkered pattern under the bread is the clue that the bread was not made from scratch at the site. True boulangeries bake their bread on a hard surface and that marks the base of the baguette differently.

We had a great lunch nearby at Bistrot Paul Bert and then toured the Opéra Garnier before coming home just in time to pick up Ch from school.