Mehchi- Paris, France (via the Middle East)

A sampling (right to left) mehchi, harissa, and "donut stick"

During my stay in Paris, I decided to run in the mornings before each day’s adventures. I hate running, but these early morning jogs were a necessity given the amount of bread, cheese, and wine I was eating. I never wore headphones during these runs, because I was unfamiliar with the area and wanted to stay alert. However, one morning while running passed a bakery, I found myself shoulder shimmying in time to a very Middle Eastern beat.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breathe, hoping to stave off the tears that I expected to shed from missing Israel so much that I could still hear its music in my ears. With each breathe I took, the scent of sweet rose syrup, a traditional Middle Eastern ingredient for baked goods, brought me back to my days in Israel. I thought to myself, I must miss that place so much that I can actually hear the harsh and guttural sounds of the Arabic language in my head. When I finally opened my eyes, I found myself in front of an authentic Middle Eastern bakery… in the heart of Paris. The world is certainly shrinking. 

This bakery had desserts that I had never come across in all my months in Israel. Mehchi, harissa, and donuts were among some of the few treats I was able to sample. The mehchi consisted of a hard dough shell, filled to the brim with ground almonds and sesame, brown sugar, and cinnamon, covered in a thick rose syrup. The dessert was so sweet that one bite was all I needed before declaring myself full. 

Sweet and dense nut and spice filling

Unfortunately for my stomach, I always have room for dessert. So I allowed myself another sample from the Parisian-Middle Eastern confectionary. At first glance, this nameless dessert looked like nothing more than a glazed donut stick or carnival gyro. However, like the other desserts I sampled before it, it was incredibly dense, and also quick hard to bite into. The sticky glaze covering it was a sweet syrup made primarily with honey, which oddly enough, was the only ingredient that contributed any sweetness to this dessert. The donut stick itself tasted like nothing more than flour and sesame paste. I suspect it is the equivalent of an Italian biscotti- hard and slightly sweet.

The desserts in this confectionary were obviously Middle Eastern, but incredibly influenced by the Parisian clientele. Which, in this part of the city, happened to be mostly Middle Eastern. Therefore, I can only conclude that candies and desserts have no boundaries. Flavor preferences are no longer determined by the ingredients in that region, but by the people who live there. As the world gets smaller, I wonder if cultural flavors will still exist, and if different tastes will continue to impress others. 

Nougat- France

Fig Nougat

If you were ever fortunate enough to have experienced a box of chocolates in your life, you’ve probably sampled the many possible chocolate fillings that exist. Each box normally contains a variety of caramel, crème, liquid cherry, and usually, nougat fillings. My personal favorite is nougat. But until I visited France, I didn’t actually know what nougat was.

In the United States, nougat is rarely sold outside of its chocolate shell. In France, however, nougat is enjoyed as a candy in and of itself. Furthermore, it comes in a wide variety of flavors that make you wonder why it was ever hidden inside a chocolate at all!  

Nougat is made from light and frothy whipped egg whites and sugar or honey. Of course, other flavors are added for variety, including vanilla, rose, chocolate, nuts, and dried fruits. But the basic recipe always calls for whipped egg whites and sugar.  The sugar is boiled to a thick consistency (often times, cornstarch is added to speed the process) before it is combined with the eggs. After it is mixed into a marshmallow/taffy texture, other flavors can be folded in. The nougat is then set in a pan and let to cool.

In France, I had the pleasure of tasting fig flavored nougat. Having just come from Israel, my taste buds were craving some Middle Eastern treats. Some nougats can be hard, like a sucking candy. But this one was fluffy, but dense. I expected it to pulled away from my lips like a piece of taffy. But instead, it broke off like a piece of fudge. The nougat itself had a delicate and lightly sweetened flavor, which was only interrupted by the fresh pieces of figs that were interspersed in the candy.

I suppose that the reason nougat hasn’t made it big in the States is because it is not overly sweet, like the rest of the candies we eat. Furthermore, the flavors that are used to enhance it and give it variety are normally fresh ingredients that would otherwise be considered health foods (dried fruits, nuts, rose water, etc.). This candy is the perfect treat for anyone who doesn’t like overly processed or sugary delights. You can find it inside many chocolates, but why disguise the nougat’s delectable essence? 

                  

       

Macaron- Paris, France

The French are known for their cheeses. The French are known for their baguettes. The French are known for their wines, croissants, and crepes. But no one ever mentioned anything to me about their macarons. However, French macarons are a delicacy in their finest. 

The first time I saw a macaron, I thought it was a miniature, candy hamburger, like those gummy messes you find at every check-out counter in America. (Don’t worry, we have gummy pizza and fries too, in case you really feel like becoming a part of the obesity epidemic!) But that’s just my American bias screaming for a voice. Macarons are nothing like these vile candies we see. 

Instead, macarons are bite-sized sandwich cookies that come in a plethora of sweet and refreshing flavors. The cookies are made of egg-whites, almond powder, sugar, and food coloring. The filling, the part of the cookie that gives it the most flavor, is a type of jam made of anything from chocolate or cappuccino to pistachio or rose. 

The beauty of the macaron is that it is so compact, but filled with taste. Furthermore, it is a light dessert, allowing one to sample multiple flavors in one sitting. And that I did, friends…

Raspberry Macaron

Here in France, macarons are taken very seriously. Every store has their own version, but each version stays true to the original template: cookie, filling, cookie. Although macarons were perfected in France, they are originally from Italy, and their name comes from the same origins as the word “macaroni”, the roots for “fine dough”. They were initially served as single cookies, until the 1900s when chefs started sandwiching them into a mouthwatering delight. 

Today, they are served with tea, as an after breakfast snack, or a light dessert. They are always reserved as gifts from abroad. Unless of course, like me, you ate them before you got on the plane. Sorry Mom and Dad. 

Now which one should I try?!?!

Crepe- Paris, France

An Eiffel Tower made completely out of
chocolate! Only in Paris!

Bonjour from Paris! I've heard it said that this is the most romantic city in the world. Perhaps there is a culture barrier between myself and the Parisians, but I believe the saying is meant to be "the most delicious city in the world." For three days I have walked the streets of Paris. I saw the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Sacre Couer, Notre Dame, the beaches of Normandie (Northern France), Arc du'Triumph, and Bastille. But these are not the things that have impressed me the most in Paris. It will come as no shock to you that my joys in Paris have come from... the sweets. 

Crepes are a classic French dessert that many of us have tasted before, as almost every country has its own version of this treat. We've eaten them in crepe stands at fairs. We've eaten savory crepes in brunch restaurants and we've had sweet crepes for dessert. But few of us have had the pleasure of eating a crepe on the streets of Paris. Fortunately for those who have not, I can tell you all about it! 

"Crepe" is a French word for "pancake". This treat is prepared by using pancake mix and spreading it very thin on a hot, circular griddle. Because it is paper thin, the crepe shell cooks in seconds. Once it is cooked, it is folded in half. At this point, any filling is spread onto the crepe before it is folded in three, in the shape of a triangle. Unlike other triangular foods (pizza), this treat is eaten from the outside to the pointed center, where most of the filling awaits! 

Making the crepe shell.

Adding the Nutella and banana filling.

Mmmm! 

For years, crepes were reserved for French royalty, as the white flour used to make it was quite expensive. Now, they are eaten as part of any meal, and with any filling. But the most popular crepe is the chocolate crepe. In Paris, I tried a Nutella and banana crepe- a popular combination today. My mouth waters just thinking of this treat! I would be lying if I told you that this was the only crepe I had eaten in Paris, and each have been a pleasure. But don't worry, I saved room for other fine desserts as well! 

When in Paris...