My friend Jeanette is a chocoholic. She’s the kind that
refuses the label chocoholic but takes half a suitcase full of French chocolate
when travelling. Like 90% of all French women she also believes that chocolates
are invented with the sole purpose of making mankind happy.
Salon Jacques Genin was a must do at least once a month
if I wanted to keep her happy as a friend. During my first visit we waited at
least an hour in line. While we were queuing Jeanette started her lecture on
how chocolate is considered as wine nowadays, that you are expected to describe
the range of aroma’s and characteristics of each bite you take and so on.
Once we were seated, it’s like you find yourself in a
high-end concept store than a salon de thé. The few hours old chocolates,
pastries and caramels were neatly lined up in a glass showcase, one looking
more delicious than the other. According to Jeanette, I was here for 3 things:
the chocolate, the mille-feuil and the legendary caramels. So that’s what we
took.
Needless to say, you could taste the care and effort to
achieve such a quality. It was excellent! Although in Paris we are spoiled with
the choice we have, for the adventurous explorer of fine patisserie and
chocolate, here you will be repaid in tenfold.
Address: 133 Rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris, France
Phone: 01 45 77 29 01
Hours: Tuesday hours 11:00 am–7:00 pm
Since January
2013, the salon stopped making pastries. However you can still order large-former
desserts in advance or a millefeuille in the salon.
