Day 13 : Mastering the Art of French Cooking

What a fabulous night it was! After two weeks in France, I'm happy to say I'm finally all settled in my new apartment here in my Paris (both stovetop and laundry machine are now working!). To celebrate the occasion and unwind from my three-hour french class earlier today, I decided to invite Mademoiselle (Mlle) Y over for a good old-fashion girls' night sleepover :-)

Of course being in Paris, we had to do it the french way. Stopped by the supermarché after school to pick up a lovely bottle of wine, plus a few ingredients so I could whip up a few nibbles and finally put my kitchen to good use...

Voilà! Are you impressed with my culinary skills? ;-)

Aperitifs I made whipped up Girl's Night In... ;-) | Insalata Caprese & Hummus served on edible spoons

Day 7 : Let the pâtisserie tour begin...

Okay, I have a confession to make: I didn't come to France because I wanted to study luxury brand management @ ESSEC. No, the truth is I just wanted an excuse to come back and tour all of the best pâtisseries in Paris! Admittedly, Americans haven't quite mastered the art of desserts like the French have--something I miss dearly from my old life living in Europe.

Mission for the next three months: find the ultimate dessert in Paris. We all know I love the French macaron (especially if it's from Pierre Hermé!); however, I've decided to take on the new challenge to find something even better. If I'm lucky, 100 times better!

First stop on my 2012 Parisian Dessert Tour: La Pâtisserie des Rêves. This gorgeous little pastry shop has two locations in Paris (7e and 16e), though only the shop on 111 rue Longchamp actually has a little cafe where you can sit and enjoy their wonderful yummy creations. Inside you'll find a simply stunning display of all the gorgeous pastries on the menu!

As for the desserts themselves, I must confess I did find one that's giving the PH's macaron a run for its money--Le Paris-Brest! Words alone cannot describe how insanely delicious (and heavenly) this dessert tasted. For this reason, I shall just leave you to drool at my pictures below and pray that one day you may have the chance to come to Paris and taste it for yourself :-)

La Pâtisserie des Rêves | 16e arrondissement

I am in heaven...! | desserts on display @ La Pâtisserie des Rêves

Correction: I am in chocolate heaven...! | Le Grand Cru

My favorite dessert on the menu... I could eat only this for the rest of my life. | Le Paris-Brest