Emily Luchetti Blog

I was getting off a plane last week and I could smell the Cinnabons before I got off the gateway and into the terminal. (No, it wasn’t SFO.) Maybe it was the jet fumes wrecking havoc with my brain but they smelled good. It was kind of scary but I had to try one. I knew I would be disappointed but it’s been a couple of decades since I had one and my curiosity got the better of me.  Could that warm cinnamon sugar aroma taste that bad?

My excitement ended quickly. It did taste pretty awful. It was way too sweet and at the same time bland. I got a sugar rush and my teeth hurt after the first bite. It was so big I almost offered to share it with the man and woman in line behind me.

When I got home I looked up the calorie count online and it weighs in at 730 calories. Thank goodness I didn’t finish it. It got me to thinking about what many Americans eat for breakfast. Lots of white flour.

Yes, my world is made of sugar and fat and my desserts are not for the calorie shy. I am not a fat free gal. But my portion sizes aren’t as big and I don’t serve the stuff for breakfast. With a normal amount of daily calories if you eat a Cinnabon for breakfast your fat allotment for the rest of the day is miniscule. 

Perhaps it is not fair of me to pick on the Cinnabon but it is the quintessential example of what is bad about breakfast food. Many people think they are eating healthy if they have a fresh baked pastry or a bowl of low fat but high sugar cereal.  Even if it is made with good organic ingredients and no preservatives a muffin or a scone is still up there calorically. You might as well have a piece of cake for breakfast but that would seem crazy and indulgent.

I am not saying we should never eat blueberry muffins or buttery scones but like all desserts they should be in moderation. Several times a week have whole wheat toast or a multigrain cereal with yogurt.  I am much more apt to stick to better eating habits if I start the day without having too much flour and sugar. Also if breakfast is going to sustain me until lunch I need to add some protein to those carbs. Other cultures eat smoked or pickled fish. As long as you don’t try to pair it with coffee it’s good.

Anything is better than a cinnamon roll that’s practically the size of your head.

Last week I went to Paris with a friend to celebrate her cancer remission. Not surprisingly we had a fabulous time, tasting, walking, eating, using the Metro, shopping (everything is on sale in January) and tasting some more. We even managed to find time for a couple of museums. January is a super time to go as the city has few tourists and it is easy to get into restaurants and museums. I almost didn’t write about my trip in this blog because there are countless internet posts about Paris.  I am not providing any new information by telling you not to miss Pierre Herme’s macaroons, Patrick Chapon’s Chocolates or Ladurée’s croissants. (Don’t worry I had my share of all these things).

But then I started thinking about the underlying factors in the French culture that make Paris so incredible from my vantage point as an American pastry chef. Parisians have a deep appreciation for the quality of food. They take it seriously but also get an immense amount of pleasure from it. They expect good quality but do not take it for granted. The food is displayed attractively. Shopping is a visual experience. Even in grocery stores it’s not wrapped in plastic wrap with a bar code slapped on top.

The French have a healthy perspective on eating and indulging. The answer isn’t in low fat and/or over doing it. They have dessert and are in shape. They eat small portions. Pastries are expensive in Paris (as is everything) but the expense helps them keep them special.  Like other expensive things they are treasured and savored.  Each sweet is not wolfed down like the bag of cookies you get on sale at the supermarket for $3.99. They make a smaller amount last longer. This trait is commented on and agreed with here in the United States but not many people follow it.

There are an amazingly large number of excellent quality pastry shops. Every neighborhood has at least a couple of good boulangeries and pastry shops. A sizeable population and a dedicated clientele allow French pastry chefs to specialize in a smaller number of items. Many of their selections vary and they do not feel compelled to make everything all year long. At home we are lucky to have several great bakeries in an entire city.

My pastry style is classics with a twist. When I walk the streets of Paris and window shop in the patisseries I get inspired. I don’t even have to eat anything. France has always and continues to do an amazing job at French classic desserts. While French savory food has evolved and changed the basic fundamentals of French pastry are consistently alive and well.  Seeing the Mona Lisa a couple of times is enough for me but I can never get enough of displays of freshly made baba rhums, financiers or apple chaussons. I see these and it gets my mind turning on how I can twist them so they are still recognizable but have just a little bit more. French pastry chefs make twists on the classics but the original is always recognizable. Fauchon’s éclairs and Le Ble Sucre’s apple tarte tatin show how well French pastry chefs combine the new with the old. They are wildly creative but rarely go too far. Everything works.

When I got home there was a phone message from my credit card company asking me to call their automated number to verify some charges. The system was efficient. The “guy” on the phone stated the amount spent and then said if it was a restaurant, bakery, or clothing store. I pressed “1” if it was a legitimate charge and “2” if I wanted more information. I easily verified three charges. On the 4^th, it said at a “fast food place”.  I pressed 2 for more information and the voice said “Pierre Herme”. I guess it was fast food as they were efficient and I wasn’t in the shop very long but his work is a long way from American fast food. I will take  French fast food over a McSundae any day.