TF1,the number one French TV channel, interviewed my bakers and I about the croissant, how we make it and what it means to us. I discussed how we use French baking as a motivation to learn the French language, culture and history! Watch the interview here. 

La pâtisserie has three different meanings in French: 
1-It is the art of baking cakes, pies, cookies, creams, etc.
2-It is the baked good itself.  For example. the macaron is a pâtisserie.
3-It is the boutique or store where baked goods are made, sold and sometimes eaten.  La Durée, Fresh Baguette are both pâtisseries. 

It can be difficult in January coming back to the reality of school and work after a nice winter break.  But the French tradition of enjoying Kings Cake in January helps the January blahs!  The French Kings Cake, called La galette des rois, is two circles of puff pastry filled  with almond filling, called frangipane.  The French hide a special porcelain figurine, called une fève, in it.  The person who finds la fève is the king or queen of the day and wears a crown.  The French enjoy eating the Kings Cake all throughout the month of January even though it is traditionally eaten on January 6th, the Epiphany, to celebrate the 12th day of Christmas.  
Here is Madame Rebecca's foolproof Galette des Rois recipe!  Bon appétit!

There are two different types of crepes in France: sweet and savory crepes..  (check out this Washington Post article)  Sweet crêpes are made with flour, butter, eggs, and a bit of sugar.  Savory crêpes, called une galette (not to be confused with La galette des rois-French Kings' Cake) is made with buckwheat flour, butter, eggs.  It is a delicious envelope for gruyère cheese,  Swiss cheese, or Emmanathal cheese (ordinary good melthing cheese in France), mushrooms, ham, spinich, and more!