Or my teeth would be, if I ate all of this in one sitting. Here I sit, on a clear, cold Halloween morning, with a goodie bag that is bursting at the seams with treats.
Not one but two jars of Le Caramelier; my favorite teas from Mariage Freres; Henri Le Roux caramels; Bernachon chocolate; sugared violets; macaroons from Laduree. This isn't quite as wonderful as being in Paris, but it's pretty darn close.
Where, oh where, to begin?!
Happy Halloween!
SETTING: A late October afternooon. A woman sits at a large desk in front of a computer screen. Her fingers hit the keyboard in a steady, droning beat, as if there was a sign hanging over her head with the word D-E-A-D-L-I-N-E written on it. A phone rings, punctuating the silence.
HE: So I went to that place you told me about.
SHE (eagerly): The l'Etoile d'Or? You found it?
HE: I can’t believe I didn’t know about it before! The lady there was so cute! I think she’s famous or something. There was a group of very excited Japanese girls taking pictures of her. She told me in French to hurry up and buy what I wanted before they bought everything.
SHE: That was Denise Acabo! I can’t believe she was really there! Was her hair in pigtails? Was she wearing a tie?
HE: Yes! A tie! She must be at least fifty. She carries chocolate from Bernachon. So delicious. You won't believe how good it is. I hope I don’t eat everything before I get home.
SHE: Stop tormenting me! I’m jealous enough already. (sigh)
HE: These caramels are amazing.
SHE: Wait. You got the salted caramel spread, right? From Henri Le Roux? Not the individual caramels.
HE: But when I said "Henri Le Roux," this is what she...
SHE: The spread! You have to get the spread!
HE: It’s a spread? Are you sure?
SHE: I’m positive. It's called Salted Butter Caramel Spread. Le Caramelier. It comes in a little glass jar. David Lebovitz said it was amazing, and Catherine Nash adores it.
HE: But these caramels are perfectly…
SHE: You have to go back.
HE: Fine. I’ll go back.
SHE: I'm sorry, I didn't mean that you have to go back. I mean, if it's too much trouble...
HE: I'll go back. In fact, I'll call Denise right now and ask her to set a jar aside for me in case another pack of Japanese girls drops in.
SHE: I love you.
