Caramel au Beurre Sale again

ODing on caviar on Monday was tough. Imagine ODing on CBS caramel au beurre sale for three weeks - this is OTT (over the top) but research is required!

Assignment: paint this jar of tartiner caramel au beurre sale of Frederic Cassel. There are a number of rules to keep in mind when doing so.

1. It is not 'gourmand' to paint the jar with the lid ON.
Non non non. OK...

2. It is preferable to paint the jar with just ONE tranche de baguette. 

Oh ;o)

3. It is l'interdit/ forbidden to eat caramel au beurre salé with just a spoon (much less in one day!)

Uh oh :((

Since my painting subject matter has disaparu/gone gone gone I must find a replacement.

Not so easy in fact. This stuff I was delighted to buy in  Nantes now tastes too sweet and has the consistency of glue. Plus the color is wrong.

Nothing wrong with Jean-Paul Hevin's spread except le prix...

MOF Georges Larnicol's caramel (5,90€) is a tad too sugary for me but still trés riche and smooth. I'm feeling a bit like Goldilocks...

132, Bd Saint-Germain 75006

At last a visit to the maître caramelier and creator of the temptress Caramel au beurre salé, MOF Henri le Roux on

1 rue de bourbon-le-Chateau 75006

I have a long chat with the lovely vendeuse. I'm complaining how tough it is to live in Paris because temptation is everywhere. Still I heard the 1st year is the worst. Then you adjust.

She tells me, "I am here THREE years and I'm tempted every day. 

My French-born husband says to me,

"You are NOT a tourist!

You are NOT a tourist!

You are NOT a tourist!"

We both giggle.

Please try the new Fall caramel flavors at Henri Le Roux - Figue et Sesame Noire. I'm sure you'll get an extra caramel if you do...

I bought HLR's caramel au beurre salé (8 euros) and the taste is absolute heaven. I wish he had a version WITHOUT the eclats/almonds chips. Nothing to do with nut allergies. I like my sauce smooooth. What about you? I sieved out the almonds I must confess...

Back to painting caramel. What would I do without my little watercolor palette guide?

It's essential to taste in order to capture the true essence of caramel no?

A mini ange is added...

Later a glop of caramel is added to the bread (which sat on my table for a week and still tasted wonderful). In about 15 days we can all OD at the Salon du Chocolat. Henri Le Roux will be there at #D27. Frederic Cassel will be nearby at #D28, so you can comparison taste the caramel au beurre sales. MIAM.