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| - You can NOT list the Top 25 Patisseries in the world, and not have Maison Christian Faure not on it...
I really don't understand it. Is it his title: Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF)? The swanky décor? The Old Montreal location? The price points? Because, there is no reason related to artistry and craftsmanship that this patisserie isn't rated even higher than it is... on yelp, google, all the democratic rating sites...
You'll find all kinds of elegant classic French pastries along with seasonal desserts at Maison Christian Faure (MCF) - classic in the sense that they are viewed through the master patissier's interpretation. Two that I'll bring up: Millefeuille and Paris Brest. So, Jacques Genin in Paris is reputed to have the best version of millefeuille around, benefiting texturally from the fact that it's made-to-order. MCF's version is pretty fantastic, and stayed in my memory after many months. But, I don't think I've had better Paris-Brest in my life. I must confess, I've never been a fan of Paris-Brest thinking it to be sickeningly sweet and way too rich for my liking, but the Paris-Brest éclair at MCF with hazelnut praline filling is definitively the best version I've had. There's tremendous attention to detail on each element and how they work together, including the candied hazelnuts.
I also have to thank Maison Christian Faure for reviving my love for French pastry. Hard that it may be to imagine, I went through a 1.5-2 year period not enthused by desserts, or indeed any French style bakery in the U.S. But, the first bite I had of Le Miami at MCF, it all came back. What better pastry to remind one of the magic of French patisseries! Lightly sweet cookie crust, almond cream, lime cream, raspberry jelly, and fresh raspberries. I normally don't stop eating dessert to take multiple pictures of it while I progress further, but every few bites or so I had to remind myself to store memories of a new pleasurable sensation!
The other pastry I enjoyed thoroughly was Le Venitien (hazelnut cake, crunchy hazelnut praline, lemon mousse, and confit). While a few months later, the winter collection featured an excellent Croustillant de Pralin (a crunchy dark chocolate pastry with praline and hazelnuts) reminding me of the pastry chef's facility with all the featured ingredients.
As you can sense the artistry, I was determined to read more about Faure and his philosophy, and really liked something he'd said: "No one walks into a patisserie starving. They simply want a treat. You eat pastry for pleasure and happiness... each pastry should be an experience". I couldn't agree more. I also love his discipline in staying away from becoming a factory like operation, for not carrying cupcakes just because they are ubiquitous or following a food fashion trend like the cronut. Faure is an absolute master of his craft: I tried six different things and there wasn't anything I didn't like - including chocolate sable cookies that are rolled in sugar to give the effect of sparkling diamonds!
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