Friday, January 31, 2014

Candy School - Le Bonbon au Palais

I always learn something new when I visit candy store, La Bonbon au Palais at 19, rue Monge 75005 Metro Cardinal Lemoine, bus 47.
 
There's a good reason the shop is full of desks and grade school paraphrenalia.
 
So sharpen your pencils PBers
 
And get out your ardoises/mini blackboards to take some notes.
 
1st leçon is how to put marshmallows/guimauve into a glass jar. Very important lesson
 
I love to browse this shop. Memories of childhood excursions to candy shops in my neighborhood come back. I'm sure they said "Oh here's the browser again."
 
 This customer already knows the merchandise well. He's just patiently waiting for his snack.
 
On to class work. When I noticed the geological samples they reminded me of shards of rock-like candies I saw at Salon de l'Agriculture last March.
 
I was fascinated by their transparency and strong scent. Some are from pine trees/sapin and there was licorice/reglisse.  I filled my pockets with samples. They sat on my desk for ages till temptation beckoned.
 
Georges was happy to explain. These special candies are from the Hautes-Vosges.
 
They are not flavored but made from essential oils..from resins of the region including eucalyptus, honey, poppies, pine and licorice.
 
They serve a medicinal purpose. Each flavor is useful for a different ailment of the nose, throat, lungs and circulation.
 
You can get them crushed into smaller pieces as a tisane. Georges proceeded to demonstrate the various coughs, and other throaty maladies these can cure. He explained with the tisane, you must let it brew for 10 minutes. Then do an inhalation over the cup for 15 minute. This was demonstrated as well. Hard not to giggle but the lesson was learned. Georges, as usual popped a few stony nuggets into my pocket for future use along with a tea bag or two. By the way these little candy rocks have a refreshing taste and the maker has a bonbon museum I wouldn't mind visiting if I get to the Haut- Vosges. Otherwise you can find these at Le Bonbon au Palais in Paris.
 
Another important lesson to learn when you move if you have a guardienne in your building you Must bring her a candy gift. It's an essential, preferably chocolates and caramels - the reason for my visit.
 
Georges is the master of gift wrapping. First comes the crepe paper in the color of your choice.
 
Then the candies are popped into the bag.
 
An added plus a fan-shape of another color!
 
Enfin/at last the ribbon and a lolly-pop/sucette. My new guardienne was thrilled and so was I. La Bonbon is loads of fun to visit. Georges won't let you leave without a lesson or two and many tastes. Only in Paris.
 

9 comments:

  1. Candy as medicine. Gotta love the French!

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  2. So cute that store..the bags..the way of wrapping..the little white dog..I would definitely visit that store..Dosettes..how charming..
    David's Teas here have cold fighting teas..imagine w/ a few dosettes:) All cured.
    he looks so nice too..You get to mee very pleasnat shopkeepers/owners~
    The pleasure is so much more.
    Bon bon weekend!

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  3. Happy Weekend ... love the Paris candy stores. I may have missed it, but keeping an eye out for an update on your move. I'm wonder what neighborhood you now call home ... I picked up that it was small, but other than that, know nothing.

    Hope you are happy .... best,

    Karen in VA

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  4. I love your photos! You are amazingly good at composition & cropping.
    The pencils are great & so is the dog pic.
    Lots of bright colors in this post.
    I hope that you have settled in in the new apartment!

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  5. Thanks for this post Carol! I really have to visit Le BonBon soon...it's fun to learn that French people even have bonbon when they're sick...would have been a big no,no in Scandinavia...

    AND I feel so stupid I never gave my gardien any bonbon..had no idea about that custom...

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  6. I think it would be best to take your daily dose of all the candies from Hautes-Vosges....strictly as a preventive of course. After all you have a lot of posting to do. We wouldn't want to miss a day!

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  7. Love the lesson learning,... your friend Georges certainly has a fantastic boutique, couldn't call it a shop it's too classy. I'm sure your guardienne was thrilled when you gave her that super bag of bon-bons.
    Couldn't restist this ...bon-bon w/end !

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  8. I am thinking you have the luckiest guardienne in the world. One of the things I always loved in Paris was the detail to packaging, whether it was getting candy here or buying a floral bouquet. Honestly, it's perfection! Our sweet little candy store is lovely (albeit small) but nothing like this!

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  9. Dianne Dorrans10:09 AM

    FRENCH CULTURE
    FRENCH HISTORY
    FRENCH EDUCATION
    FRENCH WRAPPING
    FRENCH CONCEPTS...candy for the concierge...who knew!
    and the uses of candies...the tisane, the cough...

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