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I've long adored raspberries. Biting into that faintly fuzzy skin, the fuzz gently tickling your lips, giving way to a soft and momentary gel-like sensation against your front teeth and then to your tongue, where its perfectly slight tartness overcomes your senses and taste and texture hover harmoniously.
My love of raspberries is inextricably linked to France somehow. I've always enjoyed raspberries but have only just visited France for the first time in 2006, where I spent but a week in Paris (not that it takes any longer to be fully enamored) and my only recollection of tasting raspberries was of a raspberry tartlette purchased from the bakery, Paul. I selected the raspberry tartlette because it called out to me (along with the café flavored macaron), a perfectly glazed little beauty with every conceivable inch of the top of the tartlette covered with glazed raspberries. I took it back to my hotel room at the end of what was the most beautifully sunny day during my week in Paris.
As I sat on the bed of my small hotel room, the veranda's French doors wide open before me, I bit into the tartlette and melted. It was so ridiculously delicious... perfectly and simultaneously sweet and tart. The texture was softly dense, the glazed raspberries delightfully slimy, and the crust buttery and delicately crumbly. I feebly attempted to capture the essence of that very tartlette I purchased from Paul in Paris. I suppose I was salivating so profusely, I gave up further attempts to capture its true essence. Thus, this photo falls quite short of the tartlette's true beauty but does remind me of that delightful moment of anticipation before first biting into it:
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The same day I came across that photograph I read Function of Time's post, which included mention of the raspberry tartlette she purchased from Paul! This further stirred that sensation within me and hasn't left me since. How can this sweet little berry produce such a profound longing for France within me? Was it really just that one tartlette? I don't think so. The sensation seems yet to be fully realized. Isn't that exciting? To think that we can experience such profound sensations for memories yet to come?
*First photo from here. Second photo is mine.
12 comments:
I, too, love raspberries and had the most wonderful raspberry treat in Lyon at a tiny little resto called l'Oignon.
My countdown to Paris is now at 86 hours.
Starman... REALLY?! 86 hours?! Wow. How exciting! Will you be posting your adventures on your blog? This goes without saying but have a great time!
And yes, aren't raspberries incredible? And the French really know what to do with them. :)
b,oh look what I found-another gorgeous blog of yours! and yummy photos and suggestions for my sunday breakfast demain! your description makes me widh the patiserries were open late!and the photos are great too!!!
joyful saterday to you,
bethenne
I make the same connection, always have, in part because my grandmother loved raspberries and spoke French to me, but also because Paris bakeries offer such wonderful raspberry desserts.
86 hours? Lucky Starman. 145 days for me!
Dr. B... thanks for coming by my "other" blog. Yes, I had to dedicate this blog to my immense love for and calling towards Paris/France. I think you can appreciate that! :)
I hope your weekend went well. Wishing you a lovely week!
Mimi... thank you for visiting my blog! It is great to hear that someone else has this connection. It is really powerful for me. And what an incredibly lovely memory for you... a grandmother who spoke French to you! Wow. And yes, the French seem to know very well what to do with raspberries, don't they?
My countdown is at 66 days!! The closer it gets, the more surreal it becomes. Will you be there long?
Oh, raspberries. Hmm, is there some way to get raspberries, cupcakes, jack and queso all into a macaron. No, seriously, I am a big lover of the raspberry. I often treat myself to a carton of the delicate treats. They are indeed the Frenchest of fruits.
AAAhhhh, the juicy berry. Have you noticed how freakin' expensive they are in the store? I usually end up buying the frozen ones in Trader Joes, but damn...the fresh are so very good. Maybe I'll have to open a special savings account to keep me in berry.
LBR... haha. That is one peculiar sounding macaron, isn't it? Yet, I know we would happily indulge! If you could start off biting into the queso, work into the jack daniels, then on to the cupcake and finished off with the raspberry.... that sounds wonderful! :)
Even when they are not really at their best flavor, I still indulge in a little container of raspberries frequently. How can I not?
F.O.T.... This is really sad but I haven't looked at the price of raspberries in the longest time. I really should but when I want raspberries, they're coming home with me one way or another! I too buy the frozen ones from Trader Joes every now and then but yes, the fresh are so very good! :)
Thanks...now I am SO dreaming about raspberries and french pastries! ;)
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