Je vais vous prendre dix chouquettes et un pain aux raisins s’il-vous-plait : I am going to have ten chouquettes (cream puff) and one pain aux raisins please. Creating pâtisserie requires training, at Le Cordon Bleu you will study classical techniques ( from basic to advanced) to learn how to create such delicate items. As many of the pastries are intricate, only a well-trained hand can execute them flawlessly. A boulangerie is a French bakery, as opposed to a pastry shop. Bakeries must bake their bread on-premises to hold the title of 'boulangerie' in France. While a boulangerie may also sell pâtisseries and viennoiseries, their main trade will be in traditional French breads, such as:

And now, La Boulangerie Marguerite, or Marguerite for short. This business is the bakery version of a long-held dream of love and miracles and nourishment. We hope Marguerite delights and honors your meal-making and ritual celebrations with her pastries and breads -- in a way that is as sweet and delightfully inspired as her namesakes. Bread is traditionally served with all meals in France. No side plates are given and instead the bread is consumed directly off of the table cloth or table if there is no cloth present. At the end of the meal, the bread crumbs (known as ‘miettes’ are swept off the table and onto a plate for disposal).Though the term ‘vienoisserie’ and ‘pâtisserie’ may be used interchangeably for some things sold in the French bakery, this is not the case for all goods. Whereas pâtisseries are desserts such as cream cakes, éclairs, and the like, vienoisseries originate from Vienna in Austria and are the kind of baked pâtisserie that bridge the gap between bread and pâtisserie. As such, examples of vienoisseries include brioche and croissants. Pastries at a boulangerie Brioche: A viennoiserie made in a similar way to bread, but with the richer aspects of pastry due to its high egg and butter content.

In more rural locations, the boulangerie will also act at the pâtisserie! Pâtisseries denote both the type of establisment, as well as the goods sold within. Therefore, a pâtisserie will also sell pâtisseries. Some of these include the chic pattiseries in Paris of Pierre-Hermé and Ladurée. Un jambon beurre et une bouteille d’eau pétillante s’il-vous-plait : Can I get a ham and butter sandwich (very traditional sandwich made in a baguette, in some boulangeries it is even called a ‘Parisien’) and a bottle of sparkling water please? Whatever the time of the year, there is almost always a queue to visit the bakery in France first thing in the morning. This is especially the case in smaller villages and towns where there is only one location where you can buy baked goods! As such, don’t be put off by the queue and be prepared to wait.

Mille-feuille: A dessert comprised of layers of crème pâtissière and puff pastry. The top is traditionally sprinkled with sugar, but is commonly seen finished with combed icing. For example, the Kouign-Amann comes directly from Brittany and, though it has grown in popularity over the past few years, is still harder to find outside of the Western-French region. What is the difference between a pâtisserie and a boulangerie? Deux croissants et un pain au chocolat s’il-vous-plait : Can I have two croissants and one pain au chocolat please? Baguettes: The most well-known French bread, there are many styles of baguette however all are long and thin.

Among other France tips, normally people aren’t really formal in the shop and I tend to ask simply for the product with a ‘please’. Make sure you say hello (bonjour) when it gets to your turn in the line as this is seen as the polite thing to do when entering an establishment in France.You should also note that boulangeries are often a popular lunch option among locals as many sell quiches and sandwiches which are typically made fresh on a daily basis. If you want to opt for a pastry, sandwich/ pizza slice/ quiche, and drink then you’ll want to ask if there is a ‘formule’ available as this will often give you a lunch deal for a reduced price. Bread etiquette in France

The other thing to know about purchasing a baguette in a French boulangerie is that you can actually choose how cooked you want your bread to be. If you prefer a better baked, firmer loaf, then you can ask for bien-cuite whereas if you prefer something a little softer you can opt for a baguette pas trop cuite. Alumna Matilda Smith set up her own patisserie, Penny for Pound after studying a nine-month Diplôme de Pâtisserie (SIT31016 Certificate III in Patisserie) at Le Cordon Bleu. She now employs six full time staff, produces thousands of pastries each week and has a retail expansion underway. In 2018 her business featured in Epicure, Good Food, Broadsheet Melbourne, Urban List and Concrete Playground, and won 'Best Donut in Melbourne' at 2018 DonutFest. Read about Matilda's pâtisserie business here. There’s a wide range of terms to describe the various breads, including pain de camapgne (an oval shaped loaf which is made using both white and wholegrain bread flour) pain de mie (a rectangular loaf of wheat bread), pain au levain (sourdough bread), and pain aux céréales (grain bread). One key difference to note between a French baker and a pastry chef is that while pâtissiers work with mostly cold ingredients, a boulanger (or baker) will master the techniques and processes of warm rising dough. Learn more about traditional French baking in a specialised Le Cordon Bleu short course. What is viennoiserie? Known as ‘boulangerie’ in French, you can expect to find all manner of ‘baked’ goods at a French bakery. The most common things, which are sold in all boulangeries, are various baguettes and classic pastries, which are known as ‘vienoisseries’ or ‘pâtisseries’ (both terms are translated into English as ‘pastries’).

La Boulangère Classic Range - Convenience

Croissants: This famous French food is made using a laminated pastry dough enriched with yeast and milk. If you’re a particular fan of baked goods, then you should also bear in mind that there are some baked goods and pastries which are only available in certain regions of France, aka regional specialities. Croquembouche: Traditionally served at French weddings, this is a tall cone of profiteroles (choux pastry filled with crème pâtissière) bonded with threads of caramel and often decorated with sugared almonds or chocolate. As of the 30th November 2022, the French Baguette has been given UNESCO World Heritage status. The foodstuff has joined the list of “intangible cultural heritage” alongside things such as traditional tea making in China and a Korean mask dance known as “talchum”.