episode 2  – Daily delights in “Boulangerie” 

Just after coming to France, all the stores in Paris were closed except for the essentials.

It was very sad to see the chairs on the terrace of cafes piled up inside.
It was hard to imagine how quiet Paris was two years ago.

My friends all sighed and said, “This is still better than the first Confinement, that was really crazy.”

During the second lockdown, it was possible to move within a kilometer if you had an Attestation de déplacement dérogatoire movement certificate (going out permit).

People often said, “How dare you come at a time like this?” but we had many things to be excited about.

Yes, Boulangerie.

We were happy enough to be able to eat our favorite baguettes and croissants every day.

Luckily,  good bakeries are in our neighbors, and we went there every day.

My favorite boulangerie is Mamiche.

The baguettes and croissants here are the best. I really can’t believe that a baguette is less than 1€ for such a good taste.

Even as I write this, the texture of the croissant and the smell of butter are spreading in my mouth and making me hungry.

Parisians are honest, after all. There is a long line in front of the Mamiche every day from opening to closing.
As I stand in line, I always wonder how much they sell in a day.

What makes Mamiche so great is not only the taste, but also the young, energetic, and friendly staff. That’s why the turnover is so fast and it’s not hard to wait in line. Even if I go to buy something early in the morning, I feel happy when they smile and say “Bon journée!”

Then there was DU PAIN ET DES IDÉES, which is very popular in Japan, too.

The first time I visited there was 10 days after I came to France, and I remember how happy I was to talk to the very nice Japanese staff.

My favorite bread is this one, PAIN DES AMIS, with its crunchy surface and moist inside that you can only eat here.

When you bake it in the oven for a while, the smoky aroma is irresistible.

And this paper bag. The elegant light blue color, the gold logo, and the texture of the paper. I felt very comfortable when I received the bread and went back to my apartment.  Little things like this were everyday joys for me.

You can eat it as it is with butter, or cut it into small pieces and use it as bread for cheese fondue.

Of course, there are many other Boulangerie around the apartment. You may find that this store has the best pain au chocolat, or only the best pain aux raisins. It’s fun to find your favorites in this way.

In Marais, Carre Pain de Mie, a Japanese bread store of “kakushoku”chi, is very popular. I guess the reason for its popularity is its fluffy, chewy texture and Hokkaido wheat. When I was invited to a friend’s house for Christmas dinner, I was served thinly sliced, crispy bread with foie gras on top. People in Paris are really conscious of new and delicious food.

One thing I learned.

Bagels are not widely eaten in Paris. I had a craving for bagels, so I finally found some at the MONOPRIX supermarket, which were just ordinary bagels, but they were quite tasty with a lot of cream cheese.

I’m sure the people who work at Boulangerie work very hard every day from early in the morning, but I’d like to thank them for all the happy breads during the Confinement Lockdown.

I can’ t wait to discover my new favorite Boulangerie.