Merry Christmas/Joyeux Noel

A couple of days ago, my friend Laura Shapiro (she who wrote the terrific biography of Julia Child) sent me an email saying, "I hope you're having a wonderful time and hearing French Christmas Muzak everywhere and eating the meringue mushrooms off the buche de noel, which is certainly what I would do if allowed." 

Well, of course I'd pick the mushrooms off the buche and munch them greedily, but this year there are no mushrooms to pull off the logs - at least not on the logs of Paris's best-known patissiers.  This season's logs are sleek,  shiny and very sophisticated.  (Not at all like the adorable plump snowman from Dalloyau above.) 

And, as is deliciously true every year, each shop has lots of different kinds of cakes to choose from.  Here's just a little sampling of 2007's treats. 

For those who love chocolate, there's this sparkly, elegant buche from Claire Damon of Des Gateaux et du Pains

La Maison du Chocolat's classic Christmas offering

And chocolatier Jean-Paul Hevin's boxy buche

Vanilla got the royal treatment from Pierre Herme

and from Fauchon, where their Baroque Buche had a very bridal feel

And if you wanted something more colorful, you could head to Laduree, which has been celebrating the ballet this season

Or to Dalloyau, where the cakes get more and more playful with each collection

And here's the buche we'll be having in a couple of hours (it's coffee and it's from Pierre Herme)

If only I could share it with each and everyone one of you...

Wishing you all a joyous Christmas, one filled with warmth, love, friendship and, of course, lots of good things to eat.

Comments

[MariannaF]

Have you seen Christophe Michalak's buches? They are superb- there are 2 great witty ones in the shape of a handbag and a treasure chest! You can see them on here: http://www.amabilia.com/blogs/passionsgourmandes/?p=481

[peabody]

Now that is quite the variety of buche de noel. They all look fabulous.

[Tartelette]

Makes me feelgood that I was thinking along the lines as some grand chefs in Paris! I actually got inspired from a Picard catalog from last year!
I hope you have the best holiday season!

[Ivonne]

What an incredible selection, Dorie! I wish I could have a bite of each.

Happy Holidays to you and your family!

[stephane]

Merci Dorie a toi aussi, un Joyeux Noel,

a tres bientot,

Stéphane

[brilynn]

How appropriate for you to be highlighting the buche, that was the Daring Baker challenge for this month so there are currently hundreds of them floating around the foodblogosphere!

[JEP]

Thanks Dorie! I have savored every moment of your blog during 2007!