A la Mere de Famille
Chocolate arrived in France in the 17th century, and from then until today it continues to arouse passions. We have already told you about the most renowned maîtres chocolatiers in the capital such as Patrick Roger, Jean Paul Hévin or Jacques Genin but here, in addition to the savoir-faire, there is also we discover love for the trade and for the ancient cocoa-based recipes.
À la Mère de Famille is a mythical chocolatier-confiseur from Paris founded by Pierre-Jean Bernard in 1761 and who, to this day, cares for his charm, transporting it through space and time.
This fin bouche commerce it is the crème de la crème of classic Parisian chocolatiers that make us dream Upon entering you smell chocolate and praline, a subtle aroma of hot syrup, walnuts, roasted almonds and a soft and appetizing perfume of an old store.
Standing for more than two and a half centuries, from the Belle Époque to today, its exterior remains intact, as They have been in charge of protecting its typical and elegant facade of the end of the XIX century of églomisé glass, as part of his estate. For its part, its warm interior full of sweets, welcomes its customers in the same old school atmosphere for several generations.
This institution preserves the cozy wooden decoration of its furniture, the marble of its counters, the old enamel signs, period tiles and hydraulic mosaic on the floor. In addition, to preserve the aura of yesteryear and despite its impracticality, its current owner, the Dolfi family, insists on keeping its old booth reserved for the cash register.
Facade of À la Mère de Famille
IN THE SHOWCASES
Following custom, its chocolatier chef, Jean-Marc Polisset, procures the best ingredients (cocoa butter, sugar, milk, mint leaves, nuts, coffee beans or vanilla pods) and he transforms them with care in his factory in Chambray-lès-Tours and later in his atelier.
After this, their showcases expose them in all their textures, light, fondant, crunchy... in the form of tablets, mountains of chocolates, Haiti truffles, rochers, and their famous Montmartre pallets, fine discs of filled chocolate that on Valentine's Day will have a "Je t'aime" message.
As in the confectioneries of old, their appetizing artisan candies are presented in chocolate boxes, bells and glass jars. In the autumn and winter season, its tasty and successful marrons glacés rest on individually packed trays as a delicatessen. Adapting to each season, in December they offer original bûches de Noël , at Easter the traditional Easter eggs and, for a few years now, they have softened the summer temperatures with their homemade ice creams and sorbets of pineapple, mango or lemon with lime zest.
Perfection showcased at À la Mère de Famille.
Its historic counters and exhibitors, as was typical in the shops of that time, overflow with products, calissons perfumed with candied melon, orange rind, honey and orange blossom; pomme candy; grignotines; candied fruits and sweets of various fragrances. You can savor their macaron specialty, the essential florentins, les folies de l’Écureuil, the pâte à tartiner (a homemade Nocilla), mendiants, orangettes, light guimauves fait maison or even Négus de Nevers, a French sweet that is 'in danger of extinction' and they want to preserve.
In addition, they offer pure honey from the Alps and an exquisite assortment of jams with quality fruit and without artifice. You will find a selection of muscat apricots, mirabelle plums from Nancy and Queen Claudia, quince segments, white peach, rhubarb and currant or cassis jelly.
Candied fruit at À la Mère de Famille.
A la Mere de Famille it's one of those parisian boutiques with a spark of magic that does not leave indifferent. For some it will remind them of Christmas (from before) or the kitchen of the grandparents' country house, for the elderly it will take them back to childhood and for others it will provoke a melancholy humming: "Caramels, bonbons et chocolats... ”, like Dalida and Alain Delon.
The most gourmet will have their eyes lit up with the good news, the opening of their boutique on the left bank formed by the union of À la Mère de Famille with the patîsserie Stohrer; a sweet alliance of the oldest chocolate shop in Paris with the oldest pastry shop in Paris.
Delicious creations at Stohrer, the oldest patîsserie in Paris.