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Light and delicate
macarons come in
an array of pastel
colors and flavors.
La Bonne Vie
EMBRACE THE GOOD LIFEFRENCH STYLEWITH DELECTABLE PASTRIES THAT RIVAL THOSE
FOUND ON THE STREETS OF PARIS. BY MATTHEW WEXLER
W
hether youre just starting your day or enjoying an afternoon
repast, a flaky French pastry makes the perfect nosh. The East
End has no shortage of authentic options, including this seasons
arrival of Financier Patisserie (760 Montauk Hwy., Water Mill, 726-0711;
nycpastry.com). Its signature is the Financier, an almond cake baked in the
shape of a gold bar, but its vast offerings include French strawberry short-
cake, Napoleons, and macarons. Financier Patisserie represents the
marriage of classic French technique and the beauty of fine art, says
Executive Pastry Chef William Quellec.
Francophiles head to Pierres (2468 Main St., Bridgehampton, 537-5110;
pierresbridgehampton.com) for Pierre Webers legendary croissants. A croissant
without crumbs is just a piece of bread, says Weber, a fifth-generation pastry
chef who produces thousands of croissants each week.
For those craving a more decadent French treat, Blue Duck Bakery Cafe
(30 Hampton Road, Southampton, 204-1701; blueduckbakerycafe.com) delivers,
courtesy of Keith Kouris, who studied at The French Culinary Institute and
has been baking on the East End for more than 25 years. Chocolate clairs
begin with a classic pte choux (cream puff) dough and are then filled with
French custard and finished with chocolate fondant.
Pam Weekes of Levain Bakery (354 Montauk Hwy., Wainscott, 537-8570;
levainbakery.com) always sold cinnamon and chocolate brioche by the slice.
But after an inspiring trip to Paris 20 years ago, during which she and business
partner Connie McDonald tried individual brioches, they started making
them at home too. One day during a kitchen break, Pam took one of the hot
rolls and stuffed it with Valrhona chocolate for a treat, a combination they later
learned is a favorite among French schoolchildren.
Mimi Yardley and Margaret Brooks of Sag Harbor Baking Company
(51 Division St., 899-4900) are childhood friends who joked for years
about opening a shop; to this day they admit, theres not a master plan.
Taking things in small steps seems to work, especially when it comes to
the bakerys individual fruit galettes. The free-form treats rely on regional
fruits and therefore change throughout the season, but it is ice-cold butter
and minimal dough handling that yield a f laky and tender crust.
Precision is also a priority of Beach Bakery Cafes (112 Main St.,
Westhampton Beach, 288-6552; beachbakerycafe.com) proprietor Simon
Jorna, whose large assortment of baked goods includes his signature rasp-
berry-filled fried croissants. Jorna also offers delicate Napoleonstowers
of flaky pastry and crme Suisse. H
74 HAMPTONS-MAGAZINE.COM
THE DISH
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