Paris

Venturing back to Paris after more than 20 years was fantastic. The patisseries and boulangeries have no rival, and our taste buds were treated to the most extraordinary flavours and textures. Pierre Hermé sits atop my list of most influential and amazing patissiers, and a pilgrimage had to be made to his shop on rue Bonaparte.

The lustrous beauty of Hermé's macarons was sublime.

The Ispahan, with lychees, raspberries, and rose buttercream, had a balance of flavours that delighted our senses, leaving us wanting more. The fresh rose petal topped with a single glycerin dewdrop lent a whimsical charm.

From our apartment on rue Geoffroy L'Angevin, it was but a short stroll to one of the most fabulous patisseries in Paris, Pain de Sucre. The square tarts with beautiful raspberries and the array of marshmallows in large glass jars beckoned. However, we settled on their vienoisserie: a gigantic brioche, pain au chocolat, and the most amazingly flaky and buttery croissants to ever pass our lips. These are the croissants of which dreams are made...

My search for a croissant similar to the ones in France here in Canada almost appeared to be futile. Nothing seemed to compare to the beauteous creations in Paris, until I ventured to Thomas Haas in North Vancouver. These come extremely close to the real deal - delicious, flaky, and buttery. The plain croissant with its myriad of swirly layers and the double-baked almond one are favourites.