The Week In Review: August 27, 2025

The Art Of Patisserie

I return to DC after a week and a half in Europe with my family. From London to Bordeaux, we ate fabulous food and, of course, drank some spectacular wine.

But in honor of something largely sidelined in my “regular” life, I focus this week on the art of patisserie - a staple in the lives of French people and an important daily tradition that is enjoyed, savored, and, like most things French, particular to each region.

In Bordeaux, the Canalé is, naturally, related to wine. Crispy on the outside and sweet and eggy on the inside, these “baby cakes” are found all over Bordeaux. Legend has it that the leftover egg yolks were given to nuns by winemakers who used egg whites to purify their wine. Considering ourselves canalé experts by the end of the week, we found the best ones at a small restaurant in St.-Émilion called Le Tertre.

Les dunes blanches come from Cap Ferret, a chic seaside escape for the Bordelaise where we spent a day boating, swimming and (again) eating great food. The dunes blanches are named after Europe’s largest sand dune, located in Arcachon. They are a more recent creation, devised by the son of pastry chef Pascal Lucas. Upon returning home in the wee hours from a party, the very hungry mixed the cream of one dessert and the leftover profiterole-like puffs of another, and the result became an immediate success. Now shops selling the dunes blanches exclusively are in Arcachon, Bordeaux and even Paris.

Lastly, a photo of the house in St.-Émilion where we spent a wonderful week. To keep you until your next trip to Europe, I share the attached article on DC’s best bakeries!