Stohrer Paris — the historic Parisian pâtisserie, and the book

Dear readers, July is a month to celebrate French culture, especially since France’s national day was just yesterday, so let’s keep the momentum going! Borrowing the famous quote, “Let them eat cake,” often attributed to the late Queen of France, Marie Antoinette, today we are diving into one of the most notable French artistic and cultural treasures: pastry-making.

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For those of you who’ve been this French fashion capital, most likely you have experienced some delicate and delicious pastries in one of Paris’s sumptuously decorated tea houses — at least once —even if you are not exactly a huge fan of desserts. Having a taste of the classic French pastry when in Paris, is simply a way to appreciate the beautiful, intangible art of French savoir-faire and the quintessential French art of living. While there are many renowned tea houses in Paris, this time we’re stepping into Stohrer, a historic pâtisserie with a legacy spanning nearly three hundred years! At the same time, we’ll also take a sneak peek at a stunning book dedicated to this long-standing pastry maison.

Photo source: Pinterest

Photo source: Pinterest

Founded in 1730 by Nicolas Stohrer, who served as pastry chef to Stanislas Leszczyński, Duke of Lorraine and former King of Poland (and father of Marie Leszczyńska, wife of King Louis XV of France), Nicolas later became the pastry chef to the French king. With his distinctive vision, he combined various techniques in cake-baking, spiced-bread making, and confectionery. Among his legendary inventions are the “Rum Baba”, a classic French yeast cake soaked in rum syrup and sometimes filled with whipped or pastry cream, and his exceptional vol-au-vents, small hollow cases of puff pastry. Nicolas opened his bakery at 51 Rue Montorgueil in Paris’s 2nd arrondissement, where his exceptional pastries quickly won the hearts of Parisian gourmets, even after centuries later, the original shop still stands in the same location today! Since 2017, the maison has been under the stewardship of the Dolfi family, owners of the historic Parisian chocolate factory, Mère de Famille, ensuring Nicolas’s traditional pastry-making legacy continues to thrive.

During my visit to Paris last year, I made sure to include Stohrer’s flagship boutique on my “must-see” list — not only to witness this historic pâtisserie in person but also to savor its exquisitely crafted and iconic pastries! While it isn’t exactly a tea house, the interior of the Stohrer boutique on Rue Montorgueil is unquestionably captivating, elegant, and nostalgic, paying homage to the late Rococo and Second Empire styles. The intricate frescoes, designed in 1860 by a student of the French painter, Paul-Jacques-Aimé Baudry, allow patrons today to marvel at the splendor of 19th-century French imperial elegance. Stepping inside feels like entering a time capsule, enable ones to imagine being surrounded by stylish, gourmet Parisians elegantly dressed and waiting to indulge in Stohrer’s legendary pastries.

I chose their famous Saint-Honoré vanille, a signature cake featuring three choux filled with chiboust cream, mounted on a puff pastry base, and adorned with couture-like Chantilly cream. This cake is a visual masterpiece, and the combination of soft, rich choux with velvety Chantilly cream is a true delight. Savoring this classic French creation is an unforgettable experience of savoir faire and Parisian chic — just be sure to save room in your stomach for it!

Beyond visiting the historic boutique in Paris, you can also experience the beauty of this legendary pâtisserie through the stunning book titled “Le Livre de Pâtisserie Stohrer”, published by Éditions du Chêne in 2020, and written by French pastry chef, Mr. Jeffrey Cagnes. This sophisticated book offers a closer look at Stohrer’s recipes, accompanied by beautiful photographs; it covers iconic cakes like Babas, Saint-Honoré, éclairs, and millefeuilles, along with a well-documented history of the maison. I stumbled upon this book after returning from Paris months later, and it instantly brought back some wonderful memories of my visit, it was still very vivid and felt like it happened only a couple of weeks ago. This book is certainly a delicious journey, combining the art of French pastry-making and the beautiful history of the maison.

Next time when you were in Paris and wandering the 2nd arrondissement, consider stopping by this historic pâtisserie. It’s a chance to experience the quintessential French savoir-faire, and the timeless art of pastry-making, bridging the past and the present.