Some things manage to cross decades, even centuries, shining brightly as creations that could have been born just yesterday. In Paris, there's a charming pastry shop located in the 2nd arrondissement that offers a cake created over 300 years ago during the reign of King Louis XV. What's its name? Le Baba au rhum, of course!
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The Oldest Pastry Shop in Paris
Right at Stohrer, located at 51 rue Montorgueil, your taste buds are in for a little slice of history. Hailing from Alsace, Nicolas Stohrer trained as a pastry chef in the 18th century for the King of Poland, Stanislaw Leszczyński. When his daughter, Marie Leszczyński, married King Louis XV of France, Nicolas Stohrer kept making pastries for her at the court of Versailles. In 1730, he opened his own pastry shop in Paris, which is still the oldest in the capital today. The shop was classified as a historical monument in 1984.
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A dessert full of history
The dessert Nicolas Stohrer is most famous for is the Baba au rhum. This delightful treat is inspired by the Polish Babka, an alcohol-free brioche. “Upon returning from a trip, King Stanislas brought back a very dry Polish brioche that Nicolas decided to enrich. He soaked it in Malaga wine, then flavored it with saffron and added pastry cream along with fresh and Corinth raisins,” details the Stohrer House to our colleagues from Actu Paris. Originally, the pastry was called Ali-Baba. It wasn’t until he arrived at the Court of Versailles...Sure! Here’s the translation: "Whether he swaps wine for a rum from the islands and brings the Rum Baba to life. So now you know which institution to visit to taste the most delicious Babas!
"Address: 51 Rue Montorgueil, 75002 Paris, FranceVoir cette publication sur Instagram