Sweet Eyes

For the last several years, Fauchon in Paris has made a cult of the éclair, producing them in multiple versions, both sweet and savory. Now the chocolate-and-almond-cream éclair named Madame Joconde—the French appellation for Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa—created by chef pâtissier Christophe Adam for Fauchon in Paris has been chosen Best Teatime Treat in a special 2009 French edition of the Wallpaper* Design Awards presented annually by the haute-cool British design magazine. The members of the jury: French fashion muse Inès de la Fressange, Australian designer Marc Newson, French architect Jean Nouvel, Italian designer Stefano Pilati (creative director of Yves Saint Laurent) and American rapper Kanye West. Their joint comment: it’s beautiful, but it tastes even better than it looks. And unlike the original model, it’s priced at a mere €6. Fauchon, 24-26 pl de la Madeleine, 8th, 01.70.39.38.00. www.fauchon.fr

Originally published in the March 2009 issue of France Today.