Treize, A Baker’s Dozen: An Inviting St. Germain Café

After spending a morning at the Musée d’Orsay, I emerged into a storm, the wind whipping the rain in sheets across the rue de Bellechasse. Lucky for me, my lunch destination was right around the corner. A quick walk up the rue de l’Université, and I ducked into a lovely courtyard off the rue des Saints-Pères.

It’s here that American expat Laurel Sanderson—who was the founder of the successful Sugarplum Cake Shop in the 5th—opened Treize (13), A Baker’s Dozen exactly a year ago. Laurel is one of the loveliest hosts in Paris, and she quickly charmed the neighbourhood’s residents with her Southern recipes showcasing fresh seasonal ingredients. At Sugarplum, Laurel was one of the first bakers in town to introduce Parisians to elaborate, American-style cakes (think sugar figurines you’d find on “Ace of Cakes”), and in her latest eatery, she’s cooking up savoury pies à l’anglaise with handrolled crusts. You’ll also find salads and delightful vegetarian lunches.

“What people have responded to is the Southern food,” Laurel says with a smile.

My January lunch was full of wit and whimsy, in classic Laurel fashion. To start off the meal, we shared a Southern-style tapas platter with hot buttermilk biscuits, “not fried chicken” (divine!), and various toppings like homemade pimento cheese. To celebrate the new year, my pie (roasted pork, apple and butternut) came with “luck and money” on the side. A riff on the traditional dish of black-eyed peas that Southerners eat on New Year’s Day, Laurel’s version combines marinated kale, black-eyed peas and lentils sautéed in bacon confit.

A word to the wise: Don’t miss a slice of Laurel’s famous carrot cake. After numerous tweaks of her family’s recipe, Laurel’s cake is so good it’s even written up in a book by celebrated chef (and American expat) David Lebovitz.

It’s an open kitchen, so you can watch the chefs at work (grinding nuts and peppers with a mortar and pestle, whipping their own mayonnaise). Grab a table or take a seat at the large communal table; an inviting ambience means that single diners feel especially welcome.

Laurel works with a tea supplier to produce her own tea blends (like Rooibos scented with carrot cake) and it’s possible to buy your own sachets to take home. She also hosts workshops on the weekends-  not just cooking classes but also flower arranging, wine tasting, knitting, and bag designing (with Kasia Dietz).

Treize, A Baker’s Dozen, 16 Rue des Saints-Pères, 75007 Paris. Tel: +33 01 73 77 27 89. Closed Mondays. Lunch from 13 euros (not including beverage).