Le Petit Mitron: A Francophilic Fantasy

The first time I set foot in Le Petit Mitron, I was in heaven. It is quite simply an amazing pastry shop. The inventory is baked fresh everyday and what they make in the morning is all that they are going to have. I have gone in on numerous occasions wanting a baguette, a pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) or a ham and cheese croissant only to find that they are completely sold out. It's the perfect place to start your day because you will be guaranteed a fantastic breakfast and great cup of coffee.

One of my heroes, Julia Child, was obsessed with recreating a baguette like the ones she had enjoyed in France. She reportedly spent months manipulating the dough, the oven, the heating element, the moisture levels and whatever else she could to try to bake the perfect French baguette. While I can not comment on how close the ones at Le Petit Mitron are to the real thing I can say that they are among the best I've tried (and baked by the French couple who own Le Petit Mitron). The baguettes are crisp on the exterior and chewy on the inside with plenty of airy holes throughout. Slather on some butter and eat it as is, or go all out and add some slices of brie and fresh tomato for one of the best sandwiches around.

The pastries are out of this world. The brioche ($2.50) are rich and buttery, the croissants ($2.35) buttery and flaky and the napoleons ($4.10) flaky and wonderful. The fruit tarts ($4.10) are glorious to look at and a great final note for your next dinner party. The raspberry and mixed fruit tarts are better than the blackberry tart in my opinion, but the line up changes all the time depending on what's available at the market.

The chocolate eclair ($3.75) was outstanding. I would have preferred vanilla pastry cream inside but at Le Petit Mitron the eclairs are chocolate (inside and on top) or vanilla (inside and on top). These were the perfect size and even I would have considered pulling one off the top of the garbage (provided it had been sitting on a doily and magazine) just like George Costanza.

The opera cake ($4.10) was a show-stopper complete with a gold-leaf accent. It's a very old fashioned pastry that one does not see all that often. Created in Paris sometime between 1890 and 1950, it's almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup then layered with coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache. Finished with a shiny chocolate glaze and a gold leaf accent, it originally had "Opera" written in gold script across the top. At Le Petit Mitron it is hazelnut biscuit instead of almond sponge cake.

The cookies can be bought individually which I love. The coconut macaroons are a perfect pick me up when you're feeling down. If you're anti-coconut, the raspberry macaron was light yet flavorful. The madelines make an ideal partner for your morning cup of joe. When I was in cooking school and we were in the pastry module, I remember my instructor telling us that getting a poof or rise in the madeline was a tell-tale sign that you had baked them correctly. The glorious poof in the madelines here would surely impress my old chef-instructor. The gluten-free peanut butter is surprisingly good and I would recommend it to anyone.

Cakes, tarts, truffles and specialty items (Easter chocolates, particular cakes, etc.) can be ordered as well.

The interior is sunny and bright, with the most wonderful array of European items (British teas, French crepes, marzipan, griottines (brandied cherries), jams and jellies) all around you. The glass bakery cases are always spotless and the staff welcoming and knowledgeable. I can't speak more highly of this pastry shop and bakery. My only complaint is that they sometimes run out of stuff before I get there. I guess I should remember the famous words of another Philadelphian, Benjamin Franklin: Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. I could get there earlier in the day but I don't think it would make me healthier, wealthier or wiser. But it would definitely make me happier. Stop in for a visit. You'll be happier too.