Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate)

by Amy Thomas Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

Overview

Forever a girl obsessed with all things French, sweet freak Amy Thomas landed a gig as rich as the purest dark chocolate: leave Manhattan for Paris to write ad copy for Louis Vuitton. Working on the Champs-Élysées, strolling the charming streets, and exploring the best patisseries and boulangeries, Amy marveled at the magnificence of the City of Light.

But does falling in love with one city mean turning your back on another? As much as Amy adored Paris, there was part of her that felt like a humble chocolate chip cookie in a sea of pristine macarons. Paris, My Sweet explores how the search for happiness can be as fleeting as a salted caramel souffle's rise, as intensely satisfying as molten chocolate cake, and about how the life you're meant to live doesn't always taste like the one you envisioned.

Part love letter to Paris, part love letter to New York, and total devotion to all things sweet, Paris, My Sweet is a treasure map for anyone with a hunger for life.

Editorial Reviews

author of The Sweet Life in Paris David Lebovitz

Like a tasty Parisian bonbon, this book is filled with sweet surprises.

From the Publisher

"Less a memoir than an anecdotal travelogue to delectable desserts - this could easily be titled Sweets and the Single Girl. " — Lit Chick

"A charming, easy-to-read weekend book jaunt to inspire one's own neighbourhood search for most delectable mouthfuls." — Apprentice Writer

"Whether Thomas is writing about macaroons, the cupcake craze in Paris, what makes French toast so delicious, or the power of chocolate chip cookies, you’ll be willing to follow the writer any place she goes." — 1330V

"Spolier alert: There’s molten chocolate cake and salted caramel involved." — Little Brown Pen

"Anything but a predictable read on desserts, Thomas' palette for all things sweet should be on every Sweet Freak's to taste list. This certainly is one dark chocolate journey you need to go down." — Haut Appétit

"Do not read this on an empty stomach, or if you're on a diet. The author even had me craving desserts I'm allergic to." — That Artsy Reader Girl

"A starry-eyed tour of the City of Light’s best pâtisseries, juxtaposed with the American-style treats of her beloved New York." — Adventures in Food, France and Beyond

"Amy's book is full of sweet eating tales of both New York and Paris." — Paris Breakfast

"Part memoir, part sweets-filled travel guide, this light book is a bonbon for anyone planning to spend time in either city (or just dreaming they will)." — Pursuist

"If you love Paris and New York (what a perfect combination) plus a dose of the sweet then this is the delicious memoir to indulge in." — French Essence

"Warning: If you do not have chocolate nearby, do not read this book. Under any circumstance.In fact, make sure you BUY chocolate ahead of time. Or a cupcake and read it alongside." — A Fair Substitute for Heaven

"Do not read this book on an empty stomach. It may trigger mad dashes to your nearest bakery, or worse, travel agency." — The Reader Reviewer

"A sweet and charming tale of Paris through the eyes of a cake-lover. Willie Wonka for grown ups — and a guide to some of the sweetest destinations in the City of Light." — Karen Wheeler, author of Tout Sweet

"Such a charming, heartfelt book. Paris, My Sweet is as dainty and decadent as a box of pastel macarons, a bewitching tale of a young woman's love affair with two iconic cities and the confections found in each one." — Ann Mah, author of Kitchen Chinese

"Amy Thomas's descriptions of the delicious delights in Paris and New York had me almost licking the pages." — Rachel Khoo, author of Little Paris Kitchen

"Grab yourself a slice of your favourite dessert, a nice cup of tea and settle in to read a book that is meant to be devoured." — Chocolate and Croissants

"Though I don’t recommend reading this tribute to deliciousness during a 21-day-juice cleanse – you’d surely lose the will to go on – it’s the perfect book any other time you find yourself in need of geographic or baked escapism." — The Chalkboard Magazine

"Follow Amy Thomas's quest in Paris to find the tastiest chocolates, towering gâteaux, and most sublime macarons while crisscrossing the Atlantic. Like a tasty Parisian bonbon, this book is filled with sweet surprises." — David Lebovitz, New York Times bestselling author of The Sweet Life in Paris

"In her book, she paints a colorful picture of both macaron-mad New Yorkers and cupcake-crazed Parisians." — New York Post

"Quick, breezy [this book] will make you want to travel to Paris and gorge on cake immediately." — Tiny Library

"An enjoyable read, and will certainly appeal to all travelers and gourmands." — The Story Girl Book Reviews

"Dessert lovers will devour this one... Amy Thomas draws the reader into the comfort of sweets seemingly found on every street corner in Paris, creating a delectable fantasy world. As a self-professed sugarholic, this memoir/travelogue/dessert guide to New York and Paris is a rare, nostalgic treat - equal parts charm, style, and wit." — Pichet Ong, chef and author of The Sweet Spot

"Amy's adventures in Paris, My Sweet are of fairy tale magnitude. Her story is infectious and contagious in every way and has reminded me of so many of my own memories walking down those very streets and nibbling on those one of a kind Parisian treats. This book made me smile." — Johnny Iuzzini, James Beard Award Winner, Author of Dessert FourPlay, Head Judge Top Chef Just Desserts

"More than just a tasty treat, Paris, My Sweet is a lot like fine chocolate—deep, rich and complex." — Jamie Cat Callan, author of French Women Don’t Sleep Alone and Bonjour, Happiness!

"A delectable memoir [and] sumptuous tribute to the sweet splendors of Paris and New York." — Booklist

"It's fun, it's tooth-achingly sweet, and I loved every minute! " — All Things Luxurious

"You will not regret letting Amy Thomas give you her Parisian tour in Paris, My Sweet. Grab a postcard of the Eiffel Tower and a few bars of chocolate and prepare to be transported!" — The Allure of Books

"A delightful surprise that I enjoyed immensely." — Sweet Tidbits

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170746262
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	05/28/2012
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

I guess you could say my story began with a bicycle and some bonbons. At the time, it just seemed like a fun summer vacation: it was 2008, and I did an apartment swap with someone in Paris. I had already visited earlier that year, but what can I say? When the invitation to spend time in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) comes knocking, my first response is "pourquoi pas?"

I've just always been one of those girls. I spent a college semester in Paris, and it was then I fell in love with the city's beauty and grace—and Nutella street crepes. When I returned to the States, I wore silk scarves and a black beret; the only thing missing from my clichéd uniform were the Gauloises cigarettes.

I binged on French films, schooling myself in nouvelle vague directors, falling especially hard for Eric Rohmer, before contemporary movies like The City of Lost Children and Amélie seduced me. I studied the Lost Generation, reading Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Janet Flanner, and built a mini-library so I'd never be far from Paris. I had books about cats in Paris, dogs in Paris, expats in Paris; Parisian interiors, Parisian gardens, and Parisian cuisine, organized by neighborhood; bistros of Paris, pâtisseries of Paris, and shopping in Paris. I became a regular at a café in my neighborhood in San Francisco simply because it served café au lait in little bowls instead of mugs, and I had more Eiffel Tower tchotchkes than I am comfortable admitting.

I was just another Francophile, like you. Until that summer of 2008.

That trip was the first time I was in Paris during the summer, and it was absolutely amazing. I loved that it was light out until after 10:00 p.m., giving me several extra hours to roam back-alley streets and sit by the Seine. I was excited to discover new neighborhoods like Bercy and Canal Saint-Martin and new "bistronomy" restaurants like Le Verre Volé and Le Comptoir du Relais. I got sucked into the semi-annual sales, les soldes, and hooked on Vélib's, the public bike-sharing system.

And then there were all the chocolatiers.

By that time, I was just as obsessed with sweets as I was Paris. I had a column in Metro newspaper called "Sweet Freak" and a blog by the same name. I knew every bakery, dessert bar, gelateria, tea salon, and chocolatier in New York City. When I traveled, I built my itinerary around a town's must-visit sweet spots.

So naturally during that week in Paris, I researched the city's best chocolatiers, mapped out a circuit, and then Vélib'ed between eight of them. It was exhilarating and exhausting, not to mention decadent. It was a chocoholic's dream ride. I wrote about my Tour du Chocolat for the New York Times, and it went on to become a top-ten travel story for the year. As I was secretly plotting a way to spend more time eating chocolate in Paris, the in-house recruiter of the ad agency where I worked casually walked into my office one day and asked if I wanted to move to Paris. I was getting transferred to write copy for the iconic fashion label Louis Vuitton. It all happened so suddenly, and seemed so magical, that I had to ask: was Paris my destiny or sheer force of will?

I guess it goes to show that you just never know where life will take you. You search for answers. You wonder what it all means. You stumble, and you soar. And, if you're lucky, you make it to Paris for a while. Here's what happened when I did.

Videos