Sunday 16 May 2010

"Qu'ils mangent de la brioche......"


Ok, so I’m not here to judge and I’m not here to bicker over who actually said what, but this really has to be one of the most influential quotes I have ever heard!
Picture the scene; it’s 1792 and you’re a young, beautiful queen lounging delicately over an elegant Louis Quinze banquette (granted, less imagination is required by some for this ...). Your sipping Pernod and nibbling on Ladurée Macaroons (mmm ok, I agree this is a big stretch as we are ahead of our time now by 100 years, Ladurée opened their first bakery at 16 Rue Royale, Paris in 1862 - we are never too old to learn my dears). So, back to our banquette. ...
It’s been a perfectly lovely afternoon tripping around the Tuileries Palace, playing with small puppies and having your wig blow dried but just as you pop another almondy treat into your perfectly rouged mouth, Cosette (your Lady in Waiting) bursts through the doors at such a speed she nearly breaks the heels on her Louboutins (you may have noticed I have now given up being factually accurate by this point, after all I’m an artiste not a history teacher....)

"A mob of terrifying aspect” has broken into the Palace grounds and is heading straight for your drawing room, Cosette wails.
So what would you do? Faced with certain death and humiliation (but with the flip side of a more central Paris view from La Bastille...) would you run or just look for your petite livre of famous quotes and quip the scoundrels as they burst in with flaming torches? Well whether it was uttered by Marie Antoinette or not the very idea of keeping your head whilst the great unwashed are breaking through the garden gates and bludgeoning the staff I think it would make you feel so much better to tell the blighters “Qu'ils mangent de la brioche......

As a respectful homage to Marie (I'm fairly sure we'd be on first name terms by this point) and of course as a thank you too, after all, no revolution would mean no Les Mis and what would the West End be without this juggernaut of theatre, which is now almost as old as me, turning out hundreds of sobbing punters every night onto our rain soaked streets? So on this “relaxing” weekend of mine I have decided to create some beautiful cupcakes based on my vast historical knowledge (ahem) and all things French.
Se faire plaisir,

And now it’s onto the next.....I’m afraid my dears there can be no rest for the decadently wicked x

1 comment:

  1. Wow, what a build up to those cupcakes - and it was so worth it. Gorgeous.

    My cousin Keeley @ Mimi Grace blog sent me the link to your lovely blog. Looks like loads of fun and the most wonderful cake creations. I shall be popping back to see more soon.

    ReplyDelete