Copper Bowls from E. Dehillerin
The day we visited E. Dehillerin was sunny and mild with a barely perceptible mist in the air. I was a bit apprehensive, having heard how snooty the sales staff could be. Would they turn their noses up at my Wisconsin-accented French?Founded in 1820, E. Dehillerin wears the patina of its age well. It is everything it is reputed to be: Cluttered and cramped and a bit dusty.
No matter. Here is where the serious cook finds serious tools for the kitchen.
Dehillerin is best known for its copper and our mission was to buy a copper bowl for whipping egg whites.
Egg whites whipped in a copper bowl are more stable than those beaten in a glass bowl, thanks to copper ions, which migrate from the bowl to the egg whites. It will take longer, but the result is high-quality foam.
As we entered Dehillerin, we were met by Kim, a charming man of about 45 who knows his stuff and sells it. Our conversation was half in French and half in English, as it often is in France. We talked of Julia Child and chefs and the properties of copper. My husband, whose vocabulary grows with each trip, joined in.
We explored the basement, at Kim’s suggestion, and found all manner of kettles and pans and boilers and pots that would not fit in our suitcases. But, oh, how lovely they would be in my kitchen!
The basement is a place of mystery, with a blocked off set of stairs in one corner and a dark sub-basement crawl space filled with boxes. Descending the stairs, I felt as if I were moving down through time. Imagine the hundreds of chefs, long forgotten, who had done the same!
We followed our trip to Dehillerin with a visit to the park atop the former site of Les Halles., a hop on the westbound No. 69 bus, and a shopping spree on Rue Cler.
It was the perfect Paris day.
The trick to navigating E. Dehillerin, I believe, is to know what you want and to know something about the store and its specialties.
As we left, Kim predicted we would return. Of course we will. Always.
Comments
And to boost your confidence about your accent, a French colleague here in Chicago said that she felt her accent sounded ridiculous when she spoke English. I assured her that Americans find French-accented English quite charming. She replied that that's how the French feel about American-accented French. That made me feel fearless about trotting out my high school French.
When we bought this house the former owners left 3 copper saucepans with those flat lids one sees in antique shops, hanging on the old chimney front above the stove. She said they had been there for her lifetime and she didn't think they should be moved. I don't use them...but I do clean them...
I've never been to that store.... shame on me..next trip!
Mary
www.ceresandbacchus.com
How lovely, Katie. I wishI'd began investing in copper things. I do have some of the copper from my parents' TV room - my father loved it - a set of mugs, a tray and some tumblers.
I saw lots of that stuff, Mary. Next trip!
Yes, Lydia, I bought the bowl along with a whip. The whip will probably be in another post. That in itself is a story...
That basement is amasing, Breadchick! Oh my. I wanted it all!
Jann, we packed a small piece of luggage inside our pullman case, but we brough so much food home, there wasn't much room. Oh, and a bottle of Calvados! Yes, more cash next time!
Where abouts is this place located? I think hubby (who loves to cook!) would enjoy visiting it.
Tanna, I think if you know what you want, the staff is terrific. The basement is incredible, almost sacerd.
I felt a bit like an intruder, Cyn! I mean, I've had two years of high school French and five semesters of college French and I still have an accent - and I know enough about copper to be dangerous.
I've written down the directions for October.
Julie, I am on my way!