Alumna Matilda Smith set up her own patisserie, Penny for Pound after studying a nine-month Diplôme de Pâtisserie (SIT31016 Certificate III in Patisserie) at Le Cordon Bleu. She now employs six full time staff, produces thousands of pastries each week and has a retail expansion underway. In 2018 her business featured in Epicure, Good Food, Broadsheet Melbourne, Urban List and Concrete Playground, and won 'Best Donut in Melbourne' at 2018 DonutFest. Read about Matilda's pâtisserie business here.

Creating pâtisserie requires training, at Le Cordon Bleu you will study classical techniques ( from basic to advanced) to learn how to create such delicate items. As many of the pastries are intricate, only a well-trained hand can execute them flawlessly. Last but not least, if there’s one thing I could tell you it’s that, if you’re a carb-lover, then you simply must take the time out of your trip to head into a French boulangerie, if only to sample a baguette, or at the very least, a croissant. French Boulangerie Vocabulary:

La Boulangère Classic Range - Convenience

Bread is traditionally served with all meals in France. No side plates are given and instead the bread is consumed directly off of the table cloth or table if there is no cloth present. At the end of the meal, the bread crumbs (known as ‘miettes’ are swept off the table and onto a plate for disposal).

There’s a wide range of terms to describe the various breads, including pain de camapgne (an oval shaped loaf which is made using both white and wholegrain bread flour) pain de mie (a rectangular loaf of wheat bread), pain au levain (sourdough bread), and pain aux céréales (grain bread). Baguettes: The most well-known French bread, there are many styles of baguette however all are long and thin. Known as ‘boulangerie’ in French, you can expect to find all manner of ‘baked’ goods at a French bakery. The most common things, which are sold in all boulangeries, are various baguettes and classic pastries, which are known as ‘vienoisseries’ or ‘pâtisseries’ (both terms are translated into English as ‘pastries’). Croissants: This famous French food is made using a laminated pastry dough enriched with yeast and milk.Une part de tarte aux pommes et un pain de campagne s’il-vous-plait : Can I have a piece of this apple pie and some farmhouse bread please? Vienoisseries which you can expect to find in almost any reputable bakery include pain au chocolat (a pastry with chocolate inside), croissants ( learn more about the history of the croissant here), chausson aux pommes (apple turnovers), madeleines, and choux (mini puff pastries which are typically sold by weight rather than by the piece). In more rural locations, the boulangerie will also act at the pâtisserie! Pâtisseries denote both the type of establisment, as well as the goods sold within. Therefore, a pâtisserie will also sell pâtisseries. Some of these include the chic pattiseries in Paris of Pierre-Hermé and Ladurée. You should also note that boulangeries are often a popular lunch option among locals as many sell quiches and sandwiches which are typically made fresh on a daily basis. If you want to opt for a pastry, sandwich/ pizza slice/ quiche, and drink then you’ll want to ask if there is a ‘formule’ available as this will often give you a lunch deal for a reduced price. Bread etiquette in France

Though the term ‘vienoisserie’ and ‘pâtisserie’ may be used interchangeably for some things sold in the French bakery, this is not the case for all goods. Whereas pâtisseries are desserts such as cream cakes, éclairs, and the like, vienoisseries originate from Vienna in Austria and are the kind of baked pâtisserie that bridge the gap between bread and pâtisserie. As such, examples of vienoisseries include brioche and croissants. Pastries at a boulangerie Baguette tradition is baked in accordance with a traditional recipe and tends to have a chewier crust and fluffier interior. This baguette tends to be 10-40 centimes more expensive than its cheaper counterpart but is more than worth the extra price tag in my opinion. And now, La Boulangerie Marguerite, or Marguerite for short. This business is the bakery version of a long-held dream of love and miracles and nourishment. We hope Marguerite delights and honors your meal-making and ritual celebrations with her pastries and breads -- in a way that is as sweet and delightfully inspired as her namesakes. A boulangerie is a French bakery, as opposed to a pastry shop. Bakeries must bake their bread on-premises to hold the title of 'boulangerie' in France. While a boulangerie may also sell pâtisseries and viennoiseries, their main trade will be in traditional French breads, such as:One key difference to note between a French baker and a pastry chef is that while pâtissiers work with mostly cold ingredients, a boulanger (or baker) will master the techniques and processes of warm rising dough. Learn more about traditional French baking in a specialised Le Cordon Bleu short course. What is viennoiserie? If you’re a particular fan of baked goods, then you should also bear in mind that there are some baked goods and pastries which are only available in certain regions of France, aka regional specialities. Whatever the time of the year, there is almost always a queue to visit the bakery in France first thing in the morning. This is especially the case in smaller villages and towns where there is only one location where you can buy baked goods! As such, don’t be put off by the queue and be prepared to wait. This habit greatly amuses me, though my boyfriend grew up doing this as it’s normal in France to eat the quignon of the baguette while it’s still warm. Marguerite: the child, her namesake, and the cultural predecessors who came before them. They have spunk. French flair. Long-standing roots. Their stories transcend time, neighborhood, community and culture. They have love at their center.