I have interviewed my friend Lindsey (of Lost in Cheeseland) and her partner Chloe about their Parisian-based cookie and brownie business, Lola’s Cookies before. And I have given a few dozen away to lucky Parisians in support of their brand new endeavor. But seeing as I don’t actually live in Paris (dommage!) I have never had the opportunity to taste them myself.
Until last weekend.
And now I think I need to move back to Paris.
While you may not need a very long list of reasons to move to Paris, I wonder how many people would actually have a cookie on their list? (Maybe Amy….)
My first night in Paris I met some of my favorite Parisian bloggers for an intimate dinner of girl talk at a lovely little vegetarian restaurant (yes, they do exist in Paris!) called Soya (more info can be found on Paris by Mouth). One of my dining partners was Lindsey who came bearing gifts of a dozen of Lola’s dark chocolate chip cookies to sweeten my trip. I had written her ahead of time telling her that while I was in town I wanted to try out what all the expats and non-expats alike were raving about.
You see when I lived in France for three years I would have killed for a decent American cookie (and a good bagel, Mexican food and pumpkin pie..but I digress…). Lola’s Cookies simply has come along five years too late. And now I feel that it is really important to my inner happiness to have regular access to these tasty delights. Because when I took the adorable little box back to my hotel and took my first bite I realized I was in love, undone and completely chocolified.
I realized two things.
These were some of the best chocolate cookies that I have tasted in my entire life. To be later confirmed by Mr. Misadventures who met me in Paris the following evening (yes, I saved some for him!) and he doesn’t even like sweets all that much – crazy I know.
And that it is really hard to take good photos of cookies in an impromptu hotel room photo shoot!
Before you even take your first bite you can see that every detail of the packaging has been considered and orchestrated into an elegant, yet simple design. The box is so pretty you don’t want to open it!
But once you do open it, and you get a little bit closer to the sweet prize on the inside, you are welcomed by a charming little card that invites you further inside…
And then there they are.
Just like your American mother used to make. Or something like that. And when you take your first bite and close your eyes you can see yourself on a set of Leave it to Beaver where there is a plate of warm delicious cookies waiting for you after school. Right there on the kitchen table with a cold glass of milk. These cookies are a slice of Americana. And when you are living abroad, sometimes you just need a little taste of home.
And Lola’s Cookies delivers exactly that.
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I am sorry for the terrible photos – they were taken at midnight, in my hotel room with terrible lighting! To see really good photos and to order cookies or brownies (if you are lucky enough to live in Paris) visit the Lola’s Cookies website. Also Like them on Facebook and Follow them on Twitter to keep up with their cookie adventures and if you don’t live in Paris to just be tortured by the amazing cookie photos that Lindsey is always teasing us with!
You are so sweet, Andi! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies that much (and what a great photo of them!). If the Frenchie loved them too, I know they were good =)
@Lola’s he did indeed. He is an oatmeal raisin kind of guy, so liking a chocolate cookie is impressive!
I would! I would totally move somewhere for a cookie/candy/cupcake/ice cream! Though methinks I’m in Nashville to stay…
My sis and her boyfriend are going to Paris in May–I must send them to Lola’s! Speaking of, they’re going to Barcelona then Paris…do you have any recos for a stopover for a couple days in between the two? I suggested Aix-en-Provence or somewhere along the Riviera, but that might be way out of the way?
Oui, Andi, Lola’s is now on my must-eat list in Paris as well. I’m still making my way through the menu, but everything I’ve sampled is DIVINE. I agree, some of the best I’ve ever (ever!) eaten!
@Kristin, to stay, hah that is funny, more just like the place you drop off clothes between trips. Lola’s doesn’t have a storefront but they deliver all over Paris including hotels, so be sure to tell your sister to visit the site ahead of time to plan the order, etc. Very good question on a good stopover point. There are a couple of options besides Aix-en-Provence which is a good one. IF they are foodies Toulouse or Lyon might also be good suggestions. Or maybe even Geneva (EasyJet flies there from Barcelona or Air France) where they could check out the Jura mountains and Chamonix? It depends on what they like to do. I’ll ping you on email to get more details.
@Amy, coming from you that says A LOT!
I must know about them from you. I follow them on facebook and drool but can’t touch one single gluten(ous) bite.
@LadyJennie, maybe they will do a gluten-free version one day. You are not lacking in the yummy dessert department, all the gluten-free things that you make and share on your blog look divine!
Just wanted to let you know I did a review of the wonderful brownies I got from the giveaway you had! Thanks so much! Too bad I didn’t get to see you during your short trip to Paris this time. Hopefully the next time
http://bit.ly/xDD1ze
@Christina, awesome! Maybe on a future trip…How was the tweet-up?
It was very nice. I finally got to meet a lot of the tweeters I’ve gotten to “know” for a while. Some realized who I was after seeing my name Rvaya from twitter some I had never heard of before either. I’m looking forward to the next in Feb. Maybe I c an finally get past the wallflower syndrome I have. n_n;;
@Christina, being a total wall flower myself, I have to force myself to do this from time to time. I tell you one thing, I had a very lonely experience while living in France because I did not know any of these lovely ladies, my experience would have been different. I don’t want to say I hated my time, but I lacked female (and American) companionship from time to time and these ladies would have hit the spot!
That’s funny, American cookies in Paris. (I’d watch a movie called AN AMERICAN COOKIE IN PARIS, Hollywood take note.) I guess everyone wants what isn’t usually available. They look wonderful, though!