Gray’s Inn Road is a street of news agents, factories and charity hospitals. It’s a shock to see an elegant French bakery, Aux Pains de Papy. Besides a small counter, it’s practically an open kitchen. They are luminous, wonderful people. Two brothers and a heavily tattooed friend, they are making pain au chocolat for a huge custom order in the morning. The boulanger is measuring out reams of dough, spacing it out with a tape measure, then tucking bars of chocolate inside. Their faces are pure sud de la France, without any pretention. They are channeling the spirits of their father and grandfather. They are salt of the earth with that otherworldly element. “Salt plus” – channeling the best spirit in their art. No wonder everyone who eats there gets happy.
Superb post, a la Pearlman! The zoom lens, the verbal alchemy! I’m there, transported from New Hampshire!