Berthillon, Paris

Berthillon ice cream has been a Parisian must-eat since its founding in 1954.  For me personally, it hasn’t been quite so long – though I suppose two decades is long enough!

I’ve always remembered my first taste of Berthillon, Poire sorbet that was just like biting into a ripe, sweet pear.

So of course, a visit was on the itinerary… well, two visits, actually.  First up, a cone of Poire (of course) and Fraises des bois, studded with the tiny wild strawberries that are so very French.  A refreshing combination for a hot afternoon!

For our return visit, I went for a combination of three flavors: Mirabelle, Pêche de vigne, and Chocolate noir.  Mirabelle, made with small, sweet yellow plums, is my new favorite sorbet.  (Alas, Mirabelle plums are banned from the US, meaning I’ll have to rely on my memories for the indefinite future.)

The Pêche de vigne, or bush peach, was unusual but not my favorite.  But the dark chocolate was a revelation, smooth and rich and bittersweet.  And the combination of Mirabelle and chocolate turned out to be an excellent pairing.

And then there’s vanilla, which Berthillon’s founders view as the flavor by which to measure an ice cream maker’s quality.  They’re rightfully proud of their version, which is everything vanilla ice cream should be.

Hopefully I won’t have to wait quite so long to visit Berthillon again!