CAPTIVATING DAMMANN

When I think of Paris,  I think of Cafes. Since my first visit to the City of Lights, I was entranced by the cafe culture that is an integral part of French life.  I had made the assumption that espresso was the go to hot beverage of the French.  I was terribly wrong.  On my most recent visit to Paris, I quickly learned that France has as a long and enchanting history with tea.  

King Louis XIV, The Sun King, had endeavored during his rule of France, to capture the trade markets of the world. Explorers were bringing tea with them when they returned from long voyages across deserts and oceans.  He had the vision to establish and capture the tea trade and become the ruler of European tea traders.   He made it his mission to establish healthy trade with the far lands of the earth and bring their riches back to the shores of Europe.  His tradesman established houses and strong legacies that have survived the centuries. 

One of those traders, Damman, was commissioned by the king to import tea. This house preserved and reignited the legacy in the 1920’s by the Dammann brothers.  

Dammann is many things, but above all it is a company that produces many of the most exquisite teas of the world.   The company is worldwide and their mission is to source the best teas form where they are discovered, which happens to be many countries scattered over several continents. 

I was lucky that my hotel had a selection of tea from Damman and that prompted me to visit their anchor store in Le Marais. My breakfast tea had been so filled with light and enchanting flavors, I was invited to visit one of their ateliers in Paris.  

Their anchor store is located in Le Marais, so I decided to make an afternoon of it and headed out for a walk across the ancient center of the city to find Dammann. When I reached Le Marais, it was a quiet afternoon in Le Marais. Le Marais is the oldest part of Paris. Its streets are ancient and charming.  Narrow, cobblestoned streets wind through Le Marais; many leading to beautiful parks and hidden courtyards.   Le Marais has become a sought out neighborhood and many of the residents establish boutiques with fine goods there.  The stores are eclectic and colorful; offering up some of the finest goods to be found in Paris.  I found my way to the Damman boutique after a thouroughly entertaining walk through the district. The inside was paneled in dark, sophisticated wood paneling and lovely graphics were  positioned above interesting displays of tea and equipment for making tea.  With the dark, elegant decor and the walls lined with canisters of tea, it was like walking into another world, filled with elegance and a product created to delight the senses.  It was not just a store, but an experience where tea could be sampled examined and tasted.   

In several areas, there were displays of fresh tea, which could be sampled. There were also all kinds of tea cups, tea pots and tea infusers and beautiful gift boxes; some clad in leather with a snap to secure the lid that enclosed the tea. The impression was of elegance, refinement and fine tea. The teas I sampled were fresh and each possessed it’s own unique, inviting aroma.    I was especially drawn to the Jaune Lemon Green Tea in crystal sachets and brought some home with me.  

Visiting Dammann is a window to the first days of the tea trade in France.  It’s also a showcase of the finest calibers of tea available in the world. If you love tea, this is a tea shop that should not be missed. 

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ANGELINA

Paris, France is a storybook city filled with classical architecture that was built over the centuries by royal families that reigned for over one thousand years. The city is filled with beautiful palaces and royal keeps that were created not only to beautify and provide a regal backdrop for Europe’s prestigous leaders, but these edifices were created with an eye toward high art, beauty, design and nature. It was the goal to mesh these elements together to inspire awe, envy and a sense of belonging to greatness. There is something beautiful to look at every turn in Paris. One of my favorites is the Luxembourg Palace and the surrounding Luxembourg Gardens.  The site is now home to the French Senate and also the beloved Marie De Medici Fountain.

It’s customary for the French to repose in their parks. There are designated areas for children to play,  laugh loudly and shout and in these areas it’s perfectly fine to make noise.  The rest of the park is for rest, contemplation and distressing from the daily demands of city life.  It’s expected that persons repose quietly.  Meditation, reading books or conversing quietly is how to deport oneself in a beautiful Parisienne park.  Even the Gardners move quietly and without attracting attention while they meticulously complete the daily manicuring. Within the peaceful setting is located another Parisienne great, Angelina.   A Parisienne staple for the who’s who of Paris.  Angelina is a cafe that is and was a stomping ground for artists, writers and designers. Coco Chanel loved to frequent Angelina. Angelina came to life during the Belle Epoque at the turn of the century. It was founded by Anton Rumplemayer,  Austrian pastry designer and chef. His confections were so well loved,  that he was awarded the title “Confectioner of The Court” by the Austrian royal family. Angelina is known for delicious pastries, teas and coffee and most famously for it’s African Hot Chocolate comprised of cocoa from Niger, Ghana and The Ivory Coast.  Served with a decent portion of fresh cream to mix in if a creamy consistency is desired.  Angelina has several locations in Paris now and has gone what we call “commercial” in the US.  They have gone full blown into the marketing spectrum and it’s easy to buy their products now. The Angelina I visited was  situated on the edge of the Luxembourg Gardens, in a lovely quiet alcove. The cafe is somewhat small, with gorgeous floor to ceiling glass patio doors that open into the gardens. I sat on the patio overlooking the cafe patio and the entrance to the Luxembourg Gardens.  It was a great location to watch passerbys and get a taste of city life.   I have to admit I wanted to order their famous African hot chocolate with fresh cream, but I decided to go with tea instead, since I still had quite a bit of walking to do.  It was all served on beautiful china at a lovely table with fresh linen and service wear polished to the hilt.  The servers were attentive, but non-intrusive. As I drank my tea, I listed to the birds sing and watched impossibly thin and well dressed Parisiennes go about their daily life. It was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable experiences I’ve ever had.

I ordered a chicken salad sandwich for an early dinner.  It was beautifully presented and just as delicious as it was beautiful.  The tea was The Angelina signature Oolong melange consisting of a blend of exotic fruit, pineapple, marigold and safflower petals. The bouquet of the tea was light and floral with hints of citrus and was smooth and refreshing.  

Combined with the awesome tea, food and view, a sense of well-being and peace settled over the cafe. Sounds from the gardens and fountains of children laughing and playing, water splashing, birds singing and the traffic passing mixed; as if by a sound board master to create a soundtrack of the perfect Parisienne afternoon.  I wondered if the ghosts of Marie De Medici and her royal cohorts looked down and smiled at their legacy that had managed to maintain it’s presence into modern times.