Today has been fairly dull, but i wanted to give you, my dear readers, something entertaining to read and to look at.  Though it was pouring rain I decided to walk to Lexington between 74th and 73rd and visit Payard, as suggested to me by Louis and Blythe.  Evidently their pastries are fantastic.  I have been behaving myself culinarily these past few weeks, and it was Monday, and the weather was awful, so I decided to try some of these much-lauded pastries.  I had a Sacre Coeur, white chocolate mousse filled with black sacher torte and raspberry gelee.

The pastry was lovely.  It was held together by the thinnest layer of marbled cake.  The white chocolate mousse was thick and creamy, almost like a cheesecake in consistency, and offered a wonderful base for the sweet tartness of the raspberry filling (which I loved) and the cakey-ness of the sacher.   I am usually not a huge fan of fancy pastries–they are yummy, of course, but I’d prefer some soft serve or a really fabulous chocolate cookie any day of the week.  This pastry was amazing, however, and the shop was filled with numerous other beautiful, delicious-looking little pastries and tartes in multiple flavors.

Payard also does sit down meals, including a prix-fix brunch that looks fun.  They also sell little cookies, candies, and breads.    Since it was pouring outside I decided to sit at a cafe table and enjoy my pastry with some chamomile tea.  Though Payard will not become a habit, as I have a waistline to watch, I plan on stopping there again at least once during the rest of the summer.