Arno's Pastry, Pátissier Arnaud Herodet Comes From The French Embassy - Route 50 and 28 in Gilberts Corner

[Bob Wells]

For all you French pastry lovers (count me in that group), you can obtain the world-class wares of Arnaud Herodet, longtime pastry chef at the French Embassy, on weekends at Gilberts Corners (US 50 at US 15, in Aldie VA). When the local farmers markets reopen he will be at some of them as well (his wife helps man their booth). You can also order stuff on line (www.arnospastry.com) and pick it up at his home in Chantilly (in my old neighborhood, in fact). Don't forget to include some brioche rolls, they are incredible.

[Bob Wells]

This is Arno's "lemon cake." It's incredible.

[ulrath]

I must possess that cake. Arno's is awesome.

[DonRocks]

I must possess that cake. Arno's is awesome.

Agreed, it looks fantastic.

Just to clear up my own misconception, Chef Herodet was never Pastry Chef at The White House; rather, at La Maison Blanche; but from 1996 on, he *was* Executive Pastry Chef at The French Embassy which may be even more impressive.

Does anyone remember a really good Pátisserie somewhere off either Branch Avenue or Pennsylvania Avenue - maybe Allentown Road - just outside the beltway? It had a Pátissier who had something to do with The White House, and was open as recently as five or ten years ago - for the life of me, I can't remember what it was (is?) called, or what the gentleman's name was. It was a divey little place, but the pastries were really first-rate. I'm pretty sure I went there after National Harbor had opened, so it couldn't have been *that* long ago.

Does anyone remember a bakery called Roger's in Burke (oddly pronounced, "ROE-jhuhrs)? It was there in the late 1980s or early 1990s. I remember someone raving about it, but I went and it wasn't all that.

[SilverBullitt]

Don,

Are you thinking of Desserts by Gerard?

He's in Oxon Hill.  According to his website, he worked with Jean-Louis Palladin.  I keep forgetting to stop there on my way to Dale's for barbeque

[Bob Wells]

You could serve that lemon cake to 20 close friends, and still have some left. I don't understand how something so light can be so satisfying. I kept cutting smaller and smaller post-Thanksgiving slices for myself. So for $33, you actually get a lot of servings.

I tried to post a pic of the pear tart, but the file was too big. His website has good pics of the tarts.

[DonRocks]

Don,

Are you thinking of Desserts by Gerard? 

He's in Oxon Hill.  According to his website, he worked with Jean-Louis Palladin.  I keep forgetting to stop there on my way to Dale's for barbeque

Yes!

You could serve that lemon cake to 20 close friends, and still have some left. I don't understand how something so light can be so satisfying. I kept cutting smaller and smaller post-Thanksgiving slices for myself. So for $33, you actually get a lot of servings.

Oh my goodness, I thought that was a single-serving portion. *Now* I want that entire cake.

[Bob Wells]

Just wanted to provide a quick Arno's update. I picked up a few pastries on Saturday -- tarts and eclairs. Arno is firing on all cylinders. My wife ate the fruit tart and said something like "I can never get a fruit tart anywhere else now."

[ulrath]

Arno's is a national treasure.  

[DonRocks]

On 8/3/2020 at 9:27 AM, Bob Wells said:

Just wanted to provide a quick Arno's update. I picked up a few pastries on Saturday -- tarts and eclairs. Arno is firing on all cylinders. My wife ate the fruit tart and said something like "I can never get a fruit tart anywhere else now."

2 hours ago, ulrath said:

Arno's is a national treasure.  

Is it Red Truck-level national treasure?

If so, both of these bakeries need to be shouted out just as loudly as Pepe's and Sally's pizza in New Haven (with an overnight stay in Middleburg).

Show me where I'm wrong?

[Bob Wells]

12 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Is it Red Truck-level national treasure?

If so, both of these bakeries need to be shouted out just as loudly as Pepe's and Sally's pizza in New Haven (with an overnight stay in Middleburg).

Show me where I'm wrong?

They are completely different animals. I don't want to see Arno overwhelmed. He does this because he loves it. And he doesn't need the business! So shout away but softly pls.