Rich stock

G. Detou Paris (2nd arr)

GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Shop

A good food store is a place of discovery, where a single ingredient can spark an idea, inspire a dish, or even ignite a small culinary revolution. G. Detou is that kind of place.

Founded in 1951, the shop hasn’t changed much since the days when shopping meant visiting a different boutique for each ingredient: cheese from one, butter from another, chocolate from a third. Benoît Bourloton, the current owner, keeps the store’s unpretentious spirit alive and is often restocking shelves or chatting with customers.

G. Detou was first introduced to me by a pastry-chef friend who knew I’d be in awe. I’d gone in search of a big bag of good-quality chocolate chips — without paying Grande Épicerie prices — but what I found was so much more. The vanilla options, for one, are exceptional (the Prova Gourmet Bourbon Madagascar extract is particularly potent). Then there’s the pâtisserie dough, fruit compotes in every possible flavor, generous bags of nuts, dried fruit, spices, condiments, and jams, hard-to-find Maldon salt flakes, Le Sirop de Monin in an array of flavors, and even several varieties of pistachio paste, perfect for anyone experimenting with homemade chocolate.

Next door, a small delicatessen carries Maison Bordier butter — possibly the best there is — along with sausages, smoked salmon, pâtés, olives, and oils. Picking up a few of these pantry items can make a last-minute meal feel like something else entirely.

G. Detou remains a place filled with hard-to-find essentials at refreshingly fair prices, where both the working chef and the home cook can find exactly what they need, and maybe something they didn’t know they were looking for. Most importantly, it’s the kind of store that reminds you how easily a single discovery can start your very own food revolution. –Sam Brenzel

→ Shop: G. Detou Paris (2nd arr) • 58 Rue Tiquetonne • Mon-Sat 8h30-19h.