Moms and their mini-mes, mademoiselles in maxi dresses and men in man-pris, all with milky relief in mind on muggy, meridional days are making a made dash to visit Mary, the newly-minted gelato maven of the Marais.
Nature seems to be Mary’s muse. She minimally manipulates market ingredients to make her gelato. Most of the flavors are mainstays, but there are some surprises in the mix, especially among the sorbets, which include tea with citrus, avocado, and fresh mint. The strawberry was marvelous but the apricot was merely moyenne. For me, the migliori sorbets manage to maximize and magnify the flavor of fruit, and this one missed. On the creamy side, the pistachio was alright but the standout was a magnificent crema, tasting of sweet pure cream. Mmmm.
Mary is majorly charming, and most of what she makes is quite good, which is marvelous because she is often missing many flavors, and she metes out a meager measure, at least for this mouth. My mind is still mixed up as to why the price modulates for more flavors, since the amount that materializes is always the same. It’s mildly maddening, though not more than any of the other math-defying mysteries of Paris.
Me thinks Mary may be a bit overwhelmed by the marauding masses, but she manages to make time for each customer, necessary since the menu misrepresents what’s actually made. Making conversation with Mary is a multilingual affair – forgo “merci” for “molto grazie” and make due.
Mary is getting press and praise of her own, but it surely doesn’t hurt that Merce and the Muse just opened next door.
Merce’s mix of sweet and savory bites, including multi-colored quiches and salads next to Rice Krispie treats and carrot cake, will make many Americans feel at home.
I’ll spend my money on Merce’s masterfully made espresso drinks. Or I’ll try, anyway: Mayhem had descended upon Merce and I waited many minutes to pay for my macchiato, the mixed side of mighty media blessing from My Little Paris.
Maybe Merce and Mary should hold meetings and figure out how to manage the masses.
Mary 1 rue Charles-François Dupuy, Paris 75003
Merce and the Muse 1 rue Charles-François Dupuy, Paris 75003
Find out more about Mary at The Paris Notebook. Read about Merce on My Little Paris. See a list of my favorite ice cream shops in Paris.
Great post, I was going to do one on Mary myself but hadn’t gotten around to it, glad you jumped on it! I went into her shop the week after she opened and what I loved about her was that she spoke very little French. My rudimentary Italian was put to work, but she was very sweet and I also loved the crema… couldn’t believe how vibrant the taste was! I also tried the pistachio and think the flavor at Grom pops more.
Have also checked out Merce and the Muse – the coffee shop around the corner kind of vibe. Very cool things happening on my side of the city!
Lindsey, I’ve been to Mary four times in the past week. The trip stretches my definition of “walking distance” but that actually helps me justify the indulgence. I’ve been trying different flavors, but it’s all but impossible not to get the crema. Miam.
I had some orange and chocolate icecream at Mary’s on Sunday. It was good yet more on the ok than on the great side.
She’s charming, no doubt, as is her gelateria and the whole setting. But Berthillon is superior by far, don’t you think?
Ullrich, Berthillon definitely and deservedly sets the standard by which any other ice cream shop in Paris is judged. But I’m happy to see new addresses open, particularly those like Mary who are making products that are tutto naturale. (Also, get the crema next time!)
I was eager to experience a ‘Brooklyn import’ when I visited Merce and the Muse. The place is charming; unfortunately my coffee didn’t live up to my expectations. I opted for a hand-poured drip coffee, and the taste was a little wooden, lacking character. Something about the recycled paper to-go cups left a literal taste of cardboard in my mouth. Maybe I should stick to the Parisian method and just sit with demitasse of espresso. Still, I would try another visit for a macchiato or americano after a gelato next door.
Mary is brilliant, however I cannot overcome my addiction to a cone of Gianduja Fiordilate whenever I am in the Marais.
Well, yes, my friends insists their fresh fruit sorbets (figue above all) are overwhelming but the Gianduja is to die for. Try also their fantastic expresso.