Bonjour! As we look out the windows and see the brilliant white snow capped hills, we know that winter is well and truly upon us here in Wanaka.

What better way to start the school holidays than to know that the ski fields are open and we have an entire week of celebrating to do because from the 12-16^th July we are celebrating “French Week”, and Mélanie!

Join us at Pembroke Pâtisserie these school holidays as we celebrate all things French- but mostly the food and of course our fabulous French barista superstar Mélanie!

Mél hails from Grenoble in the French Alpes and has been living in Wanaka now for 2 ½ years. She brings a certain je ne sais quoi to the team, checks all our French spelling and pronunciation is correct and makes an amazing flat white!

La Fête Nationale Française or Bastille Day for us anglophones, falls on the 14^th July every year and marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in 1789, it’s a very important date in the French calendar. Mél says that it is a day of big celebrations in France where they take pride in their country, culture and history. She says there are big military parades throughout the country followed by lots of dancing, partying and fireworks! We are definitely on board with that and think it sounds like an awesome way to spend a national holiday and since we still cannot travel to our favourite European destination, why not bring Paris to Pembroke Pâtisserie and take a whole week out to celebrate our love of Gallic gastronomy!

We’ll be cooking up a gastronomic storm this week with new lunch specials such as Beef Bourguignon pies, French onion soup, Paris-Brest, tricolor macarons and all sorts of French classics to tempt your tastebuds. If you fancy a day off the mountain or a bike ride to Albert Town, come along throughout the week and try something new. You can enjoy a lovely café au lait and practice your favourite French expressions with Mél, she is an excellent French tutor and her delightful accent will have you swooning over the cabinets! Come celebrate with us!

Don’t forget to enter our Facebook competition to win a dozen tricolor macarons and coffee vouchers!