Few things say France quite like a good meal, so it is no surprise that food is one of the happiest themes in Limoges boxes. This collection sets the table with pastry shop treats like eclairs, macarons and towering croquembouche, teapots and teacups for an afternoon pause, kitchen favorites from cookbooks to stand mixers, and baskets of fruit straight from the market.
A Limoges box is a small hand-painted porcelain box with a hinged lid, made in and around Limoges, France. Food subjects suit the craft beautifully: a glossy chocolate glaze, a ripe strawberry or a flaky croissant all come to life under a careful brush.
These boxes make cheerful gifts for the home cook, the baker who is always covered in flour, the tea drinker, or the friend who plans every trip around where to eat. Set one on a kitchen shelf or a breakfast table and it adds a little wit to the room, with no calories and no dishes to wash.
Rochard Croquembouche Choux Pastry Limoges Box
The pastry chef has been stacking cream puffs since dawn, one by one, higher and higher, holding her breath with every layer. The apprentice is not allowed to sneeze. At last the final puff goes on top, the whole kitchen applauds, and somebody immediately asks if they can have just one from the bottom.
Rochard Macaron Tree Limoges Box with Trinket
In the window of a little shop on the Rue des Martyrs, a macaron tree stands in pastel rows, pink and pistachio and lavender. Children press their noses to the glass. One macaron has rolled away from the tower and sits on its own, which the shopkeeper says is for whoever smiles the biggest today.
Chocolate Eclair Pastry Limoges Box on a Plate
There is always one eclair left on the plate at the end of the party, and everyone is far too polite to take it. Hours pass. The guests talk about the weather, the garden, the new neighbors. Finally, when no one is looking, Grand-mère slips it onto her napkin, and nobody says a word.
Rochard Alice in Wonderland Storybook Limoges Box and Teacup
Open the book and you are late, terribly late, for a very important tea. The table is long, the chairs are mostly empty, and someone keeps insisting there is no room when there clearly is. Pour yourself a cup anyway. In this story, it is always six o'clock and always time for tea.
Pink Flowered Footstool Limoges Box with Teacup
At four o'clock exactly, Tante Hélène puts her feet up. Not on the sofa, which would be rude, but on her pink flowered footstool, where her teacup also waits. For twenty minutes the telephone may ring and the cat may complain. She will be sipping, and she will not be moved.
Lemon Teapot with Half Lemon Rochard Limoges Box Figurine
A sunny morning on the terrace calls for a sunny teapot. This one looks as if it rolled straight out of the lemon grove, with half a lemon tagging along in case anyone wants a squeeze. The bees are curious. The guests are delighted. The tea, of course, is perfect.
Rochard Red Mix Master Mixer Limoges Box with Whisk
On Saturday mornings the red mixer comes out, and the whole house knows a cake is on the way. Flour drifts across the counter like snow. Someone licks the whisk, someone else protests, and the dog waits patiently below for anything that falls. By noon, there is cake, and everyone forgives everyone.
Rochard French Chef with Fish Menu Limoges Box
Ce soir, le poisson! Chef Marcel steps out of the kitchen, menu held high, and announces the catch of the day to the whole bistro as if it were royal news. The diners nod seriously. Marcel describes the sauce in great detail. Nobody orders anything else, and nobody ever regrets it.
Rochard Bonjour Coffee Cup and Croissant Limoges Box
A small round table, a wicker chair, and the morning sun just reaching the corner of the café. The waiter sets down a cup of coffee and a croissant still warm enough to flake at a touch. Bonjour, he says. The city can wait another ten minutes. This is far more important.
Cheese Platter Under Dome Porcelain Limoges Box Figurine
Dinner has gone on for three hours and no one wants it to end. Then the host stands, carries in the platter under its dome, and pauses for effect. The dome lifts. A happy sigh goes around the table, and suddenly everyone has room for just one more course after all.
Strawberries in a Crate Hand-Painted Limoges Box
The berries were picked at first light, still cool from the night, and packed into the crate so full that a few tumbled out along the road. By the time the farmer reaches the market, half the village is waiting. By the time he sets up his stand, the crate is nearly empty.
Blue Fruit Stand Porcelain Limoges Box
Every Wednesday, Madame Roux opens her blue fruit stand on the corner of the square. Apricots on the left, pears on the right, and the best peaches hidden under a cloth for regular customers only. She knows everyone's favorite. If you are new in town, she will decide yours for you.
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