Maison Kayser

By the time you read this description of the fabulous Maison Kayser, there will be nearly a dozen shops from which to choose from the Upper West and East sides to Tribeca. Born in Paris at the hands of Eric Kayser in 1996, Kayser proved an artisanal French Boulangerie travels well (and can also be found in Lyon, Menton and Beausoleil, France). The most ancestral techniques go into that crispy croissant but don't stop there, try out the breads, some made with liquid leaven for those who seek the back story. Breads run the gamut from traditional French such as the Baguette, the Tourte de Meule, a whole wheat and rye. Try les petits pains: from cheese to walnut raisin to olive, fig or seeded, perfect for an urban picnic; leave room for the melt-in-your-mouth madeleines.