European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 26, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Thursday april 262007 stars and stripes Page 27 Monsieur Franck left who Speaks excellent English has worked at the e Dehi Ilerina cookware store for 25 years staff members go by first name Only Accord ing to the stores custom Kitchen store draws foodies Wyleah Lankin special to stars and stripes e Dehi Ilerina Paris legendary cookware store is a step Back in time the ramshackle shop with High ceilings wooden Plank floors and open shelves where merchandise is stacked haphazardly appears not to have changed much since it was founded in 1820 the Funky place is crammed with every kind of Kitchen utensil and Gadget imaginable and patronized by professionals Hobby Cooks and curious tourists i love the atmosphere Here said a customer combing through the mortars and pestles i buy All my Kitchen utensils Here it brings Back the old times one Wall is covered with All sizes and shapes of gleaming Copper pots wire baskets Dangle from the ceiling ancient floor ceiling wooden shelves Are jammed with strainers skewers sealers sharpening stones Salt and Pepper Mills knives Melon Bailers pastry nozzles cutting boards mallets meat saws holds and much More theres a ladder Here and there to reach the top shelves some of whose contents need dusting sales personnel give advice write up receipts behind a High old counter and wrap packages in Brown paper were a store with soul were not Antiseptic were a store that lives says Eric Dehi Ilerina a fifth generation Mem Ber of the family to run the establishment were a store with history our custom ers Tell us we change Dehi Ilerina obviously Hast modernized Bis office a tiny Nook with a helter shelter mix of piles of paper shelves of files stacks of boxes even a Safe that appears to be antique there Are touches of the modern computer and fax machine but both Are of an earlier generation or two among Dehi Ilerina customers Are big names in the food world out of respect Dehi Ilerina divulge names but one of his staff did for instance the late Julia child americas favorite Cook was a regular until her death in 2004 i used to have a Little drink with her on the Comer said Monsieur Franck who would not give his last name explaining that according to store tradition employees use Only first names today client list includes buyers from William Sonoma As Well As famous chefs Paul Bouse Joel Trebuchon Marie Pierre and Michel Troi Gros go the famous cookware Supply store located in the Les Hailes area of Paris was founded in 1820 and appears to have changed Little since photos by Leah to stars and stripes the e Dehil Erin store in Paris carries 295 items made of Copper a favorite with Cooks because it diffuses heat evenly to Cater to the International clientele americans japanese europeans South americans Many staff members speak several languages i know perfectly prices and numbers in japanese said Franck who has worked at the store for 25 years the japanese usually come in a group he said one person says i want this and suddenly 20 others want the same thing they dont ask the Price if if s two euros or 20 euros it Doest matter americans who represent the largest percentage of foreign customers go for Copper and Carbonate Ekblade knives cop per is prize by Cooks because it diffuses heat evenly he said while the knives Are easy to Sharpen and dont rust Dehil Erin carries 295 objects in Copper it also has 10 sizes of strainers 18 sizes of whisks 50 sizes and shapes of cake Deco rating nozzles 20 varieties of holds for Petite fours numerous sizes of paper Doi lies and some items that can Only be called bizarre a knife and Fork combo for those with Only one Arm and a Masti Cater a special knife to finely Cut meat for those with no Teeth theres even a mini meat press for making baby food and an electric Salmon smoker in the basement there is More those who descend the rickety stairs will find a dimly lit and cluttered cellar where much of the merchandise is giant sized to feed masses a Paella pan that could double As a round sled and hold enough of this Spanish favorite for hundreds a soup caldron that Only a restaurant would use roasting pans that could hold an entire pig among the oversized pots and pans youll find fish poachers Ham holders and a special de vice to Cut roquefort cheese this is also where enamelware products Are Dis played e Dehi Ilerina at Rue Coquil Lere and Rue Jeanjacques Rousseau in Paris first District is open am to pm and 26 mondays and 9 am to 6 pm tuesday through Satur Day its Telephone number is 33 42365313 and its web site wow the lowest metro Stop is Les Hailes exit ram Buteau because of the great numbers of professional customers prices on the merchandise Are without the 196 percent value added tax this is added at time of Purchase customers who Are citizens of no european Union member countries and who spend More than 175 euros Are Eligi ble for a tax refund the store will fill out the necessary papers which must be turned into a customs office when leaving the country Leah Larkin Back upstairs i was tempted to buy a foie gras knife priced at Only 665 euros the Blade has holes so the delicate Goose liver wont stick i decided that was too dec adent even though we live in France we dont eat that much foie gras instead i purchased two Quality tart pans with removable sides and one Box of cartridges for a Gadget we have that whips Cream Price 30 euros As Dehi Ilerina says we Are not an Ordi nary store
