Somewhere in Paris right now, someone is pulling a tray of croissants from an oven that’s been hot since four in the morning. The butter is pooling at the edges. The layers are pulling apart. The kitchen smells like heaven got a baking license. That moment, the one between effort and reward, is the heart of La Pâtisserie.

This collection of 33 watercolor-inspired illustrations spans the full range of French baking, from the pastel perfection of macarons to the honest warmth of a quiche Lorraine, from a soufflé rising past the rim of its ramekin to a madeleine broken in half to reveal its golden interior. But it also captures what happens before anything reaches the display case. A rolling pin on flour-dusted marble. A chef in white piping cream rosettes. A basket overflowing with morning pastries still warm enough to fog the wicker. The craft is as beautiful as the result.

This is food that asks you to pay attention. To notice the glaze catching the light. To appreciate the spiral of a cinnamon roll or the geometry of a perfectly sliced tart. French pastry has always been equal parts discipline and pleasure, and La Pâtisserie honors both.