The French Pantry, Jacksonville, Florida

Posted by Brandon Shook on February 16, 2010 0 Comments

Find a pastry, find a friend

It’s a sunny beautiful day in Jacksonville Florida and you have a free day. Your options are lounging around on the beach and soaking up the sun or standing in line waiting to get some food. The obvious answer would be to hit the beach for some relaxation, but the smart answer would be to wait in line. Especially if that line leads to the entrance of the The French Pantry.

When Tim Felver, the owner, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, he made his way to LA and found himself working at the illustrious Wolfgang Puck restaurant. Tim had always been interested in French foods and spent his time at Wofgang Puck sharpening his French Cuisine skills. After years of working at other restaurants, Tim decided to try his hand at owning a business so he opened The French Pantry in 1996 with his wife Barbara. Tim and Barbara make an unstoppable team of sweet and savory. Barbara concentrates on pies, tarts, and cookies, while Tim focuses on soups, sandwiches, and breads. Together, the dynamic duo have created a wonderful French inspired menu that leaves all of their customers clamoring for more.

So what makes The French Pantry better than the beach? Maybe it’s their fresh warm bread with dipping olive oil or maybe it’s their white chocolate macadamia cheesecake with strawberry sauce. Perhaps it’s not the food, but the company you’ll share while eating. Looking for a new friend? Well, if you eat at The French Pantry you might just find one. You’ll notice right away when you enter through the door that there are very few tables in the restaurant. After selecting your food from the handwritten blackboard menu you will have to hunker down at one of the large community tables. To the agoraphobic or even the regular bystander, sitting at a table with strangers can be intimidating, but don’t worry, you will have fun, I promise. At the end of your meal you might find that you’ve had a rousing conversation with a poet, a teacher, or even a judge. The relaxed atmosphere, the friendly company, and of course the stellar food will instantly melt away any of your anxieties. If you’re ever in Jacksonville Florida I recommend you skip the beach and wait in line you’ll be happy that you did.

For a taste of The French Pantry in your own kitchen, try out their Peanut Butter Cookie recipe, and let us know how things turn out!
(Recipe generously provided by Tim Felver of The French Pantry in Jacksonville, FL)

The French Pantry’s Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup of peanut butter

3/4 cup of butter

3/4 pastry flour

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

Cream the sugar and butter. Then mix in the peanut butter, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and egg until smooth. Then add flour. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Shape mixture into 3/4-inch balls and place on greased baking sheets. Flatten each cookie with the edge of a fork. Let them cook for 5 to six minutes or until the edges are brown. Cool and enjoy.

Contact or visit The French Pantry at:
6301 Powers Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32217
(904) 730-8696