Café de Paris

Café de Paris, the classic herb-butter blend for steaks, asparagus and grilled food

Café de Paris is the most mysterious spice blend in European brasserie cooking. What began as a house recipe for the legendary Café de Paris butter in Geneva, we distil in our workshop in Klingenberg am Main into more than 20 herbs and spices: tarragon, chervil, chives, savory, dill, marjoram, parsley, thyme, rosemary, paprika, turmeric, seaweed and more. The profile: complex and herby, lightly sea-savoury from the seaweed, with a fine heat from chili and a tart-citrus depth that turns steaks, white asparagus and grilled poultry into a classic.

How to use

The classic is Café de Paris butter: soak 25 g of the blend with 25 ml Worcestershire sauce and 75 ml water overnight, then work into 350 g of soft room-temperature butter, shape into a roll and chill. In light wine sauces for plaice, sole or salmon, stir in a teaspoon just before serving without cooking it in. As a marinade, Café de Paris becomes a paste with a little walnut oil and a pinch of Sun-Salt flakes for asparagus spears or chicken breast before baking.

Good to know: always soak Café de Paris in the liquid overnight first – only then have the essential oils fully dissolved and the butter tastes rounded rather than sharp. The finished herb butter keeps for about 3 months in the freezer.

Recipe: Café de Paris butter on entrecôte

For 4 people: 4 entrecôtes of 220 g each, 2 tbsp neutral oil, freshly ground Verbena pepper (citrusy, perfect with pale beef) and Sun-Salt flakes to finish. For the butter, soak 25 g Café de Paris, 25 ml Worcestershire sauce and 75 ml water overnight, work into 250 g of soft butter, shape into a roll and chill for at least 2 hours.

Bring the steaks to room temperature, rub with neutral oil and sear in a very hot cast-iron pan for 2 minutes per side (core temperature 54 °C gives medium rare). Remove from the pan, rest for 4 minutes, season with Sun-Salt flakes and Verbena pepper. Lay on a slice of Café de Paris butter, let it melt briefly and serve immediately.

What's inside?

More than 20 components in one blend that replaces eight different fresh herbs: tarragon, chervil, chives and dill for the classic brasserie herb base, savory, marjoram, thyme and rosemary for the savoury depth, paprika and chili for the fine heat, turmeric for colour and a hint of seaweed powder for the subtle sea depth that gives the Geneva original its international character.

At a glance

• Herb-and-spice blend of more than 20 components after the classic brasserie recipe
• Complex and herby with tarragon, chervil, dill and a fine seaweed note
• Workshop quality from Klingenberg am Main
• Versatile for herb butter, steaks, asparagus, grilled poultry and light fish sauces
• No flavour enhancers, anti-caking agents or additives

Goes well with

A salt finish on the steak: Sun-Salt flakes for mineral freshness or the smoky African pearl salt from the mill. A pepper finish: the citrus-elegant Verbena pepper for white meat and fish or the hot-fruity Tasmanian pepper for robust beef. A herb companion for Mediterranean dishes is the Mallorcan Herb Garden. For asparagus with veal, add a dash of apple-quince balsamic vinegar to the sauce. Find more in our spice blends collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is Café de Paris?
A herb-and-spice blend originally developed for the legendary Café de Paris butter in Geneva. The exact original recipe is a well-kept secret. Our interpretation with tarragon, chervil, seaweed and 17 further components follows the style: layered, herby, lightly sea-savoury.

Can I freeze the butter?
Yes. The finished Café de Paris butter keeps in the freezer for up to 3 months. Simply shape into a roll, freeze and place slices straight onto the hot steak or poultry.

What goes with Café de Paris besides steak?
Very good with white and green asparagus, grilled salmon, plaice, sole, chicken breast, in light wine sauces for fish, over grilled corn and with seafood pasta.

How much do I use for the butter?
Classically 25 g of the blend to 350 g of butter. For a stronger character, up to 30 g. Always soak in Worcestershire and water overnight first, otherwise the aroma stays incomplete.