Beloved French Pastry Maestro Lenôtre dies

Legendary pastry chef and part-time Parisian Gaston Lenôtre passed away earlier this week, prompting a flurry of commemorations from gastronomic circles in Paris. Lenôtre, who was 88, founded an eponymous chain of high-end restaurant and pastry houses, the most famous of which is located on the Champs-Elysées in Paris. He was celebrated for his artful approach to traditional French pastries and for using higher quantities of fruit in lieu of sugar in his creations. Today the chef's recipes can be sampled at boutiques around Paris, in addition to other locations around France and worldwide.

Read More: Lenôtre Restaurants and Boutiques in Paris

More on French cuisine from About.com French Food Guide Rebecca Franklin