Eve M. TaiPinkies up!Pastries don’t usually bring gender bias to mind, but

Eve M. TaiPinkies up!Pastries don’t usually bring gender bias to mind, but there’s something about miniature desserts that are distinctly girlie. At Le Panier, the “Very French Bakery” in Pike Place Market, small is beautiful. And very girlie. Here you’ll find rows of petite tarts, each one gleaming with lovingly coiffed lemon, marionberry, chocolate ganache or pear fillings. Despite your better judgment, you’ll be hard pressed to resist the urge to squeal and utter words like “sooooo cute” and “darling.”Taste the fruit ones first – in true girlie spirit but of course you’ll order all four flavors – before you move on to the deeper velvety ganache.The refreshing and tangy lemon one is best for last. Like four siblings, each tart has its own personality but share common family traits. Some are outgoing, some dainty – all are encased in a buttery crust that blends happily with the filling. Mireille Guiliano, author of the good life skinny manifesto, “French Women Don’t Get Fat,” encourages us not to eat while standing up. And while all of Le Panier’s patisseries are worth sitting down for – the eclairs and palmiers come to mind -these tartelettes almost insist on it. Le Panier’s Pike Place market location draws tourists with the time to obey Guiliano’s advisory. But these petite sweets insist that you go even one step further. These ask to be taken home, away from the bustle of shop customers amped up on having the day off to play Europeans wandering food stalls. Display these tarts on a real plate – the doily is included in the box – and serve with real loose-leaf Darjeeling in a pot. And welcome yourself back to civilization.Ironically, the teeny size of these tarts makes them seem more of a treat than say, a monster slice of ersatz tiramisu at a Vegas buffet. When something is this small you know it won’t last long. So slow down and enjoy every bite. Even it it’s just one.Follow Voracious on Twitter and Facebook.