… THE MACAROON

History of macaroons Is it a coincidence that a gourmet writer by the name of François Rabelais was the first to mention the macaroon? It was in 1552 in the Quart Livre that he described it as a “Small round cake with almonds”. Introduced by Catherine de Médicis’ chefs, the delicacy’s origins are Mediterranean, probably […]

… THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLOUR

Wheat flour, oatmeal flour, rye flour, T45 or T80… There are numerous names for ingredients which, on first impression, seem similar.  However, we would be wrong to underestimate the role played by flour in a preparation and the importance of choosing the right one. For example, the same flour can’t be used to make brioche or wholemeal […]

… PÂQUES

The egg, the universal symbol of life and renewal, was at the heart of these traditions, and was often offered in its natural form or painted, long before it was turned into sweet treats. The first Easter sweets celebrated the end of the period of Lent: decorated brioche breads, cakes garnished with dried fruits and […]

… VANILLA

The first Europeans to taste vanilla were Cortes and his soldiers when they were received by Emperor Montezuma and offered an unsweetened cocoa drink, to which the Aztecs added tlilxot chitl, the ‘black pod’, to reduce the bitterness. Columbus brought the pod back to Spain in 1518 and Spaniards, enthused by the new aroma, gave it a […]

… VALENTINE’S DAY

At the time, the Roman Emperor Claudius II outlawed holy matrimony between men and women in an effort to push men to join the army (married men were exempt). Imprisoned, the Bishop Valentine fell in love with the jailer’s wife, a young blind women who he gave sight to by miracle. This enraged the emperor, […]

… GALETTE DES ROIS

But where does this tradition come from? Its roots date back to antiquity. Even though this dessert is associated with a religious holiday, its origins would date back to pagan times. In Roman times, people celebrated the Saturnalia during the winter solstice. These celebrations, organised in honour of Saturn, God of Time, lasted for 7 […]

… THE YULE LOG

Where does this tradition come from ? Take a look back through History… More than 2000 years ago… At the time, before Christianity, the Frankish people were polytheists. They venerated several gods. Their pagan practices honoured the gods all year round in order to obtain protection and abundance. During the winter solstice, that is to say […]

… SELECTION OF PRALINE DESSERTS OCTOBER 2023

In Patrick Agnellet‘s « Harmonie » entremets, you will find delicate combinations of textures with the enchanting scent of hazelnut, this one is an authentic Piedmont IGP Ode hazelnut, known for its great gourmet qualities! In Sébastien Bouillet‘s « Louvre » entremets, the delicacy is based on chocolate, praline and almond. How can we resist this absolutely retro combination? Frédéric Cassel gives pride of place […]

… SAINT HONORÉS SELECTION 2023

Fall in love with Patrick Agnellet ‘s exotic “Saint Ho”, based on an exotic creamy, coconut dacquoise, passion fruit caramel and mango and pineapple compote. An irresistible delight to be shared! At Sébastien Brocard, Saint Honoré is available in a square version with a delicate caramelized puff pastry, pretty little choux and fine sprinkled dragee that we can’t wait […]

… NOUGAT OR TURRÓN?

They play for the same team which is why they are often confused. So close and yet so different. They even have several other Mediterranean cousins, and not only that… Turrón and nougat: their origins It is difficult to establish the exact history of turrón and its creation. Its most likely origin is from Arab […]