Of the five basic food groups rarely touted by nutritionists–salt, fat, alcohol, caffeine, and sugar–it’s the last one that doesn’t hold great appeal for me. Well, at least, not since I lost interest in trick-or-treating. Given the choice between a bag of Ripples or chocolate-chip cookies, the salt-fat combo wins every time.
But, there are delicious exceptions that activate my sweet tooth, and three happen to be “native” to Saint-Rémy. All of these irresistible gems are found in centre ville shops, which are charmingly compact. Considering their popularity, a brief wait is typical, but despair not. Pausing allows time to consider all the exquisite possibilities on offer. You might need to expand your original order.
First up is the famous chocolate shop of Joël Durand, Maître Chocolatier. Established in 1996, this delightful boutique will make your head spin with its variety of chocolates and flavors, ranging from classic to exotic. Dark and milk chocolate versions abound, some loaded with all sorts of nuts.
But there’s one fabulous specialty item not related to a cocoa bean that you might miss if you didn’t know to look for it–crème caramel-beurre salé. Once you taste this buttery, salty caramel sauce, you’ll want to scoop it from the jar like ice cream from a tub. Look for the hexagonal-shaped glass jars, stacked right next to the chocolate sauces, which, of course, are exquisite, as well. Most likely, you’ll be tempted to acquire an assortment.
Next is Maison Gaillardet, known for their Troprovençale, a take on the tarte tropézienne, a type of two-layered sponge cake with a fluffy cream filling, hailing from Saint-Tropez. The rendition Gaillardet produces is made with a lighter brioche-style cake flavored with orange blossom. In addition to the lovely traditional flavor, other delectable styles are on offer, such as lavender, coconut, and chocolate. Not only are they scrumptious, but they are packaged in spirited orange and white striped boxes. Be sure to order ahead if you need one for a special occasion.
Rounding up the trio is Boulangerie Bergese, near l’Église Saint-Martin, which offers a terrific assortment of breads, including their classic baguette, the Alpillette, along with buttery croissants, pains au chocolate, and too-pretty-to-eat patisserie. But among all this carby richness, there’s a treat not to be overlooked: the Sacristains. These long twists of frangipane aux amandes-filled puff pastries are dusted with sugar and toasted almonds. They’re heavenly but impossible to consume without creating a cloud of crumbs, so you might consider heading for a bench just around the corner on pretty Place Favier, where you can munch away with abandon. The pigeons will thank you.
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Wherever you are, dear readers, wishing you health, happiness, and hope.
Bises, Gayle
PS
Near the base of the Alpilles, Ralph and I spotted this cute Common Redstart, which has arrived a tad early for its summer holiday. Happy timing!
PPS
Pleasures of Provence: A Quest for the Secret to Joie de Vivre in La Belle France was released last month, and I’m pleased to report that it reached #1 Best Seller status on Amazon.com, in the categories of French Travel and Provence Travel Guides, which seems to be where travel memoirs land. At any rate, seeing the small red moniker next to my book was a kick. If you read on Kindle, you may be interested to know that for the next few days it’s priced at 99 cents: Pleasures of Provence. I hope that if you take a peek, you find the story engaging and uplifting too. If you do, it would mean a lot if you’d share your positive reaction with fellow Francophile readers. (Amazon and Goodreads would welcome these reviews too.) Merci beaucoup, in advance, for taking the time to do that. It’s much appreciated!
Gayle Smith Padgett 