Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to be invited to Bretagne (or Breizh as called by the Bretons) to spend a few days with my dear friend Nico and his family. He warned me before leaving about the famous galettes in Bretagne, saying: “Get ready to eat them all day long coz its the main meal here”. He wasn’t kidding! I was welcomed to his home with open arms, big smiles and two massive stacks of galettes de blé noir and crêpes. Before I knew it, a bottle of local cider was popped, the galettes were hot and conversation was flowing. We dined on ham, cheese and egg galettes as the main followed by sugar-coated crêpes topped with local salted caramel made from Bretagne’s dreamy salted butter. My heart melted for those delicious homemade gems just as the salted caramel did over my plate!
It’s argued that Bretagne produces the best seafood in France so I couldn’t pass up the chance to try some fresh caught shell fish in St. Malo while taking cover from the rain. At Café de l’Ouest, a seafood platter for two and a bottle of Alsace Riesling would warm us up and dry us off! No sooner was our table full with a smorgasbord of oysters, shrimp, winkle and whelk. It was my first experience with winkle and whelk which are small sea snails or escargot of the sea. Dipped in a fresh batch of mayonnaise, they paired perfectly with our wine!
But even before our darling seafood platter, we were passing by one of the many boulangeries in town and we popped in to see some of the local goodies. Nico’s mom had been telling me about Bretagne’s finest pastry, the kouign-amann. We had seen the cake in many of the tourist shops in St. Malo but they only looked unappetizing, evidently made by means of mass production. However, these little delights reminded me of the pot at the end of the rainbow when I spotted them through the counter; the caramelisation gleaming of gold. We ordered one to go.
One thing about the French, is they LOVE their butter and this cake is the queen! Lathered in thick butter and sugar, this pastry is flaky by eye but rich by heart...And one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted, with the warm butter dripping down my fingers and sugar sticking to the tips! As the noble cake is just a mere memory in my mind now (and perhaps an extra pound around my waist), I leave you with this quote: “Life is uncertain, eat dessert first”.
But even before our darling seafood platter, we were passing by one of the many boulangeries in town and we popped in to see some of the local goodies. Nico’s mom had been telling me about Bretagne’s finest pastry, the kouign-amann. We had seen the cake in many of the tourist shops in St. Malo but they only looked unappetizing, evidently made by means of mass production. However, these little delights reminded me of the pot at the end of the rainbow when I spotted them through the counter; the caramelisation gleaming of gold. We ordered one to go.
One thing about the French, is they LOVE their butter and this cake is the queen! Lathered in thick butter and sugar, this pastry is flaky by eye but rich by heart...And one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted, with the warm butter dripping down my fingers and sugar sticking to the tips! As the noble cake is just a mere memory in my mind now (and perhaps an extra pound around my waist), I leave you with this quote: “Life is uncertain, eat dessert first”.