I tasted some handcrafted natural macarons at the recent Trade & Lifestyle showcase organised by Clementine Communications in Cavendish Square last week, and was struck by their delicacy and the originality of the flavours, from classic coffee and raspberry, to salted caramel and lemon/orange citrus burst. They melt in your mouth and are gooey, sticky, light and have a wonderful crisp crust.
French owner of La Dinette, Claire Jury, who makes these splendiferous macarons, said: “As a kid in France, I was always playing á la dinette and baking all sorts of cakes with my older sister, and it became my dream to have my own dinette. So, having worked for a French food importer, then later trained as a pastry chef at London’s le Cordon Bleu, and worked in a patisserie in Primrose Hill, la Dinette was born.”
You can buy them in boxes of six or 12, or have a macaron tower for a wedding or party, and even have a macaron subscription with new flavours to taste each month. I suggested a savoury tomato leaf flavour, as I hear this is a new trend in food and personal care fragrances (though it may be just a step too far for these more classic sweet treats).
La Maison du Chocolat was also at the event, demonstrating the purity of its ganache and showcasing a resplendent ‘Easter Collection’, while Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne had mini bottles of its champagne in their own cute, black neoprene cooler jackets with a wrist strap. Now that’s what I will take to this summer’s jazz picnic!
Also on the beverage front, I met with Tim Coles of Tim Coles Trading. He’s importing the spicy ginger beer ‘Pimento’ and had me tasting its fine Gallia Beer, which was hoppy and full of flavour. I’ll be looking out for it.
So far, so fattening, so I was delighted to meet with the HillFarm Oils team to learn that rapeseed oil has only half the calories of other cooking oils. It tastes deliciously of asparagus and I’m keen to use it now for salad dressings and in cooking.
To finish, I tasted a cocktail made with Hecsau, which is a brand new cognac café. It’s apparently the first Cognac infused with coffee and is made using ultra-premium Cognac and natural coffee essence to create a refined digestif. Inspired by the traditional drink Blulot, it’s produced by the boutique house Chagnoleau Cognac and is designed to add to your standard espresso too.
So, an introduction to some distinguished English and French companies and a myriad flavours to sample, all in one day. My taste buds were in overdrive, yet pleasantly so!
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