Thursday, July 22, 2010

Kouignettes.

Lately, the blogosphere has been abuzz with kouign amann, the famous breton butter cake. I can understand the excitement. It's sweet, salty, caramalized goodness in layers that are almost impossible to recreate at home. Brittany produces hardly any cheese to speak of, but they are master butter makers, which gives you all the more reason to indulge. Let's face it, Cookie Monster and common sense deem this dessert a "sometimes" food.

Kouignettes, are essentially little baby kouign amann that make perfect individual servings -they almost look like roses. I love the concept behind these little treats, but don't be fooled by all of the different flavors on display. Stick to plain or caramel, no need for extras like rasperries, chocolate or pistachios.

After admiring paintings by Sérusier and Gauguin at the museum in Pont Aven (don't miss it!), we walked around the quaint village and couldn't help but duck into some of the more tempting pastry shops. La maison Larnicol was the perfect stop for kouignettes. We also couldn't resist Pont Aven's chocolate shop for millefeuille and lots of drooling over the cases of petits gâteaux.

How we managed to resist all of this, I have yet to fully understand. And in case you were wondering, that's a lime tart with vanilla bean on the right. Why didn't I taste you?

6 comments:

  1. more e-mail feedback:

    Absolutely delicious thoughts come when I see the photos of all the thhings you are doing & tasting in Brittany! -M

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  2. and more...

    Ok... so I came home from France in 1974 and attempted a real galette Bretonne, but since the butter was not Breton butter, NOTHING tasted the same. You are so right about these confectionary delicacies... as wonderful to eat as to behold. Is kouign amann Breton? Sounds sort of Celtic... similar roots and culture. -C

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  3. Not hard to guess who C and H are!! I love that you're re-posting my mom's emails. She truly LOVES your blog and is having a very exciting vicarious life through yours: )

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  4. Please, please write a book about your adventures!

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  5. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post- I stumbled upon it while I was drooling at French pastries in Google images. I staged at La Chocolaterie de Pont Aven in 2005 and wasn't sure if it was still in business until I found your blog and link to their website!

    Isn't that place magical?

    Look forward to reading more of your blog!

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