The joys of the Café Gourmand- Instant T and L'Étage, Le Mans

I may have to start a campaign fighting for the introduction of the Café Gourmand to the British café scene.

Common place in France, the Café Gourmand is the perfect compromise for the indecisive. For normally about six euros, you get a cup of coffee and a selection of mini desserts.

Two of my favourite cafés in Le Mans do excellent Café Gourmands. The first is Instant T, a very fancy (seriously, they take your coat and everything!) yet reasonable priced Salon de Thé with a view overlooking Le Man's impressive Gothic Cathedral. In this refined atmosphere, I enjoyed a delicious Chocolat Gourmand with a choice of 3 mini desserts from the menu. I chose a salted caramel rice pudding, a beautifully tart rhubarb crumble and a chocolate and salted butter tart. Delicious! I would also recommend the lemon meringue pie, which my Dad had, and I stole sneaky spoonfuls of. The other good thing about Instant T's chocolat Gourmand is that you get a jug with "top up" hot chocolate!

If you're looking for a café Gourmand in a slightly more relaxed setting, I would recommend L'Étage, a café inside the Doucet bookshop. Here you get 5 mini desserts, although this time you don't get to choose which ones. This gourmand is like a whole meal in itself, and the cakes are fantastic. Bring your favourite book and pretend to be a French intellectual.

L'Instant T- http://www.lemans.maville.com/restaurants-bars/restaurant/linstant-t-64087

L'Etage- http://www.linternaute.com/restaurant/restaurant/107248/l-etage-librairie-doucet.shtml

Comments

Tea with a ghost? | Tiny Tim's Tearoom | Canterbury

Canterbury is such a historic city so I was looking for a traditional place for afternoon tea. Tiny Tim's Tearoom was the perfect place. Housed in a gorgeous 17th century building, this tearoom is particularly inviting with its baked goods displayed in the shop windows. Inside, Glen Miller was playing softly in the background, giving the place a nostalgic, vintage feel. Many British favourites were on offer, such as, crumpets, scones and hearty sponge cakes. I had an excellent coffee and walnut cake which had a wonderfully potent coffee flavour unlike many shop-bought ones. Served with a dollop of cream, ice cream or custard, these cakes are the ultimate comfort food. Tea is also in abundance. I tried Keemun Orchid which was a black tea that had notes of plum, orchid, sesame and pine. There are also more traditional blends for those who prefer more conventional tea. I attended this tearoom alone after a pleasant morning visiting Canterbury Cathedral. However, was I t...

The Apple Pie Map | Hirosaki, Aomori

Are you a fan of apple pie? If you are, then Hirosaki might just be the place for you! Hirosaki is in Aomori, a prefecture in the Tohoku region in the north of Japan. Aomori is famous for its delicious apples, and nowhere is this fruit more greatly celebrated than in the city of Hirosaki. There are over 50 shops in the town selling different types of apple pie. With so many options, it can seem overwhelming. How can you possibly find the perfect pie for you?! Well, the answer is simple. All you need is the Apple pie map ! Not only does the map tell you all the different locations for pie shops and bakeries, it also rates each pie on its sweetness, sourness and amount of cinnamon. My personal favourite is スリーブリッヂ or Three Bridge, a cute little bakery near Hirosaki station. Their pie is rated 3/5 for sweetness and sourness. But don't take my word for it, head to Hirosaki and do your own research! There's plenty of pies to enjoy and beautiful sites ...

Gruesome Marshmallow Eyeballs | Halloween

Marshmallow eyeballs make a fun treat for Halloween next week. They are super easy to make as there is no cooking involved. I made a whole load while watching TV! Ingredients 1 packet of Marshmallows 1 packet of Maltesers Red and green writing icing Method 1. Use a chopstick to make a hole in the marshmallow. 2. Widen the hole with your fingers and add in a malteser. 3. Ice a dot in the middle of the malteser for the eye's iris and use red icing on the marshmallows to look like veins. It really is that easy!

Crumbs to Crunch

Search This Blog