My last holiday was a ‘mer à boire’ for a foody like me. Everywhere you go in Italy and Provence you see something worth exploring. Even supermarkets are interesting abroad.
But the cookies I found in St. Remy de Provence were a real treasure! The place is called ‘Le petit Duc’ and it specializes in cookies fabricated with ancient preserving techniques (no added badness like we are used to nowadays). They use recipes that date back to the 14th century. Al the cookies have intriguing names like ‘Coeurs du petit Albert’, ‘Folie de Paulette’ and ‘Walkyries’. Every cookie has it’s own consistency and asks for the attention of all your senses while eating them. Delicate is the best way to describe them. Very special indeed. If you keep them in the tin box like in the picture, they will keep fresh for at least six months. But after this picture was taken, an hour or so later the box was miraculously half empty…
In the shop we met Madam Anne Daguin and she very kindly let us take a look in the bakery. There the ‘triangles aux amandes de Provence’ were just being made. They are among our favorites, together with the ‘désiré’ with almonds an vanilla.
At the moment I am attempting to read the book, which is in French. And of course I am going to try the recipes. I will keep you posted!
When I saw this little book in a tin on the counter, about this place and it’s recipes, I just had to have it. Anne, also the author of the book, wrote a lovely message in it, which made it even more special. With cookies and book (nr. 356) I left the store, feeling like a spoilt child.
Le Petit Duc
7 Boulevard Victor Hugo
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Marieke says
February 18, 2008 at 12:20Hello Suzanne,
Thanks for your question.
With the book and the cookies in the tin you can’t go wrong. The cookies are really special and delicate. It’s great to try them and see what your favoriete is and then trying the recipe from the book yourself. The content of the book is a little bit different so to speak. It’s texts and little drawings, recipes, funny stories, history. If you have been to the place, you see and feel that it fits. It’s a unique little book, also the look and feel of it, with the original cookie tin casing. My French is not good enough to truly understand the exact meaning of everything. The recipes are very clear though. But it’s so different from all the other books I own. Looking at it and reminiscing is also fun. So getting this little gem and /or a tin of the cookies as a gift is truly special I think.
I have the Jam book in English. It’s great for inspiration. I would never have come up with so many different ideas and varieties of confiture.
Regards,
Marieke
Suzanne says
February 15, 2008 at 12:41Hi Marieke,
can you tell me more about the book and it contents? As I have a friend who lives nearby St. Remy, and who always asks me what to bring for me next time he comes to Holland, maybe this is an idea!?
Soon he will bring Mme Ferber’s Jam book, how about that!
Thanks, Suzanne (a booklover)
Administrator says
October 12, 2006 at 17:08Hello Pam,
I am sorry to tell you that I do not have the recipe and I do not know these cookies. You could ask/ mail Madam Daguin from Le petit Duc in St Remy maybe.
Succes and if you find anything I would love to know!
Regards,
Marieke
pam says
October 10, 2006 at 04:47i just want to know if you have the recipe for coeur de linz cookies, if you have please let me know. thank you.