When it comes to sweets, French patisseries boast some of the most sensual tastes in the world, which can conquer the taste buds of just about any dessert aficionado. No wonder, then, that in recent years French patisseries have gained in popularity in Taiwan, with many pastry stores selling authentic French confections.
This love of French pastry has merged with another popular pastime on the island: having afternoon tea at exquisite tea bars offering a wide selection of refined snacks. It is a practice especially popular among young females. According to a 2010 study by the Taiwanese marketing research company Trendgo, one in seven people in Taiwan aged 12 and above had afternoon tea in the past year, with females between 21 and 50 accounting for nearly 63 percent of the total market.
Indeed, in recent years many different types of tea salons have sprouted up like mushrooms in Taiwan, especially in the trendier shopping districts. At the Zhongxiao-Dunhua section of Taipei City, for instance, a tiny alley can sometimes have as many as five tea salons.
Ashley Su, marketing and communications director of Season Cuisine Patissiartism, told Taiwan Today during a March 24 interview that the craze for French patisseries is partly the result of a more discriminating palate among Taiwanese consumers, who in recent years have traveled far and seen a great deal, and now look for similar experiences back home.
“The word ‘patissiartism’ means ‘the art of French patisserie gastronomy,’” Su said. “Our aim is to cater to customers’ needs and offer them the most innovative and unique dining experience.”
Located in Taipei’s Dazhi, an emerging exclusive residential area, the gorgeously designed Season houses a comfortable tea salon where customers can enjoy French pastries and cuisine, served fresh from a semi-open kitchen run by Season Hong, the magician behind all the restaurant’s fascinating creations.
Trained at the Ecole Gastronomique Bellouet Conseil de Paris in 2002 and L'Atelier Formation a la Haute Patisserie Pierre Herme in 2007, Hong is a pioneer who has introduced Taiwanese consumers to the macaron, a French delicacy that in no time at all has taken the local market by storm. Now the Taiwanese bakery luminary is trying to set a new trend for French desserts and dining in Taiwan.
“The style of our restaurant is somewhere between fine dining and bistro, as we hope that our customers can enjoy exquisite dishes in a relaxing and comfortable environment,” Hong said.
Modeled on Espai Sucre in Spain and Libertable in Japan, Season Cuisine Patissiartism serves dishes that incorporate elements of both desserts and savories, resulting in brand new—and sometimes bewildering—combinations of flavors, according to Season.
Examples include Mushroom Chocolate—a dish combining crusted mushroom flakes, caramel, and chocolate using molecular gastronomy techniques—and Sous-Vide Apple Crumble, which is served with olive oil-flavored sorbet.
“I often come up with some of the most mind-boggling ideas for desserts and patisseries,” Hong said. “My dessert is about innovation and thinking out of the box.”
Another innovative creation is a dish that looks like a potted plant. With mint leaves rooted in dirt made of crumbled chocolate and cookies, the dish offers one surprise after another, as one spoons in to find homemade mint ice cream mixed with pop rocks—a mixture that guarantees the most unusual sensations to the palate.
Those who prefer tradition to innovation can find satisfaction in the made-to-order mille feuille. Assembled and served right in front of customers with three layers of freshly baked puff pastry and two layers of vanilla cream topped with luscious strawberries and raspberry sorbet, the dessert is a sublime joy not to be missed.
Speaking of other restaurants and stores that sell French patisserie, Hong said the only competition he sees is with himself. “I try relentlessly to create desserts that patrons will love.”
“I get indescribable joy from baking the moment I see myself turning the craziest ideas into reality,” Hong said. “The sense of excitement and satisfaction is enormous, but lasts only for a few seconds before I move on.”
Eric Lee, founder of the Taipei-based Franciacorta Maison de Patisserie, is also a witness to the growing popularity of French confections in Taiwan.
“French patisseries were only a niche market in Taiwan when we started eight years ago, but now many people can name at least one or two traditional French pastries such as canele or macaron,” Lee told Taiwan Today March 15.
Evidence that Taiwan, especially Taipei City, has become a mature market for French confectionery includes the growing number of local French tea salons, as well as the arrival in Taipei of Michelin-starred French patissier Joel Robuchon and world-famous Japanese pastry chef Sadaharu Aoki, according to Lee, who spent two years in Europe learning from acclaimed French and Italian patissiers.
There is also the growing popularity of French patisseries among men, he added.
“Competition is inevitable as the market continues to grow,” Lee said. “What makes us different from others is that we try hard to stay true to the core values of French patisseries—freshness and quality of the ingredients, subtle flavors and perfect execution.”
One such example is macaron, according to Lee. The dainty meringue-based morsel is considered one of the most difficult French pastries to make, because of the high failure rate when baking its silky-smooth almond crust, Lee noted. As a result many restaurants use ready-to-bake macaron powders—but chefs at Franciacorta must strictly follow traditional recipes.
Another example is the classic French sweet orangette—handmade candied orange peels dipped in dark chocolate. Lee said their shredded French oranges need to go through a repeat pickling process for over a month before they are ready to be coated with chocolate.
Attributing the success of Franciacorta to teamwork, Lee said its products have won recognition from the general public and high-end customers such as Ferrari and Hermes.
“In running the store, my biggest sense of achievement comes from introducing the classic and elegant lifestyle of indulging oneself in French pastry to the people of Taiwan,” he said.
La Douceur is another popular French pastry restaurant in Taipei. Its owner Remy Chiang said French confections have opened the eyes of many people in Taiwan, who tend to think that desserts are all made of chiffon or sponge cakes.
“French desserts are like artworks and they look as beautiful as jewelry,” Chiang said. “They are the most elaborate confection, made by assembling different elements together, including pastry, filling, glaze and tempered chocolate—each on its own is a true test for a French patissier.”
At La Douceur, the signature caramel custard mille feuille with apple puree has been the best-seller since the restaurant opened in 2008, said Chiang, who received his training at the Paris-based pastry school Lenotre.
“For most French, the essence of French patisserie is to recapture their childhood memories with some of the most classic tastes similar to those made by their mothers or grandmothers,” Chiang said. “No matter how patissiers change the appearances of these confections, their taste always stays the same out of respect to tradition.”
There are also modern variations of traditional French desserts at La Douceur, said Chiang, adding that he has replaced sweetened pureed chestnuts used in the classic Mont Blanc with taro paste for a bit of local touch. Other special creations include macarons made with Tonka beans and pop rocks.
Another key to La Douceur’s popularity is its French feminine decor, which incorporates vibrant colors with comfortable seating areas that many female customers find elegant and inviting.
Many patrons have also fallen in love with the restaurant logo, which shows a smiling little girl ready to savor the canele in her hands, Chiang said, adding that it is designed based on the image of his daughter.
“I hope to see the same smile on the face of every customer who leaves my restaurant with contentment and satisfaction,” he said.
Write to Rachel Chan at rachelchan@mail.gio.gov.tw