“The gourmet stage” takes us from Reims to Dijon. Nathalie Helal is with Sandrine Audegondwine historian, to introduce us to two of the specialties of Reims, the famous pink biscuits and Krug Grande Cuvée champagne, as well as the gastronomic city of Dijon and its cellar with 3,000 references of wines from all over the world.
The famous pink cookie
In Reims, champagne is enjoyed with a pink biscuit. Clarisse Viviermarketing and store network manager for Maison Fossier, the house of pink biscuits in Reims, comes to tell us the story of the house and the famous biscuit.
Founded in 1756, Maison Fossier, labeled “Living Heritage Company”, is the oldest biscuit factory in France. The choice of ingredients, the know-how of the Master Biscuit Makers, the preservation of the traditional character of its recipes make it a benchmark.
The pink biscuit dates from the 1690s. At that time, bakers from the Champagne region, anxious to use the heat of their oven after removing the bread, had the idea of creating a special dough which, after undergoing a first baking, was left in the bread oven where it finished drying. Hence the word ” biscuit “, i.e. cooked twice. Originally, the cake was white. We wanted to flavor the dough with vanilla. To do this, we had to crush the pod in a mortar with sugar to extract the aromatic substance in the form of small particles of almost black color. Mixed into the crisp white batter, these vanilla particles speckled the finished cake. We then had the idea of masking this pigmentation with a little red dye. And that’s how the lovely pink biscuit from Reims was born! Since then, its recipe has remained unchanged, as has its manufacturing method, which retains the double cooking practiced originally.
Reims, capital of champagne
Unmissable in Reims, champagne is available according to the houses, the crus and the cuvées. Maison Krug is one of the most famous Champagne houses: Olivier Krug6th generation of the family, presents us the 170th edition of Krug Grande Cuvée.
Indeed, since 1843, Maison Krug has paid tribute to the dream of its founder, Joseph Krug, by creating each year, independently of annual climatic variations, a new Edition of Krug Grande Cuvée, a blend of 195 wines from twelve different years. The youngest dates from 2014 and the oldest dates back to 1998. A stay of about seven years in the cellars gives it its expression and its so particular elegance. Aromas of flowers, ripe, candied and dried citrus, as well as marzipan and gingerbread stimulate the nose. Notes of hazelnut, nougat, barley sugar, fruit and citrus jelly, almonds, brioche and honey explode in the mouth.
The International City of Gastronomy and Wine
In Dijon, in the heart of Burgundy, we talk about snails, gingerbread, mustard and kir.
Nathalie Helal receives Dominique Buccellatoresponsible for the International City of Gastronomy and Wine, which presents all activities what the Cité offers this summer: exhibitions, gourmet shopping, introduction to oenology, meetings with winegrowers, chef masterclasses, cooking and cocktail workshops, event menus, treasure hunts, film previews, festivals… Sandrine Audegond tells us talks about the establishment, the “Cave de la Cité”, which offers 3,000 references of wines from around the world, including 250 served by the glass.