Religeuse

The wind is blowing through the trees outside and it is peaceful after a busy hot day. It felt like holiday today , which is good because we are off to France tomorrow. Actually first we are going to London to have Dim Sun with my sister in law and then off to France on Friday.

I keep remembering all the food I've tasted in France over the years when I went on holiday there as a kid. I particularly remember being introduced to a pastry called a religeuse which is choux pastry and on the inside has a creamy custard style filling. It is iced with chocolate icing and has cream somewhere in it, I forget where just now!

A religeuse is made by putting a mini ball of choux pastry on top of a larger ball of choux pastry, a bit like a round pope with a hat on top. They make them in chocolate and coffee flavours, photos will follow after my holiday. For me a religeuse has a regal place in the French patisserie. Being introduced to one , by my mother, was part of my education into French society and as always with my family the food culture was an important part of this education. As if eating a religeuse was a rite of passage and gave me a distinguished air among the French that was on the outside. On the inside when I tasted the rich, thick, chocolate filling I felt as if a new world was opening up for me away from the emptiness.

A bientot