When I was little, when my grandmother and I had finished walking and shopping in downtown Bayonne, we passed through the Rue du Port Neuf and the Rue Victor Hugo to lead invariably on the Freedom Square, where, along the Nive, was the bus stop that took us back home. While the sun was sinking, I watched again with a bit of trouble, beyond the confluence of the Nive in the Adour, the stone arches of the Pont Saint Esprit. I did not appreciate this perspective, so majestic it is, because in addition to those for the melancholy of the day, the Pont Saint-Esprit was for me the path that led to the station, the place where I was cursed leave, in a wrenching, this happy time of my vacation. From the time I only remember a few tearooms Rue du Port Neuf, and this is actually until 2002 that the house Pariès it is installed. However, I already knew the boxes so characteristic of mouchous , designed by Ramiro Arrue , if I look good, I can still see the image of one of these boxes, set on the big red Formica table in the kitchen of my grandmother, as open and available to my greed. I believe that mouchous were a gift rather than classical were overnight guests, but on that, nothing is quite certain.
So it's not quite by accident that we stopped at home Pariès in St. Jean de Luz, on that day, although my memory of the moment, do not back me all these good reasons to stop there. This day of February, the weather was frankly summer, and we did not want to lock ourselves in a restaurant for lunch. Unfortunately, the seafront with its Casino de la Pergola designed by Mallet Stevens in 1927-28 but slightly modified since apparently it does not leave much room for small gargottes where you can enjoy a salad or grilled fish, go on the rear side of the harbor, and we could not forego the temptation to gaze at the clear blue sea.
A little frustrated so we are determined to do without breakfast, and to compensate for this frustration, we bring some sweets to enjoy on the sand.
We must recognize that coming to Saint Jean de Luz, in addition to the pleasure of the walk, we had another idea behind the head. We did not in fact failed to read the file Regal magazine devoted an issue to craft buttons in France, this reading we suggest that the next time we would stay in Biarritz, where we knew our love not would bring us sooner or later, we could make a short stop at home Adam sells buttons in such pretty boxes. Finally, in the afternoon on the beach of Saint Jean de Luz with Patoumi under a scorching sun, was the occasion, among other pleasures, to compare the talents of these two houses.
To begin, Basque cake. The first one I tasted is the home Pariès. A crust that is both firm and soft, crisp and well sanded without starting to smithereens, contains a creamy, firm without being dry, the smooth almond taste, not too quiet nor too pronounced. The cream is great, all is harmonious between crunchy and creamy, not too sweet. I ask nothing else to a Basque cake. few minutes later, I tasted one of Adam's house. And then disappointment: I wanted to eat another home Pariès.
The crust is good, no complaints. By cons cream is thick, somewhat pasty or gelatinous, and most importantly, there is the scam in the air. The picture speaks for itself, I say no more. Finally, it is perhaps a stroke of bad luck. This time, the house Pariès so handily won the victory with his basque delicious cake.
second step, the nougat. I bought from Pariès of coconut nougat and nougat in Adam's lemon. From that side, the trend reversed dramatically: the coconut nougat is much, much too sweet, not least, I desperately seek the coconut but I do, on the nose with palate that sugar, and taste marzipan sweet.
However, the home of Adam stands up, the lemon taste is present, rather than hand side peel pulp, but the flavor then agrees fairly well with the almond flavor that is the basis of nougat . To my taste is all a bit too sweet though.
I note that with regard to the format, that of the house Pariès is twice as big, but the price report. However, I regret having to finish a great touron not good ...
Side nougat, so the prize goes without question to Adam's house, although this is not the best I've eaten, but this is perhaps the scent chosen.
Finally the buttons. Here there will be no winner: first the two are delicious, and secondly they are so different that they do not seem really comparable. The
mouchous (kiss in Basque) is a kind of white badge of rather similar to those made today, with two shells with almond, welded by marzipan nature. The biscuit is generally flexible, not crisp, yet not soft at all. It's mellow, it's based, the core of marzipan has this soft side and a little dusty good almond paste, not too sweet. I really like. However, it must be a fan of marzipan, I am, because otherwise I do not see how it would appeal. Small clarification: it's pretty consistent, you eat one, and that's good.
Macaroons Adam did not have much to do with the buttons of contemporary pastry. They consist of a single shell to the kernel, cooked on plate, then cracked and slightly curved top and flat bottom. When one crunches, it is exquisite: the shell is crisp, the heart perfectly soft and melting. The flavor of almond paste is not too present, so Patoumi who does not like marzipan loved it. Not too sweet, not the slightest bitterness, we could eat the box without even without realizing it. And with the coffee ... Yum.
I therefore conclude that the two houses worth a detour, and now I would know what to choose. But I forgot: there are still other specialties to taste ...
Posted by G.
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