Croissants - the essential ingredient for a relaxing Saturday breakfast. And fresh from the oven of Didier Richeux, our trusty Eumundi patissier, they're simply scrumptious. So scrumptious, in fact, that it's even worth braving Saturday market rush hour to grab some. So what makes a good croissant? I would say a perfectly crisp, flakey and golden brown outside, and a pillowy, buttery, pull-apart heaven on the inside. This miraculous pastry manages to be light, yet substantial. It takes the French. And that, of course, is just the plain variety. Then there's the divinely rich almond, filled to bursting with the ambrosia that is marzipan, and thickly dusted with icing sugar and almond flakes. And lastly, what I like to call "Phil's downfall" - the pain au chocolat, laced with layers of wickedly bitter chocolate.
Should you feel a slight pang of guilt as you walk away with your bag of not-entirely-health-conscious indulgence, consider the golden rule (no doubt invented by the French), i.e. it's quality, not quantity, that counts. Generally speaking, the French are a slender, healthy people - despite their apparent fondness for dairy products and goose fat. Of course, the fact that they invented the concept of joie-de-vivre - a quality in which Didier himself is not lacking - may also help to explain their relatively low incidence of heart disease. Didier has been proudly selling his fine produce at Yum, his premises in Eumundi, for the past five years. Tourist trade aside, he has a loyal local clientele who regularly drop by - not just for the food, but also for the jokes (not great), the rambling anecdotes, and a dose of Didier's homespun philosophy.
As for his CV as patissier/glacier/chocolatier (as the trade is respectfully known in France), let's just say it's impressive, and includes some very prestigious establishments and clients. Sadly, I've been forbidden to name drop (and they say the French are arrogant). Didier is, however, more than happy to reveal that he once ran his own pastry cooking school in Uzés, near Nîmes. And he's justly proud of the numerous awards he's won for his delicious ice cream - his true passion. It's full of real fruit, and is truly made fresh on the premises. On a hot Eumundi afternoon, a cone of Didier's creamy frozen confection (passionfruit highly recommneded) is the perfect antidote to the summertime blues. And now to the final stages of the perfect Saturday breakfast (or Sunday, if you have enough willpower to wait till then). Place your croissants, still in their bag, in a very low oven to keep warm. Make a decently strong pot of coffee. Pour into small, deep bowls with a generous quantity of hot milk. Now take a croissant, pull gently apart and then "one, two, three dunk!" Then devour. Repeat. No it's far from bad manners. It's French - no, make that Eumundi/French - style. Life is short. Enjoy! Bon appetit!
Didier can be found at Eumundi Markets every Wednesday and Saturday, (find him on Memorial Drive, just up from the servo), and is more than happy to discuss pastry, ice cream, the meaning of life, or anything else of interest. [This article originally appeared in Greaternoosa Living magazine, January issue. Words and photos by me. Thanks to Corina Best for the snappy title!]