Seve
Baba Au Rhum
Raspberry St. Honore
Paris Brest with Strawberry and Verbena
Pistachio Raspberry Mille-Feuille
Iberico Macaron
Foie Gras Macaron
Morel and Mushroom Macaron
Gorgonzola Sesame Macaron
Strawberry Macaron, Rum Raisin Macaron, Pistachio Macaron, Salted Caramel Macaron
Having already perused Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse during previous days, but holding off on anything but a few souvenirs until the end of the trip, it was stop three of the morning that saw me pay visit to Seve Patisserie, and with no less than sixty confections ranging from chocolates to cookies and cakes the opportunity to overindulge proved far too tempting to be ignored.
Located straight-left from the entrance, easily the largest pastry counter in a gourmet food corridor housing some of the city’s most famous purveyors, Maison Seve was originally founded in 1905 and currently helmed by great-grandson Richard with five locations dotting Lyon the products remain an evolving work of passion – the 1999 Patissier of the Year even taking claim for being the creator of the world’s first savory Macaron.
No doubt a daunting display, at least two-dozen brightly colored jewels behind glass imploring passers-by to stop and take a taste, it was with chocolates purchased for friends that the order initiated, and quickly moving to pastry a dozen more items were selected, each item carefully boxed with white glove treatment and the 32€ tariff paid before taking the goods to a nearby table to be enjoyed.
Admittedly sporting a substantial sweet tooth, but not one to forgo signature items no matter how strange, it was with macarons that the Seve tasting began and although the sapor of the duck liver mousse between two cookies was substantially subdued by sugar the textures and flavors of every other variety featured a crisp break melting into creamy indulgence – the morel mushroom and Gorgonzola particularly punchy while the rum raisin was boozed up in just the right way.
Offering modern twists on classics as the foundation of its brand, four entremets were selected next from Seve’s seasonal collection, and with a pipette of rum piercing an already moist baba the clever trick allowed for customization beneath candied orange peel while both choux pastries dialed up summer fruits for a very natural and subdued sweetness, the hole-less brest particularly impressive with light notes of citrus as the St. Honore and crispy Mille-feuille saw raspberries used in forms both whole and jellied to help balance out their respective fillings of cream.
http://chocolatseve.com/