Low-calorie French pastries struggle to win over chefs and consumers
Attracting tourists from all over the world, it also allows pastry chefs to expand internationally (Yann Couvreur in Miami, Jean-Paul Hévin in Taiwan, Maison Caffet in Japan, among others). In January, a project to have French pastry listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage was launched by the Pâtisserie et Patrimoine ("Pastry and Heritage") association, chaired by Pierre Hermé.
The refined taste and aesthetic appeal of French pastry justifies its global reputation, but little thought is given to its nutritional value. In this discipline where sugar, butter, cream, flour and chocolate remain essential ingredients, is it not synonymous with junk food? Rich in fat and sugars, low in fiber, high in calories and with limited nutritional value, it certainly fits the definition. It is also worth noting that while French cuisine slimmed down in the 1970s, this movement never extended to dessert.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
16 minutes ago
- LeMonde
At Michel and Sébastien Bras' restaurant, a taste for the world passes from father to son
In 1963, Salvador Dali declared that the center of the world was the train station in the southern French city of Perpignan. The Surrealist genius was, however, mistaken. The true center of the world is nestled a little farther north, in the heart of the Aubrac plateau near the southern village of Laguiole. Getting there is no easy feat: You must travel for some time down winding, hilly, deserted roads, with the risk of falling in love with the region at every turn. Under the vast sky, sweeping pastures stretch as far as the eye can see. Then, around a bend, an estate that resembles a fortress appears: Le Debezou. A 12 th -century tower stretches its massive granite and basalt silhouette above a farmstead and cultivated plots. One could argue that it is here, in the garden of Lagardelle, that the center of the world has come to rest. How else to explain the presence, in this spot, of lemongrass from Madagascar, rau ram (a Vietnamese coriander with peppery notes), or tangy shiso leaves, which are served with sushi and sashimi in Japan?
Local France
6 hours ago
- Local France
August weather, summer apps, and back to school: 6 essential articles for life in France
After much of France recently enjoyed cooler temperatures following an intense heatwave in late June and early July, French forecasters have warned that August could bring hotter, drier weather, along with possible heatwaves. It is still early for month-long predictions, and the various weather models do not yet agree on the intensity of the heat and the day it is set to start – here's what the experts predict. High temperatures and possible heatwaves to return in France in August From translation tools, to weather and sea forecasts, and road planners to restaurant recommendations, these apps and websites will help you make the most of your time in France. 14 Essential websites and apps for summer in France Each year, social media posts poke fun at the long French holiday tradition, often comparing it to a lack of vacation time for workers in the US. And there is a prevailing notion that France completely shuts down during the month of August, and all French people spend an entire month away from work. But how true is it? Factcheck: Do French people really take off the entire month of August? The holiday season is in full swing, but September is heading towards us like a slow-moving freight train – bringing with it la rentrée . Already, to the dismay of school-age children the length and breadth of the country, supermarket shelves are dripping with pens and folders, inks and erasers, reminding them that this long spell of relaxation will eventually end and schools will reopen. So, from the practical – stationery, uniforms, packed lunches – to the emotional – parental involvement and help for struggling kids – and the crucial issue of aid for non-French speakers, here's what to expect if your child is starting school in France for the first time on September 1st. Advertisement How to prepare for your child starting at French school One of the stated aims of the EU's new Entry & Exit System is to catch overstayers, especially those who have over-stayed their 90-day allowance. Here's a look at what changes for those who currently travel visa-free to Europe. How will the EU's new EES passport checks affect the 90-day rule? If you move to France, it can be very expensive to ship all your furniture over from abroad, so you may want to consider buying some of it here. Although Ikea is in France for those of you who like flat-pack furniture and a cheeky cinnamon bun, other homeware and furniture suppliers are available. Here are a few, for a range of budgets. Not just Ikea: where you can buy furniture in France
Local France
2 days ago
- Local France
When will French airports scrap their 100ml liquid limit rules?
Despite multiple European airports recently announcing they were scrapping their 100ml liquid limit for hand baggage, Paris airports will continue to enforce the rule "for the time being". A spokesperson for Groupe ADP ( Aeroports de Paris ), which manages the international airports of Charles de Gaulle-Roissy, Orly and Le Bourget, told The Local on Friday: "I can confirm that, for the time being, nothing has changed regarding liquids in hand baggage and security checks." They did not give any indication whether (or when) these rules would change. France's regional airports are also still enforcing the 100ml liquids rule. Advertisement Recently the ECAC (European Civil Aviation Conference) has granted authorisation to use new high-tech EDSCB (Explosive Detection Systems for Cabin Baggage) scanners - which do away with the 100ml liquid limit. Use of this system also means that passengers no longer have to display liquids in a see-through bag, or unpack liquids and electronic items from their hand baggage during the security checks. So far, several airports, including five in Italy , as well as Denmark's Billund Airport , have scrapped the 100ml liquid limit for hand baggage, following authorisation for use of the EDSCB scanners. Other countries, like Germany , have been slower to change their liquid limit rules. In France only two airports - Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly - have so far installed the scanners. They experimented with scrapping the liquids rule in 2024, but an EU ruling over safety concerns meant they had to reinstate it. Has anything changed at Paris airports? The Groupe ADP spokesperson pointed to the organisation's recent LinkedIn post , which indicated that Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly would begin offering simplified and quicker security inspections with the scanners. "Thanks to the 3D scanners at security checkpoints, hand baggage can be analysed without needing to remove its contents. "This technology guarantees improved comfort (no need to take electronics or liquids out of carry-on luggage) and time saved (with a one-third reduction in clearance time), as well as an increased level of safety." The new scanners have been deployed at security checkpoints at Charles de Gaulle airport at Terminals 2B-D, 2E hall K, 2F and Terminal 1. They have also been deployed at Paris-Orly Terminal 3. Although passengers at these terminals will no longer need to unpack their hand baggage, the 100ml liquid rule remains in place. Advertisement What about other French airports? So far, the specialised scanners have only been introduced to France's Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly airports. They were used in test phases at Orly from 2023 and at Charles de Gaulle from March 2024 until the ECAC halted their use in September 2024 . Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports at the time were able to relax liquid limits, but after months of testing, the European Commission decided that flaws in the devices necessitated a temporary return to the old rules for liquids, which have been in place since 2006. Earlier this summer, after further security testing, the Commission allowed airports to once again scrap the liquid rule. Therefore, as things stand, all French airports will continue operating with the existing liquid limit rules. While this could change in the future for the airports equipped with the EDSCB scanners, the old rules are expected to remain in place at any airports that have not deployed EDSCB equipment.
