The French Are Saying Oui to Vegan Croissants

 

It’s not easy to win over cultures that are very proud of their culinary traditions, but some very talented and classically trained plant-based pastry chefs in France are making inroads with a skeptical public that loves their animal products-laden pâtisserie. The Guardian explores how these innovators are creating elegant pavlovas, meringues and croissants without the butter and eggs but also without any compromise to taste expectations.

Rodolphe Landmaine, pastry chef and founder of pâtisserie and bakery Land and Monkeys not only has opened six bakeries in Paris during pandemic times but is working on a separate startup to develop alternative proteins from plant foods like potatoes and peas to replace eggs. Historian of French gastronomy Patrick Rambourg said, “The success of these plant-based pâtisseries lies in proposing the classics, but done in a different way. For French people, pâtisserie means pleasure. The young plant-based pastry chefs have understood how to anchor into the French landscape by operating like a traditional neighborhood pâtisserie, offering beautiful cakes for everyone. The taste corresponds to our traditions.”

Okay, now I am super hungry.

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-ROOT RIOT