Walking the rue Sainte Catharine or anywhere else in Bordeaux you will inevitably pass various patisseries displaying their wares in the window. Almost as inevitable, you will see caramel brown molded pastries. These are canelés, one of the specialties of the region. Unfortunately I do not know the history of these sweets, just that they are everywhere. We found them sold all over Saint Emelion when we spent a Saturday there and they are even sold from a cart on the pedestrian street of rue Sainte Catharine with the large sign behind it claiming that these are artisanal.
Since I am still a tourist here, not settled in with a host family and living in a sort of limbo between summer and the actual start of university courses, I went for the touristy little cart for my first taste of canelés. They are not large, just about as tall as a normal sized finger is long. Since there was no one to explain the proper way of eating it, I went straight in and took a bite from the top. Though baked and solid, the inside is like a very sturdy custard. Not so custardy that it would begin to ooze, firmer than most crème brulées, but not a bread-like pastry that one might expect from looking at the outside appearance.
The taste, I must admit, was not the explosion of excitement that I had been hoping for. Pleasant to be sure, it was sweet in a caramel way, with a hint of the rum that flavors it, but nothing too complex or different about it. Now I have quite a sweet tooth, which everyone here has quickly discovered, but despite being glad that I tried the canelés, I see no particular reason to search them out again. Bien sur, I would not refuse one if it was offered to me, but I think my waistline is safe from canelé gorging. Too bad I can’t say the same thing about the chocolatiers or the baguettes.
pictures to come once I have better access to the internet
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