Galette des rois and other kingdoms remain popular with gourmands

Laure Perrot s’attend à voir la demande exploser dès ce samedi 6 janvier. MIDI LIBRE – CHARLES LEDUC

À Alès, ces prochains jours, pour L’Épiphanie, ces gâteaux se retrouveront sur les tables, comme le veut encore la "tradition".

"Tradition is still respected, even if it’s less spread out than before", declares Laure Perrot, from the Fournil Alésien on rue Saint-Vincent, who refers to what’ ;she experienced it last year. "While we pushed until the first week of February, we stopped at the end of January." However, galettes des rois and other kingdoms will be in the minds, and hands, of many in the coming days. "People always come to buy them from us because they are good and cheap,” laughs Magali Fabaron, from her stand in the temporary halls, under the town hall square. "There are regulars, because we have been here for 42 years, and others who come through word of mouth." "Yes, , it's a must, corroborates Clémence Veyret, of the eponymous pastry shop, located rue Edgar-Quinet. "We, the cake, it’s January, not before!" "The Three Wise Men went to see Jesus in January, when they had their RTT… ", her husband Sylvain laughs.

Traditional recipe and "innovations"

Rue Saint-Vincent, we focus on "tradition", with a frangipane galette, puff pastry, and brioches with three flavors to choose from: fruit, almonds, praline. At Fabaron le Cévenol, it is specified that the kingdoms do not contain candied fruits, “because many do not like them, and the children sort them”. Clémence and Sylvain Veyret also respect the pastry tradition… while innovating at the same time. The pastry chef from rue Edgar-Quinet promises "innovations throughout the month", recalling one of his specialties: frangipane with pistachio and morello cherries.

The advantage goes to the kingdoms, but…

In any case, in Alès, gourmands are visibly turning more towards the kingdoms than the pancakes. "We are in the South; we have a root more like brioche than frangipane,” analyzes Laure Perrot. And at Magali Fabaron, "we have our tradition of the kingdom”. However, in the Veyret house, it is the galettes des Rois that come "slightly" in the lead. "And I don’t know how to explain it…", whispers his pastry chef.

Santons, beans and… collections

At the Fournil Alésien and at Fabaron le Cévenol, when we talk about beans, the "santons" arrive on the table. Laure Perrot and Magali Fabaron explain that “the bean is expensive; if we choose more expensive ones, we will have to increase the price of the pancakes. And then, "people come for our products", says the second, when the baker from rue Saint-Vincent explains that she "prefers, by keeping prices competitive, to have the quality on the brioche and on the almond cream. Sylvain Veyret also pays attention to the choice of beans so as not to blow up his customers' bills. That being said, he slips two into his cakes and kingdoms: "a bean, because it’s tradition, and one for collection".

At Laure Perrot, the Rois cakes arrived in the windows last Sunday, but the bulk of sales will take place, the baker predicts, "this Saturday and throughout next week". They are concocted day by day by her husband Léon, which means that there is no stock and which explains the past reservations. "I'd rather miss than throw away…", she said. "We started production before Christmas and we will continue until our February holidays. Each product has its season and its tradition, says Magali Fabaron. And like at the Veyret pastry shop, some come to the halls to buy pancakes and other brioches to freeze… hellip; and enjoy them later.

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