I wanted my first post to be somewhere really special, so was wondering whether it should be Oxford's fantastic market, or one of Oxford's great food shops - like Maison Blanc.
I was on the train, heading for Oxford, reading the Daily Info, when I read a very favourable report about Chateau Gateau:
I was really glad I found this shop! The owner is a French man, Sebastien Lenglet, who is from Soissons, and he's passionate about what he does.
The kitchen is at the back of the shop:
and whilst talking to Sebastien, he had to keep checking his ovens to see if his Madeleines were ready:
I sometimes wonder whether I should have been a pastry chef, but when I see Sebastien's works of art:
I realise it's probably just as well that I didn't do this!
The only problem I had was knowing which one to buy:
I made a mistake here, as one of my purchases was a passion fruit cheesecake:
which tasted superb, but I gather was about the only thing in the shop that wasn't French!
If you're on a budget, you can buy one of his marshmallows for less than the price of a Mars Bar:
and I know which I'd prefer!
I deliberately didn't buy a Strawberry Tarte:
but only because I wanted to return to this little bit of France in England!
As for the macaroons, well they're the best in Oxford:
Since writing this Sebastien has returned to France, and is no longer here.
Quelle dommage!
Chateau Gateau
71 St Clements
Oxford
OX4 1AH
Tel: 01865 458108
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