Cafe gourmand, literally gourmet coffee, is a recent discovery for me and I love it!
Everything stops for lunch in France, and I mean stops! Whether you are on a day trip to Calais or on holiday in Brittany or the Cote d’Azur, other than the cafes and restaurants, everywhere else closes.
In times past, lunch consisted of at least 5 courses, starter, mains, cheese, dessert, coffee and sometimes an aperitif. In more modern times this rather time-consuming meal has been updated to serve dessert and coffee as one.
Like the rest of us, the French no longer have time for a lengthy, expensive lunch. So out with the cheese and in with the dessert and coffee combination.
Introduced in 1985 at La Criee, but only becoming widely popular in around 2005, cafe gourmand consists of an expresso with a selection of 3-5 amazing mini desserts.
The content varies from region to region and part of the delight is that each restaurant has its own version. You never know what mini desserts will accompany the coffee.
Each time I have had cafe gourmand, it has been presented beautifully and I am enjoying it before a mouthful crosses my lips.
Without a doubt, it is coffee with style.
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