Staple foods are nourishment to the soul because they provide the kind of sustenance that is at once nostalgic and comforting. When Asians travel to the West they are often confounded by the lack of rice on menus. For Westerners coming to Taiwan, the dearth of potatoes can sometimes cause stress. And though this is a generalization, many will go to great lengths to find staple foods that alleviate the yearning for home. For this reviewer, it is bread. Like any culinary Columbus, I will travel far and wide to discover new places providing breads and desserts.
The recently opened Patisserie Boite de bijou, located in an alley directly behind National Taiwan Normal University (Shida), fills in the map. The brainchild of Lin Shu-chen (林淑真), the small European-style bakery serves up an excellent variety of breads, pastries and desserts. The fact that Lin was an interior designer is apparent in the layout of her store; the service is also excellent, as is the bread coming out of the oven.
Lin uses flour imported from France, and says that special emphasis is put on making the breads totally natural, with no chemical enhancements. From scratch, the process of making the bread takes on average between one to three days, "which enables the ingredients to blend together and the dough to rise naturally," she said.
PHOTO: NOAH BUCHAN, TAIPEI TIMES
And though purchasing high quality breads and desserts means coughing up a little extra dough, the return on the investment is worth it. The foccacia (NT$40), French bread (NT$50), panini with black olives (NT$100) and baguette (NT$100) all provide a perfect accompaniment to any pasta dish while the rye bread with green peppercorns (NT$45) or French bread with cranberries (NT$75) are great foundations for any sandwich.
The variety of pastries and desserts on offer also receives the same care in experimentation that Lin and her team of chefs give to all their creations. Among the most popular are the mousse au chocolate et aux framboise (NT$85), gateau opera (NT$95) and the not too sweet mont blanc (NT$95), a light dessert that mellows out any bitter cup of coffee.
As it is the season to be jolly, Lin and her team of chefs have spent the last few weeks perfecting a Christmas stollen (NT$380) that would keep Santa coming back for more. In addition to the stollen there are also a variety of other cakes and breads perfect for any Christmas party or dinner.
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