Vendée Brioche, the Recipe for Mornings in the Pays de la Loire
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In LaBouffe, I always talk about what truly sustains me: flavour, rhythm, and the way a dish can bring a little order back to a day without asking me to play a part. I see myself in recipes that embrace time, because my life often unfolds between two trains, an open notebook, a few photos taken along the way, and that very simple need for an honest, comforting meal, without any theatrics. That is why I return to Vendée brioche, a true signature of the Pays de la Loire: tender, generous, and rather true to my temperament as an archivist with a sensitivity for things that endure. I make it with flour, eggs, warmed milk, butter, sugar, a pinch of salt, baker’s yeast and, depending on my mood, a hint of orange blossom water; I knead it for a long time to achieve a supple dough, leave it to rise until it has caught its breath, shape it into a braid or a wreath, then let it rise again before brushing it with egg wash and baking it until the crust takes on that warm colour that already makes you hungry. I love it because it speaks of the Vendée and, more broadly, of the Pays de la Loire, with an unpretentious simplicity. I think of it as a recipe for sharing, almost for setting off: the kind I slice thinly for a slow breakfast, an afternoon snack between connections, or a quiet moment upon returning home. I find it has the balance I often seek in the way I eat: indulgent enough to be pleasurable, restrained enough to remain gentle, especially when I pair it with fruit, plain yoghurt, or coffee that is not too sweet. I do not need to overdo things to make it a success; I respect the dough, I respect the resting times, and each time I rediscover that very simple truth I like so much in cooking: when I take my time, I eat better, and I feel more in tune with myself.
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Where: Pays de la Loire