Summer is fruit season par excellence, with stalls bursting with bright colors and intoxicating fragrances.
In an exclusive interview, Chef Stephan Perrotte gives us an enchanting glimpse of his favorite summer fruits, tinged with vivid memories of his childhood in Valognes, Normandy.
What are your 5 favorite summer fruits?
- Raspberry
- Blackcurrant
- Fishing
- Gooseberry
- Blackberries.
Is there a memory attached to these fruits?
- Raspberry: It's with tender nostalgia that the Chef recalls the lush raspberry bushes that lined the garage wall in the family garden. Every evening, the ritual of picking was sacred, and the freshly harvested raspberries came to life in his grandmother's expert hands to become a masterful jam, unsurpassed in its sweetness and velvety texture.
- Blackcurrants: The warm, tangy memories of blackcurrants lining the bottom of the family garden awaken in the Chef a sense of wonder. The clusters of dark, sun-drenched berries offered an explosion of flavors reminiscent of homemade jam and summer delights.
- Gooseberries: Like tart little treasures, gooseberries captured the young Chef's imagination. The pleasure of tasting them as nature's fresh candy was an unparalleled experience. Today, the presence of these berries in his own garden perpetuates the tradition and revives sweet childhood memories.
These fruits, imbued with timeless memories, continue to inspire Chef Stephan Perrotte in his perpetual quest for authentic flavors and memorable culinary creations. Each bite is an invitation to relive those magical moments of summer in Valognes, when nature was their greatest conductor.