Just what is a crémet d’anjou? Sadly, it’s not a drink. Fortunately, it is a dessert. A towering dessert of fromage blanc, cream, and eggs, whipped together with and pressed through gauze – I’m not sure why. Left to cool for 8 hours in a refrigerator and served with a strawberry sauce.
Since I moved to Angers, the city of the crémet d’anjou‘s inception, my husband has been badgering me to make this famous dessert. As he wasn’t with me however, it seemed like a lot of work to go through to make one dessert for one person. And the full recipe looks a little bit more intimidating than I’d like. Blanc niege and draining things through gauze? Not to mention the lack of fridge space in my apartment.
So I did the next best thing; when my husband arrived for a vacation visit I took him to a restaurant that I’d been told served a proper crémet d’anjou.
Appropriately titled: Le Crêmet d’Anjou.
We went for lunch, which is without a doubt a much more relaxed affair than dinner, and sat down with every intention of restraining ourselves to one main course and the dessert.
Ha.
Our amuse-boûche was very simple. Minced black radish drizzled with olive oil and a small toast of rillette de maquereaux (kind of like mackerel paté). While fresh and tasty, it was nothing to write home about. I added a little bit of fleur de sel that had been offered and it did bring out the taste some, but we were still missing a herb for the radish.
For first course I decided on their mysterious Délice de la Mère Thérèse. A boudin blanc mixed with garlic and spices served with lettuce and fresh warm bread. This was simple but well seasoned and not too heavy.
The main course was something my husband and I cannot resist, especially if it’s well cooked. Duck confit. Served with light, soft gratin potatoes and another green salad. No heavy sauces or crazy sides here. It was like home cooked comfort food that you’d never make this well at home. What I especially liked about the duck confit was that the skin was golden crisp. My husband remarked that the meat was tender and juicy, easy to pull off the bone, but not falling off. The way good duck confit should be.
And finally dessert: A massive tower of crémet d’anjou. Traditionally, this is served with a sauce of strawberry or raspberry, something fruity and acidic. But when the server gave me the option of salted caramel, I couldn’t resist. Never say no to salted caramel.
The crémet d’anjou has a plain, mild cream taste. It’s like a thick whipped cream, minus the sugar. This makes it easier to eat than you might imagine even after a big meal.
Everything was well cooked and seasoned. Despite being three courses, the portions were a good size but not overwhelming and at a proper price – 22 Euros. We left full, but not stuffed to the brim.
The servers were a bit confused at times; they didn’t seem to know anything about what they were serving. For the amuse-boûche the first server said the radish was turnip and when I ask what grape our wine was she didn’t know. However, they were friendly and courteous, and we wondered if they were trainees. One nice touch towards the end of our meal was seeing the chef, who came out of the kitchen to ensure that all the clients were satisfied. It’s always a good sign to meet the person behind the meal.
For a good and filling lunch, classic dishes with nothing fancy, we really enjoyed le Crêmet d’Anjou. While the food was not mind-blowing, it was definitely quality for the price, with a casual atmosphere and a friendly, if confused staff. A good restaurant with good, warm, comforting cuisine.
Le Crêmet d’Anjou 21 rue Delaâge, 49100 Angers 02.41.88.38.38 Also if you’re just stumbling on this blog today and have visited France, please don’t forget about my survey for my final research paper! All responses are good responses!
Amazing,, as usual.