Better than having the bean: drawing it. This year, for Epiphany, baker-pastry chef Rémi Lacoste, based in Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, invited the children of the town to get their hands dirty and imagine their own bean. A good way for him to mark the occasion, one year after winning first prizes in the departmental and regional competitions for the best frangipane pancake. “It was important for me to involve the village,” he confides in the kitchens of his bakery located rue du 16-Mars-1962.
In conjunction with the management of the local primary school, he initiated a drawing competition around a simple theme: the village of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul. “We received around a hundred drawings and we selected nine,” explains the baker. We would have liked to please more children, but the manufacturer told us that producing more would be difficult. »
Nine drawings were selected from around a hundred proposals from children at the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul school.
Isabelle Louvier / SO
On the precious pieces of porcelain, we find the drawings of Thomas, Lola, Louis, Aliénor, Hosanna, Léana, Spencer, Sacha and Léane. Their works, representing the village music school, the church, or even the Glacière pond, are all signed with their first name. “They really worked hard,” smiles Rémi Lacoste tenderly, who does not hide having taken great pleasure in discovering their creations. It was very difficult to choose. »
Made in France from bean butter
The beans imagined by the little Vincentians were designed and painted by hand in the workshops of the artisanal company Panessiel, located in Isère. The Lacoste bakery ordered 5,000. A figure which may seem astronomical, but which corresponds to the sales habits of this renowned establishment. “They will all leave,” assures the pastry chef. Last year, we sold 9,000 galettes des rois, helped by the results of the competitions I had just won. »
Rémi Lacoste may have failed “narrowly” during the national competition which took place in Haute-Loire at the beginning of December 2023, its frangipane benefits from a reputation for excellence shaped by its know-how and the products which he carefully chooses: butter made near La Rochelle and flour produced in the Gers.
“I prefer to sell a few fewer cakes, but have the best product”
By his own admission, this is the first time that the baker has also used beans made in France for his pancakes. An approach which obviously has a cost: these porcelain beans cost him 1 euro each, compared to 45 euro cents for beans from Asia. “Of course, the quality of the products used has an impact on the final price of the product,” notes the pastry chef who is used to seeing certain customers complain about his prices.
But Rémi Lacoste does not intend to change his approach for the sake of a few dissatisfied people. “It’s a pleasure and a source of pride to have beautiful beans this year,” he maintains. For us artisans, focusing on quality and proximity is our only way to make a difference against the big chains who can afford to cut their prices. I prefer to sell a few fewer cakes, but have the best product. » Regardless of its price, this year the galette des rois from the Lacoste bakery will contain an invaluable treasure for the families of the budding artists who designed these beans.
Count €14.80 for a pancake for four people, €22.20 for six people.
