Hugo & Victor :: Victor Pêche
By Paris Pâtisseries in Hugo & Victor, Pastry Reviews
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There are so many different garnish philosophies in the world of Parisian pastry. Many chefs have a thing for “peacocking” their work with inedible garnishes that have to be picked off before you can take a bite. Others tend toward edible garnishes that don’t have much of an immediate connection to the underlying flavors and textures of the piece. Another brand of edible garnishes is one that’s so overdone in quantity that it distracts from the experience of the main pastry. Then there’s my favorite approach – the one where there’s nothing extraneous and nothing out of balance, as if a pastry’s vital elements were formed and arranged as much out of necessity as out of aesthetics.
Were it only for the quality of his flavors and textures, Hugues Pouget would be among my favorite Parisian pastry chefs, but his ability to produce original designs without the addition of gimmicky flare is what makes him a superstar. While clowns like Arnaud Larher turn out absurdity like the Paradis, Monsieur Pouget is elevating the game with his inspired, elegant and refined work. I could take any of his pieces as an example of that, but there’s perhaps no other that does quite so good a job as his Victor Pêche. And how does it taste? Well . . .
Amazcellentastic. It’s light. It’s refreshing. You bite into one of those golden bulbs of choux, and just as the fondant shares its sweet tingle, the tang of the raspberry-peach crème patissière within explodes in your mouth. Shards of full-bodied feuilletage dance about, as waves and ripples of delicately vanillaed crème Chiboust drift across your tongue. This dreamy ballet of tastes and textures is then accented both by a slice of exquisitely ripe peach and the potent raspberry coulis that’s hiding beneath the undulous flourishes of crème. Lucky for you, you’ll enjoy this all by the time you’re halfway through, Subsequent bites are equally revelatory, though tinged with the sadness that it’s all soon to be gone and that you need to walk back to H&V to buy another.
The only modest criticism I have is that the feuilletage was a little more deeply cooked here than usual. I felt as though the doneness was more befitting heavier, more autumnal, flavors. But it was by no means overdone, did little to distract from the fruit flavors, and actually lingered beautifully on the palate.
Just stare at the above and below for a bit. With no more than the addition of a few micrograms of lustre dust on the fondant, Hugues has rendered beauty – from every vantage point – out of cream, sugar, flour, butter and fruit.
And take in this raspberry deliciousness creeping its way out here . . .
There’s a reason I bought either this or the companion Victor Framboise at least once a week. I mean, how could one resist? . . .
So, yes, even though it’s not likely to be back in the case until June or so, the Victor Pêche makes for an excellent seasonal purchase. As with all of Hugo & Victor’s Saint-Honoré variants, it’s a pretty safe bet for a good time. The finest of the bunch might well be the Victor Pistache, so if they both happen to be on display, it’s pretty much incumbent upon you to snag one of each . . . and then eat them ravenously, without sharing.
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