A talented pastry chef
With its tall metal facade, the Maison Miettes H.Q. looks like all the other buildings in the industrial zone in this area. From the outside, no delicious smells, or clear sign, just a board marked "Development of Culinary Art". Infact, it's impossible to know that you're on the site of a bakery, even less so one that is totally dedicated to gluten-free and run by a highly-talented pastry chef.
Stéphane Bour, 40, has had a brilliant career path. He's spent time working with pastry chef Nicolas Ber-nardé, Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Worker in France) and the caterer Saint-Clair one of the official suppliers to the Elysée Palace, before being propelled into the 3 star world (Marc Meneau, the legendary Marc Veyrat). Back then, even if he put all his energy into and enthusiasm into developing his art, he was still a long way from seeing pâtisserie gluten-free. The turning point came in 2007, "foreign customers often asked for gluten-free food".
A "mindful" bakery
Based in Bidart since 2017, in partnership with his wife Alexandra and his Basque friend Albert Izquierdo, he's made gluten-free fine pâtisserie his speciality. "The dessert is a moment that all gourmets should be able to share, whether they're gluten-intolerant or not". He spent hundreds of hours re-thinking his cake and biscuit recipes, madeleines, canelés, sablés, etc., using rice, buckwheat and corn flour... the gâteau basque alone needed 50 hours of testing. Whilst he was at it, he thought he may as well have some fun with the toppings. Alongside traditional cream or cherry versions, he invented many others including lemon, apricot & almond and an absolutely delicious pineapple & coconut merveilleux.
Committed to making his pâtisserie "mindful" from start to finish Stéphane Bour makes sure all his sweets are guaranteed free of additives, preservatives, azo dyes and texturing-agents.
For this perfectionist, quality also means "choosing the best raw ingredients". The cane sugar comes from the oldest sugar co-operative in Guadeloupe. The Piémont hazelnuts are caramelized and crushed in Bidart. Everything is prepared on site right through to the jam and the almond powder. He uses an AOP Montaigu Charentes-Poitou butter (with a hazelnut aroma) and a hint of Salt Flower from the Salies du Béarn. “This source-water salt takes longer to melt in the mouth". Behind every ingredient is a very specific purpose, ensuring you won't waste a crumb.
Originally from Laval (Mayenne department), Malika Guillemain settled in Bidart in the Basque Country in 2014.