THE ORIGINS OF SABLÉ
The recipe for Sablé, a pure butter biscuit, has been handed down from generation to generation, with strong roots in the town whose name it bears, Sablé-sur-Sarthe, in the heart of the Pays de la Loire region.
In July 1670, Vatel, maître d'hôtel to the Grand Condé, had a multitude of small, dry, round cakes served on trays.
The origins of Petit Sablé go back as far as a letter written by Mme de Sévigné to her daughter. Thanks to Grand Vatel and the Marquise de Sablé, the reputation of the Véritable Sablé, whose recipe is perpetuated by La Sablésienne, is still very much alive.
L'amOur has such a particular character, that you can't hide it where it is, nor feign it where it is not.
MARQUISE DE SABLÉ
This letter from Madame de Sévigné mentions the presence, during this meal, of a guest of honour in the person of Magdeleine de Souvré, Marquise de Sablé. What coincidence was there between the arrival on the princely table of a new type of biscuit and the presence of Mme de Souvré as guest of honour?... (article in Ouest-France 1972).
Magdeleine de Souvré, Marquise de Sablé (1599-1678) and close friend of the famous La Rochefoucauld, was renowned for her great beauty. She entertained the elite of the "précieux" and "précieuses" and launched the fashion for maxims in her Salons. This is probably where the Maximes de la Rochefoucauld were born.
The Marquise de Sablé is the world's greatest gourmet. She claims that no one has a finer taste than she does.
TALLEMENT DE RIAUX
THE PURE BUTTER SABLÉ FROM SABLÉ-SUR-SARTHE IS PART OF FRANCE'S CULINARY HERITAGE
In 1989, the French Ministry of Culture launched a research programme to take stock of France's culinary heritage. The Conseil National des Arts Culinaires (CNAC) was set up to coordinate this inventory. A steering committee of "national experts" was set up to list the regional specialities of France's culinary heritage. Twenty-two volumes were published between 1990 and 2003, making up a unique collection that is highly regarded by French gastronomes. Of course, our recipe for the Véritable Sablé de Sablé-sur-Sarthe has been listed by the Conseil National des Arts Culinaires (CNAC) and has its own page in this inventory. Our famous Petit Sablé de Sablé recipe is also listed in the Larousse Culinaire.
The Biscuiterie
From the 20th century to the present day, Georges Justier, a passionate pastry chef, built the Biscuiterie de Sablé-sur-Sarthe in 1962. He was very proud to perpetuate the heritage of the many Sablé pastry chefs who, for centuries, had handed down the historic recipe of pure fresh butter from generation to generation.
The Heritage Biscuit
Amélie Loret Scherrer took over Biscuiterie La Sablésienne in 2003. The great-granddaughter of a pastry chef and the daughter of a biscuit-maker, Amélie discovered the gourmet world of biscuit-making at the age of 6.
Passionate about taste, innovation and creation, she took the gamble at the age of 31 to take over the Sablé biscuit factory, La Sablésienne, which makes the authentic Petit Sablé from Sablé-sur-Sarthe.
A lover of good things, Amélie seeks out forgotten recipes to bring them up to date. Today, she and her team are perpetuating the French biscuit-making tradition. She gives La Sablésienne its traditional character, with biscuits baked on metal sheets and picked up by hand.
EACH BISCUIT IS A BLEND OF TRADITION AND MODERNITY
The emphasis is on natural ingredients, with no preservatives, colourings or artificial flavourings. La Sablésienne is committed to sourcing its raw materials mainly from the region. It has also set up a local work integration scheme.
Nourished by her many travels and curious about other cultures, Amélie guides her pastry chefs towards original and innovative creations. In this respect, Japan is a country that fascinates her, particularly for its art of living around gifts.
The Sablésienne has since opened several boutiques in the west of France, and is currently also opening boutiques in Asia to offer gourmets the experience of the pleasure of taste...
