Fascinated by this impressive display in a Marais bakery,
we decided to give mint a try. Thanks to the French writing, which I still find indecipherable, I asked for "gee-moo-ve" instead of "gui-moo-ve" but the shop assistant kindly corrected me and fetched the requested article.
When we took it home and cut it up, it looked like this.
We guessed that it had something in common with marshmallows and were right. This is the French version. The texture is utterly strange, evaporates in your mouth, or between your fingers if you squish it. On the tongue it is airy and sugary with a hint of slime but is overall quite pleasant. The exterior has a fine coating of sugar which provides something of a texture contrast. I think I would but it again, in part for the curiosity of how mandarin is transliterated into marshmallow, and to have the pleasure of saying its name... guimauve.
Here's where you'll find the bakery:
View Larger Map">Boulangerie Malineau,
