Saturday, June 06, 2009

meringue heaven

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Probably my least favourite sweets, desserts, pastries are things involving meringue. Far, far too sugary sweet, powdery, often with a very unpleasant tang of egg white, not to mention hardly ever as delightfully sticky as one expects and wants. While a well made lemon pie is lovely, a lemon meringue pie (or any other poor pie covered in meringue) is, in my opinion, an abomination.

Having said that, I must admit that I recently by accident - and no not in a long term quest for the perfect meringue, I've long ago given up on meringue and me being something compatible - stumbled over what can quite possibly be considered the world's best meringue. Namely the ginormous meringue, from bakery/café Schelins konditori situated in small town Sala (an hour's drive or so north of Stockholm).

I do love the look of over sized flavoured meringues and as the ones on display at this café looked splendid and perfect for my mother's sweet tooth - not as discerning as her daughter's - we opted for one pear meringue to take home as a treat for her.

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As a sweet and caring mother she said I could have a sample, that it was quite lovely in pear flavour and unusually sticky. And, well, let's just say that was kind of an understatement... It was not only pretty cute, it was quite heavenly in bite. A distinct but still subtle pear flavour, reasonably sweet for a meringue, no egg whitey tang and a toffee stickiness that was... divine.

When we passed Sala some weeks later we popped by the bakery and bought two other meringues, one lemon, one raspberry. Both equally goody good as the pear one. Now I'm quite, quite glad we don't live close to a bakery with such meringues, because one might easily get addicted to their sticky sweet loveliness. A loveliness that hasn't at all turned me into a meringue lover. I'm just pleased to say I've found a hidden gem, I've discovered meringue heaven.

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~ Oh, and Happy National Day ~

8 comments:

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

I'm intrigued, and all ears! I, too, would generally rather eat nothing than eat meringue, so it's interesting to hear of somewhere that makes meringues worth going out of your way for...

Ady Grafovna said...

I feel the same way about meringue. I tend to just steer clear of it all together because it is so rare that you find a good one.

Oh but a good meringue is divine, isn't it?!

Wendy said...

I love meringues! Absolutely adore them and would choose them over most other desserts given the option. That said, when they're done badly, they can be very nasty indeed.

heidikins said...

That looks like a giant ice-cream sundae, with a pony on the top. ;o)

xox

Poppy Q said...

I love a good pavlova, but would be a bit weary of flavoured meringes. Pavlova is a large pizza shaped (but higher) meringe, which is crusty and light on the outside, and light and airy on the inside. Perfect with cream and strawberries.

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

You just need to appropriate the recipe now! I especially love the raspberry one. It is quite beautiful!

Kari said...

Had a heavenly one years ago and haven't found another good one since.

Pia K said...

afos, oh I bet you'd love these divinities!

Ady, wow yes, and I didn't know until now...!

I have friends who feel the same way about meringues, Wendy, I will never understand how their minds or palates work...;)

Ha, ha, indeed it does, heidikins, oh those crazy Swedes...;)

Hm, I'll see what I can do, Jacqueline - or not, perhaps...:)

Nope, no Pavlova for me either, Poppy Q, I'd much rather have the strawberries (raspberries!) and cream just like they are, meringue free...:)

Ah, to dream of the perfect meringue, Kari...

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