Meringues by Fred and Czech crystal. Prague has a confectionery, after which the whole of France went crazy
Do you know the confectionery Aux Merveilleux de Fred from your travels in France? It is a traditional specialty from northern French Flanders, primarily the iconic Merveilleux meringue dessert. The fame of this sweet fluffy lump was returned by the enthusiastic confectioner Frédéric Vaucamps.
He had been experimenting with historical recipes since 1982, and he soon succeeded in perfecting them and bringing them lightness and subtlety. In 1997, he decided to name his patisserie in Lille after this magnificent dessert. And that was the moment when the Aux Merveilleux de Fred brand was also born. The whipped cream wrapped in a sprinkle of different flavors has become an icon.
Originally, they were made only with chocolate shavings, but the Merveilleux confectionery also came up with other variants – such as speculoos biscuits, coffee, cherry, praline and caramel – which it continues to change from time to time. There are also several sizes to choose from. In addition to the classic, there is also the Incroyable mini cake, cake size, and even a maxi cake of sixteen or more servings.
The brand has been expanding on a large scale since 2003. Several new stores have opened in France, and at the end of the decade it has expanded abroad – Fred’s kisses have already become a “little sin” for customers in Toronto, London or Tokyo.
Today, Aux Merveilleux de Fred can be found in thirteen French cities, and the confectionery in Berlin was the closest thing to our people. Until the beginning of this year, when the first Czech branch opened in Revoluční Street.
It took a while to fine-tune all the details to perfection, so it is only presented to you today. “I had the idea of setting up a branch in Prague in my head for many years, which I spent around the world. When I first came here in 2012, I fell in love, “says Romain Carrette, senior manager of a Prague confectionery boutique.
He also recalls how he settled in the Czech Republic four years ago and contacted the Aux Merveilleux team with a question about further expansion towards Prague. “We all agreed that kisses should be here,” he explains.
Fréderic Vaucamps wanted his concept to be reminiscent of a late 18th-century community salon, precisely a period in which the higher society, Incroyables and Merveilleuses, went to salons to discuss over a cup of tea and a dessert on a plate. on politics and economics.
But mainly to be seen and displayed their robes and jewelry. The Aux Merveilleux de Fred shops are decorated with a gold mirror, a wood paneled counter (boisserie) and a huge crystal chandelier. The logo became the shadow outline of one such period pair of “Amazing”.
The walls of each store are also decorated with an enlarged engraving of the satirical gallant scene Le Bon Genre, which was published in 1801 and which depicts the main character of this social trend, Madame Recamier.
But we will also discover one Czech clue. The Czech brand Preciosa Lighting has been supplying crystal chandeliers to Aux Merveilleux branches for six years now. Depending on the size of the space, these are Maria Theresia, Picolomini or Roy luminaires, all in gold and with premium trimmings.
How did this Franco-Czech connection come about? During one of his trips abroad, Frederic Vaucamps saw a Preciosa chandelier in Vienna. He liked it immensely, and when he returned from the trip, he met the Preciosa distributor in Bruges, where he was about to open a branch. And so it all began.
The offer of desserts is also the same in all Aux Merveilleux branches. There was no special flavor or extra dessert for Prague. The same Merveilleux, but also fresh waffles filled with cream with real vanilla or cramique and croissant will melt in your tongue just like in Lyon and New York.
You can see a bit of confectionery skills and perfect design, because from morning to evening all the delicacies are created right before your eyes to be as fresh as possible.
Only a counter and a glass shop window separate the skilled confectioners and the customer. “We all hired here, we were lucky to find the French who live here, who are confectioners and who know about our shops in their homeland, so it helped us a lot,” says Carrette, who refuses to focused only on expats.
You want to expand the staff and it has a similar intention with raw materials. Some in the Czech Republic are not of the same quality, so it is necessary to drive from France. But the plan is as local as possible over time and at the same time meets the strict criteria of its founder.