After several years of anticipation, Dijon’s Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin finally opened on Friday 6 May 2022 in Dijon! An eagerly awaited event by scores of visitors all looking forward to seeing what this centre holds for them in store inside… So come with me to explore this site which celebrates the gastronomic meal of the French.
After visiting the 1204 and a first exhibition devoted to the culinary world, it’s time for me to take my culinary experience up a notch… So I went to the temporary exhibition on the theme of French desserts! An exhibition sponsored by Pierre Hermé, one of the world’s best pastry chefs. Oh my gosh!
Spoiler alert: this exhibition is for foodies!
As soon as you enter the first room, you’ll be plunged straight into the theme of the exhibition with a room devoted to desserts from around the world: from the American donut to the Japanese mochis or the German black forest gâteau… This will make you want to travel and taste these specialities for yourselves!
Then you’ll enter the world of French desserts, learning about the history of cakes and their creators.
Yet again, this was an experience for the senses, especially the sense of smell with so many scents to recognise: Galette des Rois (brioche), Pain d’épices (spice bread), etc. I’m sure that just like me, you’ll be whisked back through your childhood memories huddled around a birthday cake or a Christmas log!
A fun experience!
This exhibition is great fun, like everything else I’ve already seen at the Cité! I even get the chance to take part in a virtual baking experience, making palmier biscuits and choux buns for example and I can tell you it’s not as easy as you think without a recipe to follow! In the end I managed (after several attempts) to figure out the right baking time!
Yet again, there were plenty of things to open, push, listen to, etc. This exhibition is both contemplative and interactive. I’d love to come back with my niece or a group of friends.
As I explore the rest of the exhibition, I come across a cake box on display between two giant brioches and some enormous macaroons, that immediately whisks me back to my childhood and memories of ‘langue de chat’ biscuits and ladyfingers (my firm favourite)… That’s all I’ll reveal for now! I’ll leave you to discover the rest yourselves.
The decoration and layout of the exhibition is really amazing and I particularly liked the last part with a collection of gigantic cakes. I find it hard to believe that so much work was put into a temporary exhibition. It’s a great experience and leaves you craving cake!