Sรจte France has a sweet tooth. Sรจte is a small town on the French Mediterranean coast, but it hits above its weight in the gastronomic arena. Home of the most sought-after oysters in France, Sete is known for these specialties: the famous octopus pie (tielle), red-labeled gourmet fish soup (Azais Polito ), and hearty macaronade (macaroni and sausages). Sete has a sweet tooth, too.
Nancy McGee of Absolutely Southern France knows Sete like the back of her hand. She’s here to tell us about sweet treats in Sete that are sought after in specialty stores from Paris to China.
The Sรจtois are proud of their home-grown biscuits, the Zezette and the Navette. Outsiders may think the two biscuits are the same, but those in the know beg to differ. Soย how do you tell a Navette from a Zezette?
The “Navette” ย
Some say that the small hollow slit on top suggests a navette – a “shuttle” in French, or perhaps, a shuttle boat. These little boats, or Les’ Navettes Cettoises’, were launched by the artisan Biscuiterie Pouget in 1913.
The original machinery, including the oven, is in daily use. To be more exact, the machinery is still operated by the apprentice, Jean-Marie Fabre, who took over the business after Mr. Pouget. If you time your visit right, you’ll see how a Navette is made.
The original recipe usually includes orange flowers, but other flavors are now available: anis, lemon, vanilla, and cinnamon. Biscuiterie Pouget also bakes equally delicious madeleines and fresh macarons in the store. The owners are incredibly welcoming and will be happy to let you sample their wares.
Sete has a sweet tooth.
The Zezette
That sounds exoticโso what puts the zing in the Zezette? La Zezette differs from La Navette since it has a flat top and contains the local Muscat wine. Gaston Bentata, nostalgic for his mother’s cooking and North African roots, started baking these cookies in the late 1970s. In 1994, he commercialized them, and in 1995, he formed his business, La Belle รpoque. The products are in significant outlets throughout France, the UK, China, Belgium, and Germany.
Check out this mouth-watering video to learn more about zezettes (and practice your French!).
La Cure Gourmande (The Gourmet Cure)
Not only is the nearby town of Balaruc-les-Bains famous for La Cure (the cure) in its thermal spa, but also for La Cure Gourmande (the Gourmet Cure). This artisan biscuit maker founded in 1989 is a real success story of ‘local boys made good’ internationally. You’ll find navettes, madeleines, sweets, biscuits, and chocolates in the company’s distinctive colorful stores in 60 countries (Asia, North America, Middle East, and Europe) as well as its flagship store in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle/Roissy airport.
All products in La Cure Gourmande are homemade in southern France in a factory converted from an old train station. The sweets are attractively packaged to ‘revive old-fashioned and traditional presentation from the beginning of the last century.’ Everything is designed to entice: the colors, the presentation, and the packaging.
All the boutiques have the same furniture “made in France” and candy boxes “made in France.” Produce is seasonal (fruit cakes). Ingredients are local. For instance, the sea salt from the Camargue is used to make the toffees.
The founder’s daughter is pictured in the company’s visuals. She is now a 19-year-old student who found a job last summer โฆ. at the production facility.
Plan for a guided tour of the production facility the next time you’re in Sete.ย
Bon appetit!
