A Tempting Taste of France
Few people can resist the temptation of delicious French pastries and breads, and one Hornchurch company has brought its speciality produce from across the channel right here to our local Farmers Markets.
Prior to moving to the UK ten year ago, Helene Hezeques trained as a patisserie chef in her native France. In 2006 she joined partner Sergio Gaspar to open Le Moulin, aiming to bring the best tastes of France to the UK, as Helene explains: ‘I had trained with a French bakery before moving to England, and there were so many lovely things that I missed that we couldn’t buy here, we decided to open our own bakery and patisserie shop – Le Moulin. The shop in Hornchurch was a great success, but we wanted to take our produce further afield and we loved the idea of a Farmers Market. We held our first stall last year, and it was so popular that we now trade very successfully at all of the Essex Farmers Market sites.’
It is no wonder that Le Moulin’s creations are so popular with customers, with delicious French temptations such as éclairs, mocha gateau, anniversary and wedding cakes, patisseries and an array of Danish pastries on sale. Le Moulin’s range of speciality breads are gaining equal repute, and why would customers go back to a plain sliced loaf when they can choose from recipes including white breads, corn bread, ciabatta oozing with olives, sun dried tomatoes and cheese or brown bread laced with walnuts and raisins or roasted onions farmhouse.
True to its roots, Le Moulin operates as a truly traditional French boulangerie, even employing a fully French staff. ‘Everything we sell is freshly prepared, baked and finished by our team of French bakers at our bakery in Hornchurch,’ says Helene. ‘We have a large window looking right into the kitchen so customers can see the team hard at work on the day’s creations.’
Last year’s addition to the family business, daughter Charlotte looks like she will be carrying on the family tradition, as Helene explains: ‘Charlotte is only one, but she has been in the shop with us almost every day since she was ten days old, and comes along to most of the farmers markets with us. Our customers have got to know us through the Essex Farmers Markets and like the fact that we are a family business, so Charlotte is very popular! We all enjoy the friendly atmosphere at the Essex Farmers Markets, and through trading in this way we have been able to reach many more customers, and slowly build the business.’ Visit Le Moulin at Essex Farmers Markets, for details of dates log on to www.essexfarmersmarkets.com or telephone 01277 362414
Le Moulin
