Chocolate jewels By Matthieu Bijou

Hot on the heels of his pâtisserie in Le Raincy in the suburbs of Paris, the former head pastry chef at Taillevent and the Maison du Danemark, Matthieu Bijou recently opened his first chocolate store next to the Marché des Enfants-Rouges at the heart of the capital. This friendly, cozy space offers many of Bijou’s classics, including twenty fine chocolates and a dozen white and black chocolate bars made with caramelized hazelnuts, almonds and praline, plus a monthly one-off chocolate (February’s flavor is candied violet and raspberry). These chocolates are so precious they can even be bought individually. No wonder this young Alsace-born chef’s motto is “indulge yourself and others” ! Bijou works with single-origin chocolates that linger on the pallet like a good wine. His preserves, macaroons and travel cakes are worth the detour alone.