Matrix of Eclairs

Engineers are pretty obsessed with matrices.

As someone from Chemical Engineering, I love matrices. Don’t get me wrong here. I’m not talking about MATLAB, maths, or even anything related to numbers. I’m talking about food. Matrices of food. There is no better cure for OCD than staring at perfectly positioned rows of doughnuts.

One of those particular matrices that always succeeds to stop me in my tracks even while being 10 minutes late to a lecture is eclairs. Eclairs from Maitre Choux.

Let’s start with the basics. What are eclairs? Wikipedia defines them as “an oblong pastry made with choux dough filled with a cream and topped with icing.” Or according to my dear friend Carolyn – posh French hot dogs.

And Maitre Choux? To most of you it may be just a patisserie on the ooh-la-la French side of South Kensington. In fact, it is the world’s first and only choux specialist patisserie where the three-vMichelin star chef Joakim Prat transforms the traditional French delights into works of art.

You really have to go see for yourself. The small shop with a simple, white exterior with colourful dots everywhere. You really cannot miss it between the typical, boring, old red brick houses. If you are lucky, you also get a strong whiff of that warm, cosy, aromatic scent of baking choux drifting from the ovens in the basement.

Walk closer to the window and you will see what I meant by matrices of eclairs. Neat, straight, perfect arrays of eclairs in a rainbow of colours. Bright red, apple green, sunflower yellow. Rose pink, coffee brown, shining gold. Each beautifully decorated by hand with tender loving care. Instagram moment.

Trust me, they are as good as they look. A delicate, soft choux pastry encasing a velvety smooth cream in surprising and exotic flavours. Think Persian pistachio, Tahitian vanilla and… popcorn. They update their creations every season like clothes in a shop so you will never get bored. Pleasure for the mind, mouth and soul.