Antwerp

Sweets for my sweet and sugar for my tummy

You know that story of the little girl who got an Easy-bake Oven for Christmas and loved baking cakes ever since? Well, that’s not me. First of all, I never got an Easy-bake Oven for Christmas (never asked for one either) and I baked my first cake not so long ago. However, when it comes to eating cakes and pies, I can go all “story of my life” on you.

That’s why I was very happy (being the understatement of the century) when my good friends (and fellow bloggers) Ruth and Babs invited me for the opening of the new “Les Tartes de Françoise” store in Antwerp. Oh dear Lord, was I doing a small victory dance when I found out the store was in fact located on MY side of town (somewhere in the South area – the dodgy part). Arriving at the scene, all I could see was the abundance of pie. No wonder “Share happiness” is their message (or as I like to say: “sharing is caring”).

The story behind Les Tartes de Françoise is rather unique. Françoise and Olivier brought a homemade lemon merengue pie to a dinner with friends somewhere in the good old nineties. Their friends were so impressed they told their friends, who told their friends and so on. After a while Françoise and Olivier got orders from restaurants on the lookout for homemade products. Weddings and birthday parties followed quickly. Keyword of this family business is craftmanship. And boy, do they craft good!

What’s on the menu? Did I mention the pies? Les Tartes de Françoise offers a selection of sweet and savoury pies and quiches, (home)made with fresh ingredients depending on the season (pumpkin pie,  almond and pear pie, carrots and goat cheese quiche, …) and of course a wide range of classics (“Hello gourmand au chocolat, how you look lovely today“). Absolute favorite however is the cheesecake made out of curd cheese with a speculoos crust. Françoise’s cheesecake is so popular it even has its own Facebook fan page.

Does this got you all drooling too? Check out the menu on www.tartes.be and order your cake online.

I will gladly come over for a piece.

Huge thanks and bloggerly love goes out to Ruth Van Soom and Babs Jacops.

Les Tartes de Françoise Antwerp opened in December 2011: Ieperstraat 20-22, 2018 Antwerpen. To add even more plaisir du goût, it’s open every Sunday from 9 am till 2 pm.