The Whole Chestnut. Alps, France
February 2020 Anywhere else this would be textures of chestnut. A miniature chestnut crème brulee works fantastically well to give a subtle variation on a traditional dessert, and features alongside a miniature chestnut tart and madeleine. Use the chestnut brittle and smears of the sticky, sweet crème de marron to balance the delicious, almost savoury chestnut ice cream – a real highlight of the dish for me. Find it at La Montagnard in St Martin de Belleville, a cosy restaurant in a converted barn with an intimate atmosphere and cheerful staff. They also do a fantastic burger topped with local cheese.