Lilamand Confectionery invited to France 3’s “Festin de Julie à Chambord”

In December 2018, Julie Andrieu set herself a spectacular challenge for her programme *Les Carnets de Julie* on France 3: to organise a banquet worthy of the court of François I on the terraces of the Château de Chambord, France’s most famous Renaissance building, on the eve of its 500th anniversary.

To rise to this challenge, Julie Andrieu traveled across the regions in search of the finest artisans capable of bringing the flavors of the Renaissance back to life. For in that era, long before our modern desserts, candied fruits were already among the most prized delicacies on royal tables. Candying—a preservation technique using sugar, the principles of which Nostradamus described as early as 1555—was an art form in its own right.

It was only natural that Confiserie Lilamand,an artisanal confectioner in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for five generations, was called upon to contribute its sweet treasures to this exceptional feast. Alongside Michelin-starred chef Didier Clément, a specialist in Renaissance cuisine, and set designer Charles Kaisin, Maison Lilamand thus contributed to a banquet composed exclusively of products known during the time of Francis I. ᵉʳ.

While Lilamand’s candied fruits make only a brief appearance in the show, it is highly symbolic: it attests to the unique place this artisanal Provençal confectionery holds in France’s culinary heritage. When Julie Andrieu seeks excellence and authenticity to recreate the splendor of a royal banquet, she turns to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

Discover in this video a gourmet journey through history and craftsmanship, where candied fruits regain their place of honor at the table of kings.

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