The Pineapple, king of fruits, on France 5 in “Le Doc du Dimanche”
For its documentary on the pineapple, France 5’s “Le Doc du Dimanche” program chose to highlight one of Confiserie Lilamand’s most spectacular creations: the whole candied Victoria pineapple, complete with its crown. An exceptional piece of which the House produces only 600 per year.
The report follows the journey of these Victoria pineapples, imported from the island of Réunion and selected at perfect ripeness. Pierre Lilamand explains this fundamental requirement on camera: a fruit that is too ripe will turn into jam, while a fruit that is too green will offer only a bland, sugary taste. It is the transparency and luminosity of the flesh that reveal the ideal moment.
The documentary then reveals each stage of a process that spans several months: blanching in boiling water, followed by seven to eight successive syrup baths; a preservation technique inherited from Nostradamus, who described the principle as early as 1555. The fruits are then transferred to the fruit room, a space Pierre compares to Ali Baba’s cave, where the pineapples mature for two months before the final soufflé-style baking at 137 degrees.
Anne, Pierre’s sister, oversees the result with the precision of a master craftsman: for these collector’s items sold in the finest gourmet shops, aesthetics matter just as much as taste. The report also highlights a striking reality: there are only four artisanal confectioneries still in operation in France. Maison Lilamand is one of them, guardian of a rare and precious confectionery heritage.
The report follows the journey of these Victoria pineapples, imported from the island of Réunion and selected at perfect ripeness. Pierre Lilamand explains this fundamental requirement on camera: a fruit that is too ripe will turn into jam, while a fruit that is too green will offer only a bland, sugary taste. It is the transparency and luminosity of the flesh that reveal the ideal moment.
The documentary then reveals each stage of a process that spans several months: blanching in boiling water, followed by seven to eight successive syrup baths; a preservation technique inherited from Nostradamus, who described the principle as early as 1555. The fruits are then transferred to the fruit room, a space Pierre compares to Ali Baba’s cave, where the pineapples mature for two months before the final soufflé-style baking at 137 degrees.
Anne, Pierre’s sister, oversees the result with the precision of a master craftsman: for these collector’s items sold in the finest gourmet shops, aesthetics matter just as much as taste. The report also highlights a striking reality: there are only four artisanal confectioneries still in operation in France. Maison Lilamand is one of them, guardian of a rare and precious confectionery heritage.
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