Chez Boucher Culinary Arts Training Ctr. Opens Toot Sweet French Pastry Shop In Hampton, Nh

Executive Chef Ron Boucher announces the opening of Toot Sweet Pastry Shoppe, a European-style patisserie. The shop is housed in a petite building next to the Chez Boucher Culinary Arts Training Center in Downtown Hampton. www.chezboucher.com

Toot Sweet Pastry Shoppe is a place for all to indulge their sweet tooth. Executive Pastry Chef Leander Krulis, who developed a passion for pastry arts while training at the French Culinary Institute of New York City and apprenticing at Canet Patisserie in Nice, France, runs the shop and bakes the treats. In addition to pastries, the menu features gelato, sorbet, fine coffees, teas and Italian soda.

Krulis is passionate about the concept behind Toot Sweet. "Our goal is to offer patrons a place to experience a taste of French culture and promote joie de vivre. What better way to do this than to enjoy our signature French macaron and steaming cup of French roast with a friend? Our pastries are meant to be shared by one or two."

Never heard of a macaron? This is Krulis' most-favorite, hard-to-find, French delight. And, it is nothing like the dense, American coconut macaroon cookie. "Toot Sweet macarons are chewy, crunchy, colorful, French almond pastry filled with butter cream. We create these mouth-watering macarons in a rainbow of colors and flavors like pistachio, chocolate, raspberry, and lemon."

"Toot Sweet is the only place in southeastern New Hampshire where you can buy fresh macarons," says Krulis who has spent the past three years searching for them. In addition to their signature item, macarons, the pastry case is filled with �clairs, tartlets and mini-cakes which are baked daily with the freshest, local ingredients available. Toot Sweet's approach is based on an appreciation of the Slow-Food movement: from the farm to the kitchen to the table. Each mini-cake is a work of art; a creative interpretation of the traditional confection. Tartlets are done in fruit and custard, raspberry ganache or lemon mousse. Custom wedding cakes and pastry platters can be ordered in advance for special occasions.

Toot Sweet Pastry Shoppe, a 350 sq. ft. space with seating for 12, is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The shop itself is located across from the Jon Mooers mural, "Provence," which is painted along the outside wall of the Chez Bouchon Dining Room, transporting Toot Sweet patrons to the countryside of France.

According to Chef Boucher, the name Toot Sweet is a play on the French, Toute Suite, which literally translates to "in a hurry." However, Boucher selected the name toot to recognize the building's original use - as a train signal station - and sweet for its delicious pastries.