When you step into a pastry shop, the sweets displayed inside captivate you, and even just looking at them makes your heart race.
Many people probably think only about enjoying the sweets, but few notice that each product is packed with the pastry chef’s knowledge and skill.
At Patisserie Le Vert, located in Hiroe, Kurashiki City, the team continues to develop Western-style sweets made with a commitment to local production for local consumption.
We asked Yoshiharu Kataoka, owner of Patisserie Le Vert, which has created collaborative products with local businesses, to tell us about his top recommendations.
Here we introduce innovative products made with local ingredients and Mr. Kataoka’s passion for making Western-style sweets.
The information presented was current when this article was published in November 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About Patisserie Le Vert
Overview of Patisserie Le Vert
Patisserie Le Vert is a pastry shop in Hiroe, Kurashiki City.
The shop is located along Prefectural Route 21, a major road running from the Mizushima area of Kurashiki City toward Okayama City and Tamano City.
One of its distinctive features is that the products on sale change from week to week.
The shop continues to find ways to delight customers, such as “Fluffy Day” on the third Sunday of each month, when it offers Taiwanese castella with a soft texture, and “Freshly Made Sweets Sale Day” on the fourth Sunday, when products are finished after an order is placed.
Another appealing feature of Patisserie Le Vert is its active participation in events, such as markets.
You can check the shop’s opening days and event appearances on Le Vert’s Instagram.
A pastry shop that continues to develop new products
Patisserie Le Vert continues to develop products using local ingredients.
For example, its “Tomato Tiramisu” is made with “Momotaro” tomatoes grown in Okayama Prefecture.
The shop sources ingredients from businesses operating in Okayama Prefecture to create products that support local production for local consumption.
To date, it has created collaborative products with more than 10 companies, producing over 30 varieties.
Developing a product can take six months as the team works to achieve the flavor they envision.
Products from Patisserie Le Vert
Mont Blanc finished right before your eyes
After an order is placed at the shop, the Mont Blanc is finished by piping on whipped cream right before the customer’s eyes.
In the past, the shop has used not only the chestnut cream typically found in Mont Blanc, but also creams made with Annou sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and bananas.
The Mont Blanc, which is finished after an order is placed, is available only on the fourth Sunday of each month, “Freshly Made Sweets Sale Day.”
Tomato tiramisu
“Momotaro” tomatoes from Okayama are simmered with sugar to make a confiture.
Patisserie Le Vert’s signature “Tomato Tiramisu” is made by layering tomato confiture and mascarpone cheese in a jar.
As pasta and pizza show, tomatoes and cheese go well together, and the dessert was created from a desire to try using that combination in Western-style sweets.
The tomato has no acidity at all. The sweet tomato confiture and mellow mascarpone cheese blend together in your mouth, offering a flavor unlike any other sweet.
Senryo eggplant cheese tart
This tart is topped with cheese and Senryo eggplant from Okayama Prefecture, sauteed with sugar and caramelized.
It has a texture like an apple, and I imagine that if people ate it without being told it was eggplant, many would mistake it for an apple.
Its moderate sweetness spreads through your mouth, making this a product that lets you enjoy the unexpected qualities of eggplant.
Taiwanese rice-flour castella
The eggs are sourced from Sakamoto Keiran, a Kurashiki City company with a poultry farm in Bisei Town, Ibara City, while the rice flour comes from a rice-flour manufacturer in Kibichuo Town.
The honey is also made from honey collected by bees raised on the grounds of Bizen-koku Soja-gu Shrine.
This Taiwanese castella is made with a commitment to local production for local consumption in Okayama Prefecture.
It is sold on the third Sunday of each month, “Fluffy Day.”
Next, we spoke with Patisserie Le Vert owner Yoshiharu Kataoka about how he started the business and what he focuses on.
Patisserie Le Vert details
| Name | Patisserie Le Vert |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-12-50 Hiroe, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 090-4102-8931 |
| Parking | Available 6 spaces |
| Hours | For shop opening days and event appearances, see Patisserie Le Vert’s Instagram |
| Closed | Irregular holidays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Restroom | No restroom |
| Website | Le Vert (Instagram) |
What would you like to know about Kurashiki?
Enter a keyword and we'll search the articles on this site
