Chapter Text
CHAPTER ONE: Vianne.
Claire remembered quite fondly the moment that chocolate had truly gotten under her skin, igniting a sweetened passion for anything confectionery. During a stay in Rouen, France while her Uncle Lamb dug for military treasures, she found herself wandering alone through the cobbled streets of the historic quarter. She was no stranger to being alone, walking with a confidence far more developed than her eleven years of life. The city brought her the opportunity to satisfy curiosity. To be excited by the new, and the foreign, and to gather knowledge she didn’t have. She had spent days wandering the streets, past the Gros Horloge, the Palais de Justice and the Aitre Saint-Maclou, with it’s carved skull and crossbones, a reminder of its deathly purpose.
She had journeyed further that day, wandering down the shopping streets filled with tourists and city dwelling inhabitants. The timber buildings surrounding her were enchanting, as if from a fairy-tale. Painted reds, browns, blacks and creams, they reminded her of Hansel and Gretel, wandering to the witch’s cottage. It was during this moment that the scent caught her, drifting richly and temptingly through the air.
Claire followed her nose, down the labyrinth of shops, to a building framed in dark mahogany wood, brushed with a fading turquoise blue paint. A white sign edged with vivid gold decorated the glass, clearly painted by a careful hand. “Vianne - Patissier & Chocolatier” it read, proudly. The window revealed to her a display of glass shelves, decorated lavishly with gold ribbons, pink confectionary boxes and pink peony sugar roses. Claire could almost smell the flowers behind the glass; the chocolate of the truffles stacked inside the bell jars, the Macarons standing to attention like soldiers in golden boxes; dressed in vivid shades of pink, violet and green. She placed her hands against the glass, devouring the sight before her greedy, young eyes. The sweet promises that lay before her, behind this glass – how could she neglect herself the experience of such paradise?
Tearing herself away, she pushed open the turquoise door, the wood smooth beneath her fingertips. A bell rang overhead, dinging pleasantly followed by a melodic “Bonjour mademoiselle” from the confectioner. Claire hadn’t noticed the voice, instead, overwhelmed with the delightful spectacle before her. The walls of the shop were the same blue as the frames outside and edged with the same gold paint, only deeper and richer. As the light shone through the windows, an ethereal glow was cast across the store. A kaleidoscope of colours cast by jar lined shelves, each filled with confections and ingredients stored in long glass jars, decorated with golden cursive covered labels. Domes covered delicate and delectable sugar craft; flowers, butterflies and vibrantly striped petit fours. A large counter sat in the center of the shop, framed by two blue columns. The sheer aroma of sugar swirled her senses, teasing and tempting her with tastes of caramel, chocolate, orange and rose. She had found herself a wonderland, Claire thought. Reminiscent of Wonka’s Factory, but entirely more beautiful and perfect. As she gazed on, eyes filled with wonder, an awestruck smile graced her delighted face.
“Voulez-vous essayer quelque chose, Mademoiselle?” The Chocolatier’s voice interrupted her thoughts, and Claire looked up to see a raven-haired woman smiling down at her, dressed in a kimono decorated with large, vibrant peacock feathers.
“Oh!” Claire exclaimed, hesitating for a moment before stammering in broken French, “Parlez vous en Anglaise?”.
The woman laughed and nodded, “I asked if you would like to try something.” She spoke with a smooth voice, Claire realized, words flowing like luscious caramel.
Claire’s eyes went wide with awe, a grin crossing her face. “Would you mind terribly?” The woman shook her head and walked to one of the large shelves, plucking a domed platter from it and placing it onto the large wooden counter that sat center of the shop.
An elegant hand lifted the dome, placed it carefully beside the platter and picked out a single, perfect praline chocolate. She handed it to Claire, placing it into the palm of her outstretched hand. “I have a talent for knowing what people want.” The Chocolatier smiled, confidently and delightedly. “Go ahead, chéri.” she said, nodding her head as Claire looked to her for confirmation.
With a delicate motion, she plucked the chocolate from her hand and raised it to her lips. Claire took a careful bite, only to be greeted by a rush of orange liqueur filling her mouth, exquisitely tart. The taste swirled luxuriously across her tongue, the delicate and smoky cardamom spice teasing her tastebuds with memories of bonfires.
Claire was enchanted.
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From that day, and into the weeks that followed, Claire returned to the Chocolatier every day, watching as new confections were placed onto the waiting shelves. After her first visit, she had gone straight to the first bookstore she could find, picking out books on Patisserie and Chocolatier work, marvelling with a fierce curiosity. Claire had poured over books on the Maya and Aztecs, reading with wonder at their practice, their love of chocolate. Her Uncle had acknowledged her interest, bringing home history books and guides. She had folded pages, torn out pictures and taken them with her to Vianne, showing her with excitement what she had found.
In the beginning, Vianne taught her the history. “Without knowledge, you cannot progress.” Vianne told her as a matter of fact. Chocolate would be a serious business for Claire, and she would learn to respect, understand and master the art.
“The Maya” Vianne began,“ believed that cacao was the food of the gods. Revered in their day to day life, it was consumed on the very best of occasions.” Her story continued with wonder, leaving Claire in curious awe. Their chocolate was different to the delights Claire had nibbled at, indulging her developing sweet tooth. It was bitter, filled with chili’s and spices, and poured back and forth, making a froth that would burst on the tongue as you drank it. “Chocolate could bring on love, happiness, passion and fuel desire,” Vianne revealed, watching Claire with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. “If you care enough to learn, chocolate can be magic at your fingertips.”
After several months of regular visits, Claire arrived one morning to an apron waiting for her behind the counter. She looked at it with curiosity, wondering if Vianne would ask her to work in her shop where should could fill her days with bonbons, pralines and Macarons. Vianne, however, had another offer to make.
With each passing visit Claire had made, Vianne knew that something had ignited in Claire. Her excitement and passion were infectious. She would teach her, she decided. For as long as Claire was in Rouen, she would teach her the art. How to crush the cacao beans and extract the nibs from the dust, to tempering chocolate and decorating even the smallest of truffles.
“If I let you into my kitchen, you must behave, yes? This is no small task, Claire. If you wish to learn, you must respect yourself, your ingredients and your masters.” Vianne had knelt to Claire’s eyeline, looking at her intently. Claire had furiously nodded, with a cross drawn over her heart. Vianne looked intently at her, and with a small nod of approval, Claire had excitedly ran for the kitchen door to the heaven waiting before her.
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Claire made her first batch of chocolates several weeks later under the watchful eye of Vianne. A small plate of dark chocolates filled with the cosy sweetness of vanilla cream to off-set the bitterness, and a small pink flower adorning the top with charming precision. Standing in her chef whites, she wrung her hands nervously. Claire was hopeful that Vianne would praise her for the small creation, that she might be allowed to continue her study.
With a judge's eye Vianne held the chocolate between her thumb and forefinger, assessing it from all angles. She scrutinized its appearance, its texture between her fingers before she had actually taken a bite of it. Claire took in a heavy breath as Vianne had bitten into the chocolate, the shell making an audible cracking noise as it was bitten into. A sign of a good chocolate, Claire thought confidently. All was silent, and each passing moment felt a thousand times longer. Vianne made no sign as to her enjoyment or distaste, simply standing as she slowly chewed and swallowed.
“Well?” Claire asked, anticipation evident in her voice.
“Good.” Vianne replied, leaving Claire felt a mixture of relief and defeat wash over her. She had hoped Vianne would exclaim its excellence, that her protégée would be the next master Chocolatier. She looked back at her chocolates her expression and manner despondent, wondering why Vianne had not responded in the way she had hoped.
“Claire, ma cheri.” She had begun, Claire’s attention away from her. “You have done well, but they are not perfect – not yet. Do not be disheartened.“ Vianne placed her hand onto her shoulder, turning her body to face hers. “You have a gift.”
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With the greatest of revelations, however, reality can come crashing in unexpectedly.
It was at this time that Claire received the news that her Uncle had finished his dig in Rouen, having been offered the opportunity to be part of a dig in Senegal, West Africa. The swift realization that Claire would have to leave behind the city and Vianne became alarmingly apparent.
She had cried of course, begging Lamb to leave her behind for a while so she might continue her culinary education in France. Her Uncle had refused immediately, providing a short apology and a firm assurance that he simply could not leave her alone in a foreign city with a complete stranger. Within the week, she and her Uncle were packed and making the briefest of goodbyes to their new friends. Laden with a heavy heart, Claire left Rouen with quiet tears rolling down her young face. She watched as the slights sped past the car windows, hand holding a necklace gifted to her by Vianne and a parting piece of wisdom;
“You must remember, Claire, above all else - cacao can unlock the yearning of your heart, but it cannot force one heart to love another. Do not forget, or you may find yourself in trouble one day.”
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I do hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Just Desserts, and I thank you for taking the time to read it! I hope it has left you hungry for more...
Updates will come every Sunday.
Disclaimer: This is purely of my own creation, Outlander isn’t mine, nor or are Claire and Jamie. If they were that 20 year gap wouldn’t have happened.