Christophe Lemaire, expert in spices

Paimpol's postal workers know his address by heart: Christophe Lemaire is undoubtedly the man who receives the most exotic parcels in Armorique... Covered with spectacular stamps and stamps, radiating the scents of spices and vanilla, you'd eat them! Hundreds of perfectly arranged glass bottles fill the vintage furniture of this former stationery shop, now a showcase for a rare collection of spices and peppers. The master of the house didn't fall into these magical potions as a child; his first life was spent trading. "But I come from a scattered family of great travelers, and my uncles and aunts always brought back spices in their luggage. Then, as my banking jobs progressed, I discovered Dutch Indonesian cuisine, London Indian restaurants... I traveled extensively in India and Southeast Asia and learned to master tagines in Morocco."

In the late 1990s, a meeting with chef and pepper guru Gérard Vives proved to be the turning point. "I began to imagine a new career path that would allow me to continue traveling while sharing what I loved. " The globetrotter set up his base in the Côtes-d'Armor region of France, and began criss-crossing the globe to unearth small producers and tirelessly select new cultivars to preserve this volatile heritage. La Cale aux Épices was born in 2014, and will give birth to two other counters, in Rennes and Vannes.

When he's not traveling, Christophe takes pleasure in "triturating" his delicate blends. The people of Paimpol know his laboratory well, from where, when he was camped out in the back of the store, he would scent the street with his roasts. Since then, production has become more professional thanks to a partnership with the Etablissement d'aide par le travail de Plourivo, whose residents package, package and dispatch the coffee.Their residents package, label and dispatch the bottles, which are embossed with the effigy of a famous Paimpol schooner. "We work on a just-in-time basis, grinding as we go along. The secret of a good spice is its freshness. In fact, I urge our customers to buy only small quantities, even if it means renewing more often." Nor does he hesitate to talk to them about history. Christophe has amassed a serious library on spices and acquired a real erudition. "I'd like to combat misconceptions about the spice route: they existed in culinary culture long before the great navigators; traces of them have even been found in Pompeii! " Dropping by La Cale aux Épices to pick up a few precious flasks for cooking, or to hear the story of this fragrant epic, is like embarking on a little journey of initiation.

• The proper use of curry

When Christophe Lemaire sets out to explore the world in search of his fragrant treasures, he takes the opportunity to collect recipes from women cooks, and reproduce them in his laboratory. In this "white room", he works on his blends, sometimes as a purist, respecting the most authentic tastes, sometimes imagining new impressions. "We tend to call everything curry. Kari, carry... The word comes from an Anglicization of the Tamil word khary, meaning 'dish in sauce'." In the 18th century, British colonists used it to designate spicy dishes, hence its current name in the West. In India, it's known as masala, meaning "mixture". "A curry is a blend of 10 to 12 spices, and I like to showcase their differences. " The swell of a full-bodied Ethiopian berbéré, the languor of a Singapore curry, the velvet of an Indian vadouvan... No fewer than 18 curries are waiting in this fragrant boutique to introduce thrill-seekers to the world and its flavors.

La Cale aux Épices

6 bis, rue des 8-Patriotes, 22500 Paimpol.

Tel. +33 (0)6 34 31 03 99

• Nicolas Conan, chef at Ostium restaurant, Paimpol

Born into a line of Paimpol restaurateurs, Nicolas Conan spent a few years working with top chefs, before returning to his hometown to put his signature on a fusion cuisine in which products from La Cale aux Épices take pride of place.

You began your career in Olivier Roellinger's kitchens. Was this the origin of your taste for spices?

Nicolas Conan: It was one of my first experiences in the kitchen, and certainly a source of inspiration. I went on to work with a number of chefs, notably in a Japanese restaurant, which opened up new horizons for me. Meeting Christophe Lemaire reinforced my curiosity about tastes from elsewhere.

What spices inspire you?

N. C. : I love peppers, even in desserts, and particularly a blend of white and black Sarawak peppers. What I like most of all is making my own blends, or twisting tastes. For example, I cook Cajun chicken with the blend to which I add a smoked salt that I make in my own smoker.

Any recent discoveries?

N. C.: Christophe introduced me to his black curry and I used it on glazed carrots, which have become a staple at our Sunday brunch.

Ostium

Les Hauts de Kerano

2, chemin de Kergroas, 22500 Paimpol

www.les-hauts-de-kerano.com