For nearly three centuries, Maille has been known for its culinary creativity. In fact, originality and vision were written into the DNA of its founder Antoine-Claude Maille and his son of the same name, forming the building blocks of the world-renowned La Maison Maille as we know it today.
At the start of the 18th century, Antoine-Claude was a master vinegar-maker in Paris. His business experienced modest success until 1720 when the port of Marseille was hit by a terrible outbreak of plague. So he took the opportunity to introduce his “Vinegar of the Four Thieves” based on a secret recipe alleged to have protected the robbers in question during an occurance in Toulouse nearly a decade earlier. On giving it away to the people of Marseille, he saved many lives and boosted his own fortunes in the process.
Generations of excellence
His son was no less of an entrepreneur. To the nine varieties of vinegar-based beauty products his father had created, he added a further 92 and became official distiller and vinegar-maker to King Louis XV. But the creativity did not end with the death of Antoine-Claude. The mustard so favoured of kings is now the mustard of connoisseurs, and the Maison is proud to have continued in its founder’s pioneering tradition.
At our exclusive boutique at 2 Piccadilly Arcade, London, visitors can call on the know-how of our mustard sommelier to help them choose from up to 40 varieties of mustard, a fine selection of vinegars and small, crunchy cornichons “à la française”. They can even buy their mustard – as well as Sauternes white wine vinegar – served fresh from the pump in the same way that mustard-makers used to sell it centuries ago.
An elegant touch
Our finest mustards with ingredients such as Chablis, Sauternes or truffles are available in artisanal sandstone jars in myriad sizes and colours that can be refilled time and time again – an elegant touch for fine food lovers everywhere that pays homage to the trusted traditional methods.
But the innovation does not stop there. Maille has collaborated with French chef Bruno Loubet for its latest limited-edition spring collection: Les Jardins Secrets des Chefs (The Secret Gardens of Chefs). Perfect as the weather warms up and we get ready for barbecues and picnics, the collection celebrates the freshness and abundance of the season with a trio of new vegetable-inspired mustards.
There’s Beetroot with a Touch of Honey that’s perfect for your cheese platter or to add depth to a bowl of borscht. There’s Olives and Herbes de Provence for livening up lamb chops with a touch of the Mediterranean, or for spreading on flatbread garnished with feta as an appetiser extraordinaire. And there’s Carrot with a Hint of Shallot. Mix with fresh thyme and smother your beef in it for a new take on a classic stew, or use it to spice up the base of a vegetable quiche. You can’t go wrong.
But remember you don’t have to be a gourmet chef to do amazing things either. Add a spoonful to your scrambled eggs, pair with steak or use generously as a glaze for roast potatoes. Just add the secret ingredient and your food will become more complex, memorable and full of inspiration – in seconds.
Maille: the perfect blend of creativity and tradition. Maille makes meals memorable.
Les Jardins Secrets des Chefs is available from March 21 to August 31 only, from the Maille Online Boutique at maille.com and our shops all over the world, including our boutique at 2 Piccadilly Arcade, London.
