WELCOME

This site is dedicated to all men and women who have a passion for excellence in food and who want to practice this passion in their professional life.

This site tells the culinary story of Jean De La Fontaine’s hometown. This story was written in golden letters by a local pastry cook named Léon Hess who established his business in Château-Thierry in 1903.

Léon Hess won the gold medal at the Paris Concours Culinaire International ( International Culinary Contest ) in 1912 for his masterpiece cake called « Le Castel », named in honor of his hometown Château-Thierry.

We are proud to pay him a tribute through this site.

*Southern Aisne area, a region loaded with history

- Jean De la Fontaine ( 1621/1695 ) – French poet born in Chateau-Thierry

- 1781 : the French battalion « Le Soissonnais » fights alongside General La Fayette during the Revolutionary War – Yorktown Memorial, Virginia.

- Belleau – 1918- one of the most famous battle of the USMC in which the 3rd Infantry Division of the US Army took part.

- July 14th 1918 – Quentin Roosevelt, son of the 26th US President, is shot down in his Newport 28 fighter above the southern Aisne area.

We are thankful to Léon Hess’ grandchildren Nicole, Françoise and Claude
and to Hervé for the english translation.

texts – image credits:
La Mission Française du Patrimoine et des cultures Alimentaires,
La Pâtisserie Artisanale Française, Gallica BNF, Wikipédia
Julien GONZALEZ - Blog : les eaux minérales oubliées
left:
Le Lion & le Rat - Le Loup & l'Agneau par G. DORÉ
Le Corbeau & le Renard - Le Loup & la Cigogne par GRANDVILLE