You may have heard of the incredibly popular scallop-shaped tea cake from France known as a madeleine and sometimes as a madeleine cookie. They are actually nothing out of the ordinary – just a buttery yellow cake and their uniqueness lies mainly in their shape. But, as with many meals in France, there is an enchanting story that goes along with the food, adding a level of delight and interest to each sweet bite.

History of a French cake

There are several different versions of who made the first cupcakes and why. In one version, Madeleine was a young servant girl who had been asked to create a special gift for Stanislas Leczinski, the deposed king of Poland who had sought refuge in France in the 17th century. Special cakes were supposedly made to calm the spirits of the poor unwanted king. In another version, a different Madeleine created the special scallop-shaped pastries to feed pilgrims on their way to the burial site of Saint Jacques. The scallop shell was a sign of protection that has long been associated with Saint Jacques in France, and in fact scallops are called Coquilles Saint Jacques.

In any case, whoever first made the scalloped cupcakes had a very good idea, as their popularity has only increased over the centuries. At first they were made on a small scale, but with the industrial revolution underway, the way was paved for larger-scale production.

the city of commerce

About a century after they were first made, one town in particular, Commercy in the Lorraine region of eastern France, became the center of commercial production. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, train passengers passing through Commercy were entertained by the many vendors who frequented the train station to sell their employers’ cupcakes. The women carried the cakes in large baskets, each shouting louder than the last in an effort to be the one to make the sale. Apparently it was quite a sight because it is remembered to this day and Madeleine makers still proudly mark their brands as “made in Commercy”.

Proust

However, it was French author Marcel Proust who truly immortalized the Madeleine. In his autobiographical book, In search of lost time (memory of past things), Proust’s main character takes a bite out of a cupcake and returns to a vivid memory of his childhood, the subject of the book. The phrase “Proust madeleine” is now synonymous with anything that triggers a long and colorful memory of the supposedly forgotten past.

Lunchtime in France

If it’s four o’clock in the afternoon in France, there are mothers all over the country who are pulling a package of cupcakes from the pantry shelf to serve to the try or snack time. In general, the French adhere to a strict feeding schedule, with regular times for each of the meals. Lunch is eaten between noon and 1 and dinner after 7:30 pm, which is quite a long stretch without eating, especially if you are seven years old. Snacking between meals is discouraged, but the try it can be counted and many times that try it’s a cupcake.

If you get the chance to enjoy a cupcake, perhaps with your afternoon tea, you might like to reminisce about the long history behind this simple cupcake.