Michelin star sweets, gluten-free and vegan, in the capital of the indigets

Ullastret (Lower Empordà)In Ullastret, one of the towns with the most history in Catalonia, the Iberian capital of the Indigetes tribe during the 6th century BC, a new pastry shop has just opened that is aiming very high. It is the Pastelería 1001, owned by Eva Feliu, right next to Recuits Nuri, one of the most famous bakeries in this country. dairy product so typical of Empordà. After many years working and training as a pastry chef in large Michelin-starred restaurants, such as Aürt in Barcelona and Bo.Tic in Corçà, Eva Feliu, born in Ullastret and daughter of the second generation of Recuits Nuri, has decided to venture into her own business. A slow-burning project, designed to make desserts with total autonomy and freedom, far from the stress of the capital and without the obligations of the untimely hours of night shifts in a restaurant. It has only just started up this Christmas, with the first tests for friends and acquaintances of nougats and cakes. Now, in February, Feliu has everything in place to officially open and start selling to the general public.

The proposal is unique and interesting, based on tradition but at the same time creative, made with seasonal products, proximity and very careful with allergens. Feliu is celiac and has trained to prepare desserts suitable for this intolerance, so at 1001 all the sweets are gluten-free, made with almond flour, rice or chickpeas. In addition, there are also options without milk, without nuts and vegan; all very well done, suitable for any customer, since the difference is not noticeable. The moderate use of sugar is the other great denominator of Feliu's creations, since to sweeten in a healthier and less cloying way she uses the sweetness of fruits, vegetables and modern techniques learned in star restaurants. "Creatively, my time at Aürt and Bo.Tic has helped me a lot to approach ingredients and techniques that are not normally applied to traditional pastry, such as the use of sweet potatoes or parsnips to reduce sugar, or techniques with inulin, a molecular compound of fructose,"

Grilled pumpkin pie, chocolate truffles from Tanzania or beetroot and grapefruit ice cream

The shop is small, with an immaculate design and the workshop in full view. On the counter you can find a variety of cakes, both individual and to share, most with a mousse texture, creamy and spongy, biscuit base and crunchy touches: a very fine apple preparation, a combination of chocolates with couverture or a tartlet with grilled pumpkin, ginger cream and hair. There is also a very complete assortment of chocolates and chocolate cookies, with very intense cocoa varieties from Tanzania and Ecuador, bitter orange and praline. There is also a section of homemade ice creams, these with the sunken tub, not at all swollen, with surprising flavors such as beetroot and grapefruit, or spices and cocoa peels, as well as the classic strawberry or dried fruit. Finally, an assortment of yogurts made by Ca la Nuri with toppings, compotes and jams. Everything, a thousand and one preparations –and hence the name– that will change according to the time of year. However, in this bakery there are neither croissants nor pastries designed for everyday use, but there is a bar and a terrace where you can go for breakfast or eat sweets accompanied by a specialty coffee.

In these first few weeks, Feliu has received contact from a restaurant in the area in case he would like to give him advice on the dessert or sell some of its creations, but the collaboration has not yet been finalised, although it is likely that in the coming months some of the sweets from 1001 can be tried at a restaurant table.

Despite the quality and sophistication, none of the proposals are excessively expensive, and even less so in comparison with other bakeries in the region, which are more traditional but equally very good. "I suppose that the weekend and the summer holiday seasons or Easter will be when most people will come, in Ullastret we have many French tourists and people from Barcelona, ​​​​but I trust that with this more inclusive proposal with allergens it will also interest the people here," says Feliu. And he concludes: "It is true that everyone has their go-to bakery and sometimes it is hard to change, but I think we can be a good alternative for everyone who wants to try something different on a special occasion."