All that glitters is not gold

I've always believed that quality has nothing to do with appearance, and in Strasbourg I had the empirical proof to support my theory.

My evidence is called La Cure Gourmande, literally "The Greedy Cure". From both outside and inside it looks like a candy, exactly like the ones they sell.

As soon as you get in the small shop you are welcomed by a friendly "Bonjour Madame! Voulez-vous goûter un de nos biscuits à la fraise?" How to say no to such a warm invite to taste mouthwatering strawberry cookies?

And that was the first trick: those cookies were actually good, the strawberry inside actually tasted like strawberry.

The more we walked into the store, the more the sight became captivating. Chic sachets containing finely decorated chocolate hung from old-fashioned shelves, a wide range of nougat lay on fancy wooden chests and an impressive variety of (mock-)homemade biscuits was the main display.

I'd like to make clear first that I don't just *like* chocolate, I'm completely addicted to it, and when I find myself before any kind of sweets and cookies, I take the plunge shamelessly.

I've noticed La Cure Gourmande on my second day in Strasbourg and I decided to shop there before I'd leave so to have a good travel companion on my way back to London. The memory of that tantalizing show haunted my short French stay.

On the last day I couldn't wait. I got up excited that I was going to give my already beautiful holiday the final touch and, despite the definitely unreasonable price, I filled a cute paper bag with all the most appetizing types of biscuits.

I couldn't resist and, once back home packing my last stuff, I tried some of them. And here my theory was confirmed by the empirical evidence of heavy and hard cookies that didn't do any justice to their lovely look.

I couldn't believe what I was experiencing, I couldn't believe how a sweet-obsessed like myself could get bamboozled by a couple of nice displays. Yes, truth hurts.

Instead of the aphrodisiac blend of fruits, sugar, chocolate, coconut flavors, I found a rocklike mix of butter and sugar, where the taste of what was meant to be the main ingredients was sadly imperceptible.

Well, I guess it's always good to remember that all that glitters is not gold.