A coffee with Annemijn
Welcome to the Lepelclub Journal! Before we get into the story behind the madeleines, who is Annemijn?
I’m Annemijn, I’m 26, and I’m from Bloemendaal. I studied at hotel school and then started a master’s in management, which I’m still finishing between everything else: I’m currently writing my thesis. I’ve always loved baking, and now I get to do that every day at Sainte Madeleine.
Where did you grow up, and what brought you to Amsterdam?
I grew up in Bloemendaal and moved to Amsterdam six years ago for my studies. It’s lovely that the city I moved to as a student is now where Felix and I have opened our own little shop.
How did the idea for Sainte Madeleine begin, and what inspired you to bring it to Amsterdam?
Felix and I were in France last year when we came across little shops devoted entirely to madeleines. I thought they were wonderful. I already loved baking, and Felix’s French grandmother makes madeleines for dessert when she cooks for the family every Tuesday. It felt like one plus one made two: why not bring a madeleine shop to Amsterdam, using her recipe?
Why the madeleine? What drew you to this little French classic?
Felix’s grandmother is from Marseille. She has so many classic French recipes, always with her own little twist, and she’s been incredibly generous about sharing them with us. Her vanilla madeleine is the starting point for everything we make.
For about six months before we opened, every Tuesday evening became our madeleine testing night. We’d try out new flavours together and get her honest feedback: a little less sugar, more of this, less of that, or sometimes, “That’s perfect.” It made developing the menu so personal. Alongside her classic vanilla, we now have chocolate, orange, lemon and strawberry, with matcha as our monthly special.
What do you hope people feel when they walk into Sainte Madeleine?
I hope it feels warm, cosy and a little bit like stepping into a French pâtisserie. We wanted that French charm without making the shop feel cluttered or overly old-fashioned. Ideally, you walk in, smell the freshly baked madeleines, look around like a child in a sweet shop and think, “I want to try everything.”
You and Felix built Sainte Madeleine together. What’s it like growing a brand as a duo?
Felix and I are a couple, so building Sainte Madeleine together means we get to share every part of it. My favourite thing is working towards the same goal and celebrating each milestone with someone who knows exactly what went into it. We also have different strengths and our own responsibilities, which makes us a good team. It’s a lot of work, of course, but sharing the experience makes it very special.
We love the idea of making an everyday coffee moment feel a little more special. What little moments in your own day do you always make time for?
Cooking dinner with Felix. When we started the business, we promised each other we’d still make time for it. We both love a good meal, so most evenings we try to cook something delicious and treat that time together as a moment to slow down. Sometimes we even manage to talk about something other than Sainte Madeleine!
And, of course, our favourite question to end with: how do you take your coffee, and which madeleine goes with it?
Lately I’ve been loving an iced latte with pistachio milk, even though I’m usually a cow’s milk person. I’d have it with our chocolate madeleine, although the orange is a very close second. In winter, I switch to a cappuccino made with the lovely Belgian milk we serve in the shop.
