La Sablésienne Tomato & Rosemary Savory Shortbread 40g

This savory sablé takes two familiar kitchen aromas and fits them into a small, crisp biscuit. La Sablésienne lists tomato powder and rosemary in the exact 40 g recipe, along with wheat flour, butter, eggs, a little sugar, salt, ammonium bicarbonate and rosemary extract. The butter dough gives it the short, crumbly bite associated with a sablé; tomato adds a rounded savoury sweetness and rosemary supplies a green, aromatic finish. It is a flavour combination that feels at home before dinner, especially when a drink has been poured and nobody wants a heavy starter. The biscuit has enough character to be eaten plain, but its crispness also makes it a good partner for something soft and cool. The maker says this savory range is baked in its Sablé-sur-Sarthe workshop. A 40 g sleeve will not take over the table; it is the useful small plate that appears while the larger meal is still becoming a plan. Open it close to serving and let the texture do its work. Simple ingredients, a recognisable flavour, and no need for a recipe card.

• A Mediterranean-style first plate: Serve with Oliviers & Co Eggplant Caviar by Chef Streiff. Its soft, smoky eggplant contrasts with the biscuit's crisp tomato-and-herb edge. Keep the spread in a separate bowl and spoon it on just before eating. The jar is sold separately.
• Creamy contrast: Set out Marius Hummus with Cumin for a gentler dip. The chickpea creaminess gives the rosemary space, while cumin adds a little warmth. The hummus is sold separately; cool cucumber alongside keeps the plate fresh.
• A quick aperitif: Put the sablés on a board with cherry tomatoes, a few olives and sparkling water or a dry drink. They are also handy crushed lightly over a simple salad just before serving, where they act as a buttery, herby crunch.

La Sablésienne was founded in Sablé-sur-Sarthe in 1962, and the town's name has become almost inseparable from the sweet sablé. The bakery's savory collection takes the same short-biscuit idea to aperitif hour. Tomato and rosemary are familiar far beyond Sarthe, but putting them into a small butter biscuit makes them useful in a new way. The maker offers this 40 g version alongside other savory flavours such as Comté and sesame, onion and paprika, and Parmesan and pepper. That range tells a practical story about hospitality: one person wants cheese, another likes herbs, and a few sleeves let everyone find a favourite without preparing separate canapés. The tomato-and-rosemary one is especially easy to bring to the table. It has the cheerful aroma of a herb garden, in a packet that needs only opening.

Ingredients and allergens: Wheat flour, butter (milk), sugar, eggs, salt, tomato powder, rosemary, ammonium bicarbonate, rosemary extract. Made in a workshop that also uses sesame, soy and tree nuts.

Store in a cool, dry place, away from heat and moisture.