CONTINENTAL markets have become a popular fixture in the run up to Christmas.

Many cities centre in the UK are transferred into German and French open markets offering all manner of continental delights to visitors and shoppers with stalls and huts laden with cheeses, sausages, cooked meats, cakes and all sorts of gifts.

This trend is spreading to smaller centres, such as Llandudno and Colwyn Bay giving their own version of this phenomenon.

One enterprising Conwy business is hoping to cash in hoping to win a slice of this on following this trend. Patisseur Isaac Simeon has brought a continental taste to Conwy for Christmas. He has produced a number of imaginative Spanish and French confections for the celebrations.

Isaac, who shares his name with that of the shop, having previously traded in Colwyn Bay, opened his shop in Bangor Road, Conwy earlier this year, said: “I thought Christmas was a wonderful opportunity to introduce something unusual and unexpected. I think these cakes will prove popular, and so far they appear to be so as I’ve already sold out of the first batch I made. They are eaten during times of celebration.

“Almost as soon as they were on display in my shop than people started buying them and I’m going to have to make another batch.”

One customer said: “I was taken with what Isaac was offering, and can’t wait to get home and taste it, if it is half as good as it looks I’ll be back for more.”

The cakes are: a piono, a thin layer of pastry rolled into a cylinder, with different kinds of syrup and crowned with cream. A chocolate log sponge with orange cream and given a chocolate glaze. A croquembouche, a French dessert consisting of choux pastry balls filled with vanilla cream piled into a cone and covered with chocolate. A special chocolate sponge with passion fruit cream and a chocolate glaze.