Macarons by BeatChick
Ah, you MUST try macarons when in Paris! Not macaroons, those hard, coconut-ey confections in the US. These are to die for ? crispy on the outside and chewy/light on the inside glued together with a gooey ganache - and they come in a super variety of flavors.They are found at most patisseries but I recommend Pierre Hermé, Ladurée, Boulangerie Paul, and Gérard Mulot. I've also had wonderful macarons at the Ritz when I partook of Afternoon Tea there in 2003 and at a great little salon de the in the Passage Jouffroy called Le Valentin. I had some wonderful macarons in Chartres, too, at La Chocolaterie, billing itself as a Macaronnerie/Salon de The, which has a wide selection of macarons.
Click here for an excellent Pierre Hermé Chocolat Macaron recipé to make them on your own.Buying a singular small macarons from the Ladurée on the corner of rue de Seine & rue Jacob in St-Germain-des-Prés! My fave flavors are Rsse, Caramel au Sel, Fleur d'Oranger & Pistache.
Cassis Violette was okay but had a confiture in the middle instead of the ganache. My least favorite macaron flavor would have to be Poivre de Java (black pepper) macarons from Ladurée - not terrible, not great, definitely edible but falls squarely into the "interesting" category.
In the 1st photo:
Clockwise from top - Pistache (pistachio), Poivre de Java (pepper), Cassis Violette (blackcurrant violet), Fleur d'Oranger (orange flower), Rose (rose), Caramel au Sel (salted caramel).
Photos: Feb 2006
