In which Physicsgirl finds heaven...

I had read about the magical macaron in my guidebooks and on the Girls' Guide to Paris website, and I confess I couldn't see what the big deal was. I knew it was nothing like the North American macaroon, a dense, chewy concoction of coconut and meringue (which I rather like, but YMMV). A Parisian macaron is basically two flavoured almond meringue cookies sandwiched together by a flavoured cream or jam -- kind of an upscale, lighter Oreo. Little did I know...

While that's pretty much it on paper, the reality is far, far above anything I could have imagined. Macarons are like little pieces of heaven, all crisp, creamy goodness. They are so light on the tongue that they almost melt in your mouth; I'm sure they have no calories whatsoever. They look like little jewels. And the flavours!

From Paris 2010: La Vie en Rose

I'd heard that Ladurée was famous for their macarons, so I decided to start there. They have salons on the Champs-Elysée and near the Faubourg Saint-Honoré, but I went to the one in the Latin Quarter. There was quite the line, which gave me time to decide which of the many flavours, or parfums, I wanted to try. The packaging is elegant and pretty all by itself; I got a jewel box filled with six pretty, pretty macarons. I'm still trying to decide whether to keep the box or whether it will become part of a gift later; of course, that gives me the excuse to go back and get another! Plus, I love being asked "quels parfums?"



They have "ordinary" flavours like vanilla, chocolate, and pistachio, but also more exotic offerings like lily of the valley, chocolate with lime, and rose petal. That last one sounds like it shouldn't taste good, but Oh. My. Imagine the most beautiful rose you've ever seen and translate that into taste. It's so lovely.

From Paris 2010: La Vie en Rose

It being my first time, I played it kind of safe with the flavours: Rose petal, pistachio, lemon, chocolate, coffee, and praline. They were all yummy. They melted on the mouth. I'm not usually a huge fan of lemon cookies, but this was tart, sweet, and creamy. The pistachio was my favourite, with just the right amount of nutty flavour. Too bad they need to be eaten within three days, or I'd have shared.

You can also find them in the frozen food section at the grocery store. In the spirit of anthropological research (naturally), I bought some.

Since they are frozen, you need to defrost them in the fridge for four hours before eating. They only come in "normal" flavours: chocolate, strawberry, pistachio, and cappuccino. Conclusion: the meringue was fine, but the strawberry jam and chocolate ganache fillings don't hold up well to freezing and as a result, those macarons were kind of heavy and overly chewy. The cappuccino and pistachio macarons were much better, but not as light as the fresh version. They tasted fine, but I think the texture is a big part of the experience. Much better to spend the money on the real thing.

I also tried one from the bakery across the street (must support local businesses, you know). Macarons come in two sizes: small (as sold by Ladurée and Hermé) and large, which are about the diameter of an English muffin. My bakery sells the large ones. I had pistachio.



I think it was stale. The meringue shell was maybe a bit too crisp on the outside -- I kept picking up flakes of meringue. The filling had the texture of Cool Whip, much more solid than creamy, and it was unevenly spread, so there was too much at the centre and not enough at the edges. The flavour didn't pop. It didn't sit heavily, but it wasn't the best thing I'd ever eaten, certainly. I prefer the small, expensive ones.

The other great macaron maker is Pierre Hermé (not Hermès -- that's another piece of heaven entirely). I meant to go here Easter weekend, but the line was out the door. Once I finally found it -- it's very unobtrusive, right near Saint Sulpice.

I finally went on a Monday. There was hardly any line when I went in the early afternoon, which dismayed me because I hadn't had time to see what I wanted. However, there weren't as many to choose from and this time I decided to be a bit braver with my selections. I went with Rose (of course), Jasmin, Strawberry and Wasabi, Caramel with Salted Butter, Pistachio and Cherry, and Olive Oil and Vanilla.

Unfortunately, they got a bit smushed on the way home, but that in no way affected their texture or flavour. The cookies were still the right combination of crisp and chewy, and the cream or jam centres were properly creamy, not stiff. As for the parfums?

The rose was spectacular; salt kept the caramel from being overly sweet. The jasmin was very delicately flavoured -- it was nice, but didn't make much of an impression. I was expecting a big kick from the strawberry and wasabi, but it was mostly strawberry with a hint of spice. The pistachio with cherry was a surprise because it had dried cherries in the cream filling. Yummy. The olive oil and vanilla was also a surprise because I wasn't expecting so strong an olive flavour. The vanilla was just sweet enough to temper it. I enjoyed it, although I'm not sure I'd go back for another.

It's a good thing they are so expensive (about 10 euros for six small macarons at Ladurée and Hermé -- more with a fancy box). I'd eat them every day.

It's funny. Just as I'm discovering these in Paris, they're starting to pop up in Toronto. Something to look forward to when I get back! But in case they don't come close to the Paris versions, I'll always have my memories: