On the hunt for the most delicious macaron.
We are nearing the halfway point in the trip and I am torn between feeling like we have been here forever and that our time is flying by too quickly.
Today we made our way down to Saint Germain des Prés to do some shopping, have some lunch at Brasserie Lipp (where we had delicious food and a sweet, sweet waiter who spent 5 minutes trying to help me with my pronunciation of the word “seulement”) and then we headed down to the mecca of food markets, La Grande Epicerie de Paris.
Before our lunch we hunted down the Pierre Hermé pastry store to check out the chocolate and pastries and to buy a selection of their famous macarons so that we could do a taste test with the Gerard Mulot macarons that we had purchased yesterday.
We are still dutifully trying as many baguettes as we can but have now added a new food fascination with the ever ubiquitous French macaron. Actually, we are also obsessed with French salted butter and currently have three different brands in our little fridge but that is another post.
I had never even heard of macarons until a couple of years ago and then, all of a sudden, they seemed to be everywhere. People were eating them, making them and photographing them over and over again. It has been the year (or two) of the French macaron.
It was on our trip last year that I tasted my very first one. I am not sure why but I did not expect to like them. I thought they would be tooth achingly sweet and sugary with a spongy, sticky texture. And to be fair, some are exactly that. However, when you find a very good macaron it is something very special. A macaron should be airy and light, as it is made of egg whites and almond flour that sandwiches a cream filling. Last year we tried macarons from a tiny little cheap and cheerful bakery just off Rue de Abbesses as well as those from the very well known and pricey Ladurée …
This year we sampled the wares from Gerard Mulot and then today we tried the little jewels from Pierre Hermé. With flavours as diverse as Rose Petal, Banana-Ginger, Olive Oil-Vanilla, Sea salt-caramel, Jasmine and good old chocolate it is pretty tough to pick a favourite flavour let alone a favourite purveyor but we are doing our best.
We bought a box of twelve and the best thing was that we found a bench just off the Place Saint Sulpice Square and sat in the sunshine and sampled three of the twelve that we had just purchased. And this was before lunch. A wonderful moment to be a grown-up in Paris.
Great photo Julie; those macarons look fabulous! Enjoy the warm weather you are having as it seems like fall rather than summer in Vancouver. Looking forward to the reports of your future adventures.
Love you two,
dm XXXX
Bonjour du Mexique,
I am soo jealous, those macarons look really good (one of my favorite french dessert after a nice eclair!) I actually have been thinking in taking a classe on how to make them. I am very happy you are having a great time. By the way your photos are beautiful.
Enjoy. Love. martine y Tom
I have never eaten a macaron. I do wonder what all the fuss is over them. I do know that if I am to eat one it must be done in Paris…or New York City.
I just had two in San Francisco, and they were delicious (pistachio and hazelnut fillings).
So, so tough to pick a favourite Macaroon in Paris! Jenny is appalled at the stress you are under! Her favourite was the best Chocolate Mousse or the Best Croissant, and she spent many hours on that intensive research. If we were any kind of friends, we would be there helping you with your burden!!
Sigh!!
I love your commitment to field research! 😉 Your trip sounds amazing and I’m not sure I can get any greener with envy right now – enjoy the rest of your trip and please keep the great snippets coming!
What amazing photos. You are as talented as you are beautiful.
I am so glad you can have this experience with your mom.
We miss you and love you.
G & M
Julie, what a joy to discover that you are sending these fabulous and beautiful postcards from Paris. I am in heaven traveling vicariously. Can almost taste the macarons! Thank you! xo julie 2
I agree with Sheryl! All good friends should be there helping you find the best macaron ever! I am voting for the sea salt caramel and I have yet to find a macaron that I like, but I bet you that’s it!!!
Dad: Thanks. Does it make you want to come along next year?
Martine: How great to hear from you! I hope that you do learn how to make macarons and then you can teach me. We walked near your niece’s apartment and I so love that neighbourhood. Maybe next year.
Tracy: Apparently there are very good macarons in Tokyo as well.
Sheryl: We actually have a pullout couch, you guys should jet over to help us out.
Style Fare: Thanks for the kind words.
Glen and Max: I miss you guys too.
Julie: So pleased that you are following along!
Sarolta: How is all that Italian gelato tasting?
Gelato! Amazing! We have two favorites so far pistachio and lampone (raspberry) at Groms and the almond was amazing at Caribe which is made Sicilian style! More research to be done, but those are top two!