Pierre Hermé, the famous patissier, will organize the 2nd edition of Macaron Day. If you go to one of his pastry shops in Paris or to any pastry shop affiliated to this event, not only will you be able to eat FREE macarons, but also will you contribute to a good action : all the benefits from that day will go to an association that helps people suffering from an orphan (or rare) disease.

Don't know what a macaron is ? See the picture below :

Thanks, AnneParis. Very sweet memories.

thanks for the reminder i will be all over lol!!!

Merci Anne,

Any good recipe for macaron or is it simply to difficult to make?

So we could go to Hermé (and I hope also Gérard Mulot for comparison purposes) on March 20 and then head down to Vernet-les-Bains for the "mucky onion" festival on March 25. Sounds like a plan to me...

Thanks for making me hungry for a Paris macaroon, Anne!

quote:

Originally posted by AnneParis:
Pierre Hermé, the famous patissier, will organize the 2nd edition of Macaron Day. If you go to one of his pastry shops in Paris or to any pastry shop affiliated to this event, not only will you be able to eat FREE macarons, but...

Luckily for me, Fauchon is right around the corner from my office. I'm going to demand that they honor this event.

Irish,
Are you going to be in Paris at the end of this month ???? So, we have to meet for a drink, with Phread !



A Foodie Froggy in Paris

Daniel,
I read your review about "La Table de Joel Robuchon". Believe it or not, I am a Parisian born (and a foodie) and I have never been there !Bu tnow, I really have to ! Thanks ! And by the way, I was in NYC last year with my husband and we fell in love with your city ! We want to go back at least once a year...

A Foodie Froggy in Paris

quote:

Originally posted by AnneParis:
Daniel,
I read your review about "La Table de Joel Robuchon". Believe it or not, I am a Parisian born (and a foodie) and I have never been there !Bu tnow, I really have to ! Thanks ! And by the way, I was in NYC last year with my husband and we fell in love with your city ! We want to go back at least once a year...

Anne, indeed that meal at La Table was a feast for the ages. Can't recommend it enough for those wanting an unforgetable eating experience, sans an overly formal vibe.

Thanks for the kind words about NYC. Sometimes I think that the reason I love Paris so much is that I feel a similar level of energy and intensity there as I do here in New York, although they are obviously very different cities.

Ohhhhhhhh I wish I was gonna be there for that!

Anne,
Isn't it delightful that nobody's asked about the allergic potential of coconut?

My sons are eagerly awaiting their first trip to Paris next month, when they can join in the Hermés vs. Ladurée battle. (Although for chocolate macarons, I hold out for those at Jean-Paul Hevin)

Oh, man. Exactly 30 days away!!!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Amy:
My sons are eagerly awaiting their first trip to Paris next month, when they can join in the Hermés vs. Ladurée battle. (Although for chocolate macarons, I hold out for those at Jean-Paul Hevin)

According to Parisian lore, Ladurée's macarons are supposed to be the alpha and the omega of macarons, but..?
Once in Vienna I ran across town eating 2 Sachertortes in succession, the 1st one in Demel and the 2nd one in Hotel Sacher (was surprised that the 2nd one was better).
Fellow STs should do the same, have an A-B Ladurée-Hermé comparison.
Go to the Ladurée in Madeleine, on rue Royale, and not the new branch on Champs Elysées. Parisians are boycotting the Champs. Seems only rioting soccer fans go there now.

<>

I'd think they'd prefer the latter. I personally find those from Hermés to be a bit tough--almost with a leathery texture...

Truffaut
www.RentalApartmentParis.com

Maybe I should stay home and make macarons tomorrow instead of going to work. I've got all the ingredients right here.....

quote:

Maybe I should stay home and make macarons tomorrow instead of going to work. I've got all the ingredients right here.....

Recipe please ?

I'll see if I can find it. It's really not much different than making meringues. Apparently, one of the "secrets" is that you bake them on parchment paper, and then when they're done, you pour a bit of boiling water underneath the parchment. The steam helps them lift from the parchment without tearing.

Actually, I took a cooking class here, just to learn how to make ladurée-like macarons. It is simple but there are many tips you need to know if you don't want to miss them :
1- use 3 baking sheets, each piled under the other ! (who has 3 baking sheets at home?)
2- use old egg whites (at least one week old),
4- never use granulated sugar (only confectioner's sugar).
5- the almond powder needs to be very very thin and sieved,
6- use a very specific silicon tool called a "corne" to mix the ingredients.
And you think that is all ? No, you also need to let the macarons "croûter" (rest) at least 30 minutes before baking them !
You probably understand why I haven't made them at home since I took this class, lol !!

A Foodie Froggy in Paris

Speaking of great places to buy macarons, those visiting Chartres should really make it a point to stop at La Chocolaterie. It's a very pleasant little tea salon (with upstairs seating as well as the two or three tables squeezed in downstairs) with more macaron flavors than I've ever seen in any shop in Paris. My wife feels this place is worth the trip to Chartres alone. Here's a shot of their window from February 2006.

I made coconut macaroons this afternoon. It was very easy, and they are very good.

The ingredients are 400 grams of grated coconut, 4 egg whites, 400 g of sugar, and a dash of rum.

Beat the egg whites until they are very firm. Then continue beating them while gradually adding the sugar.

Stir the rum into the coconut, and then fold the coconut into the beaten egg whites using a spatula or a wooden spoon.

Make little mounds of the egg white & coconut mixture on a silicon pad on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for five minutes.

Remove the macaroons to a rack and let them cool. Delicious.

quote:

La Chocolaterie

I remember this place! Hmm, we hadn't planned to go to Chartres during our four days in the Loire, but it might be necessary....

quote:

Are you going to be in Paris at the end of this month ????

Oh, no, Anne. I am sorry to disappoint you. I was just kidding. I was struck by the coincidence of two such different food events as the Jour du Macaron and the "mucky onion" festival in Vernet les Bains. It's just the kind of odd thing I might be tempted to build a trip around. (Yes, I know I'm weird...)

But later this year. Promis!

just passing by Chartres today, got my first macarons of the season there ohh yummy again just fine!!! got all kinds.
had at Pâtisserie Migeon
2bis rue du soleil d'or
descending from the cathedral to your right. Had a chance to speak with Patrick Migeon, the pastry maker;very eager to have slow travelers visit.

also this is a link i had in the soirées thread of Paris;for an event by june 2007 choosing again the best macarons de Paris;the previous winners are listed
http://www.lemeilleurmacarondeparis.com/

go to the link RESULTATS in French for the current winners.

From the photos these "macarons" look different from the "macaroons" I have eaten both at Jewish seders (very limited flavors and not so good) and the yummy ones I sampled in Alsace.

I have the recipe, but its in French and they are a pain in the you know what to make... Macarons are different than coconut macaroons. I bet the line will be around the corner at Hérmes shoppe. This recipe is from his book. If you can get powdered egg whites, that really helps them "set" and stick a wooden spoon in your oven door to get some air flow.

here is the recipe
Biscuit Macaron

- 275g de Sucre Glace
- 140g d’amandes en poudre
- 4 Blancs d’œufs
- 25g Poudre de cacao


Progression

1/ Dans la cuve d’un robot ménager, mixer la poudre d’amandes, le sucre glace et le cacao poudre de façon à obtenir une poudre fine. Tamiser.
2/ Monter les blancs en neige, puis in