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Monday, May 25, 2009
Paris is besotted with Confessions of a Shopaholic. You can not take a Metro or bus without confronting this image...
Photo (c) The Selby.comSome people are SHOE-aholics as noted on The Selby.com...
I am a MAC-aholic.
This trip, well last Friday to be exact, I brought home 19 (!) boxes of Parisien macarons (oui, reserche again). It was quite a challenge and required consultations with one of the world's best mac makers....
One thing I learned is look for macs packed in a box with no spaces like these cuties at Dalloyau...
Eeeeep! BIG spaces in Patisserie Carette's beautiful box. What to do?
Helene of Tartelette , Champion du Monde macaron-maker to the rescue. By emergency correspondence, she let me know the best secrets of her French Grande mere = little pads of tissue paper (Toilet paper or Kleenex) to fill in the spaces in the box so the mac don't bang around and hurt themselves. In fact it's not a bad idea to carry these pads with you at all times in Paris. You never know...
I found a new place for macarons! From M.O.F. pastry chef Pascal Caffet and his boxes are perfect for travel and preservation of your macarons. I have yet to tastes these cuties - they have Jet Lag from the trip. But do *note that each mac has it's own little compartment so it can't jump around.
A side view of macarons...
from hyper marche Champion...
You get 12 (!) maccies for 6.50 euros (!!!) and they are not half bad. It can't hurt in your ventures in comparative analysis of the Parisien macaron to have a few bites from the bottom of the food chain as well as the top.
Top-of-the macaron-chain Laduree even dishes out their macs from these compartmentalized containers, so it's a gotta be a good idea. Their 4 shops sell at least 12,000 (!) macarons A DAY! They are deeply into the preservation and experte care of their product.
*Note there are no open spaces in their boxes. These macs came home in one piece unbroken.
Sharon said...You keep mentioning (and painting) maccarons. What are they exactly? Describe what it feels like to eat one. They must be fantastique!ps: I'm living vicariously through your adventures!
OK, take your average OREO cookie and who hasn't?
And you have all the components of a Parisien macaron.
Macarons are generally smaller than Oreos it should be noted and don't keep very long as a rule, so instant gratification is part of the joyous experience of eating these...miam miam
And they come in a vast and endless range of exotic flavors and rainbow colors. Some are even savory...
Before I caught the plane Friday, I made a last minute dash to Gerard Mulot *Note the whole counter in the front of the store right as you walze in the door is full of many macarons!!
I should have put all my traveling macs into this Laduree sac/cabas perhaps instead of a giant BHV bag. 
OK, take your average OREO cookie and who hasn't?
And you have all the components of a Parisien macaron.2 lids or shells (coques) made of delicate yet chewy meringue
+
+
A filling of either jam (confiture) or ganache (chocolate creme) or caramel or...Jetlag is getting the better of me.
Macarons are generally smaller than Oreos it should be noted and don't keep very long as a rule, so instant gratification is part of the joyous experience of eating these...miam miam And they come in a vast and endless range of exotic flavors and rainbow colors. Some are even savory...For much more info on macarons:
MEETING THE FRENCH Macaron
MEETING THE FRENCH Macaron
Before I caught the plane Friday, I made a last minute dash to Gerard Mulot *Note the whole counter in the front of the store right as you walze in the door is full of many macarons!! I should have put all my traveling macs into this Laduree sac/cabas perhaps instead of a giant BHV bag. I got stopped at French customs before boarding the plane.
A shout went out like 8 times -Scan..scan...scan...scan!
They came running over to me with some weird wand and ran it all over my person and across my hands!
W'a? I was even wearing my French "macaron" T-shirt.
Come to think of it maybe I am a macaron-terroriste...ahem
At USA customs the guy asked me,
At USA customs the guy asked me,
"Do you have any food?"
"No" I said, "Just cookies"
"OK, you're set", he responded.
Who knew US customs is easier on macarons than the French!?
BONJOUR PARIS MACARONS!!!
PS...
Please visit MesVitrinesParis to see the original Bendel's windows from the movie!
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