You're feeling Frenchy. And sweet. Scratch the itch at Madeleine, Almondine or Bouchon Bakery.
Call me provincial, but until I moved to New York I had never tasted a French macaron—those delicate pastel-hued, almond-paste pastries that Marie Antoinette found so bewitching. While I still haven't had the pleasure of sampling an authentic one on French soil, I've been in love with excellent local offerings since my first bite. Sure, if you ask for macarons here in the city, bakeries will likely direct you to, well, macaroons: dense balls of matzo, chocolate and coconut. For the real deal, you'll wanna hit up the pros.
Since my experience has been strictly domestic, I asked Sebastien Rouxel, executive pastry chef at Bouchon Bakery, for his thoughts on this pretty delicacy. A distinct texture is key, Rouxel said, adding that macarons should be "delicately crunchy on the outside while moist, chewy and flavorful on the inside." I also pressed him for some flavor recommendations. He suggested that "herbs and flower-flavored macarons don't work for me, like lavender. Macarons are sweet, so I like to bring some contrast [with] some sourness or acidity, like lemon or raspberry." All good background for my sugar-fueled scavenger hunt. —Jeremy Cesarec
Pictured: Rainbow treats at Madeleine Patisserie
