MacarOn Café - Full of Filling and Surprises

During the Bastille Day celebration at 60th street and Lexington Avenue, I thought I would visit the first place I had a macaron in NYC, MacarOn Café.  I was so happy that they had a stand at the festival and I was happy to buy a whole box.

Their macaron flavors can best been described as a blend of classic and seasonal, but with a flair for the dramatic.  Besides being beautiful, these macarons have the most generous amount of filling between their cookies.  Sometimes, when you try a macaron, you struggle to identify the flavor.  With MacarOn Café's macarons, there is so much filling that the flavor is clear and enjoyable.

The flavors that I tried this time are Lemon, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Pistachio and Orange Buttercream.

Lemon: This macaron had more of a natural color with a delicious lemon cream.  It had a natural flavor and it not overly lemony. This is great for someone looking to try a lemon macaron but is hesitant because it's undeniably delicious.

Peanut butter and Jelly: This macaron had delicious peanut butter with jelly preserves. The peanut butter was so creamy. The pink sugar crystals were a nice touch. 

Pistachio: This macaron was not overly nutty and had a great buttercream filling.  The cookie had a great color and wonderful aftertaste.

Orange Buttercream: This macaron tastes exactly like it was described. It was subtly orange with a thick creamy buttercream filling. It had a wonderful size macaron and a generous amount of cream.

Who should go here: Anyone looking to try macarons or see how these classics compare.  You will not be disappointed!  I have always been fond of their sandwiches, as well.

I'll definitely be stopping back to try: Dark chocolate, Rhubarb. Matcha Green Tea and I'll have the lemon again too!

MacarOn Café

Flagship Store:

750 Third Avenue

New York, NY 10017

(212) 983-2370

http://macaroncafe.com/

Vendome Macaron Bar - Popped In to the Pop Up Shop

Since starting the blog, I have been sharing my adventure with a coworker who kept reminding me that she had never actually tried a French macaron. Finally, she came into work and revealed that she tried one but was less then excited about the experience. I asked, "Was the macaron soft? Did it delicately crumble as you bit into it?" Low and behold, her answer was "no" and I was determined for her to have a first taste do-over. You can imagine my excitement when Vendome Macaron Bar popped up right in our neighborhood. I crossed my fingers and hoped this would be a great place for her to enjoy a macaron that wasn't stale. To our delight, it was a great place for a "first time." For first-timers, trying a macaron at a cafe/bakery that is dedicated to making macarons is often a safe bet when looking for something fresh!

Our visit was right before the end of the year. Therefore, the bar had several seasonal flavors that I was happy to try. I also managed to try some of the classic flavors as well.  Overall, these cookies were perfectly soft and delicate!

Gingerbread: This macaron was bright yellow with green and red sprinkles and a gingerbread butter cream. The cookie was delicate and the sugar on the outside provided a nice sweet compliment to the seasoning of the gingerbread cream. The dollop of cream was in the center. The cookies were soft the cream was a nice thick texture. This one was my favorite of the visit!

Candy Cane: This macaron was white with red glitter.  It had pieces of candy cane in the cream. While oval it was plain, the texture was smooth and pleasant. It had a nice amount of filling and was not too sweet.  The candy cane flavor was subtle.

French Vanilla Bean: This macaron was super soft cookie with an extra delicate shell. It had a sweet French vanilla filling and was a pretty and stark white. This one literally melted in my mouth. It was sweeter than most macarons, which was okay by me!

Raspberry: This macaron was filled with raspberry preserves. It was not overly sweet and had a nice amount of filling. Yet again, the cookies were so soft!

Italian Pistachio: This one was very nutty!! Some pistachio macarons are subtle in flavor but this cream smacks you with delicious pistachio. It tastes like a homemade cream. The amount of filling was less than the others but it was okay because it is such a strong flavor. Any more of the filling would have been over powering.

Who should go here: A first time macaron eater would be safe here. It's also perfect for anyone who loves a simple and delicious macaron. They are also affordable at $2 each.

I'll definitely be stopping back to try: I'm planning a visit once their new shop opens at 1 Brooklyn Bridge Park. I would like to try Sea Salt Caramel and Tuscan Sun

Vendome Macaron Bar

**Sold at Saks 5th Ave and Smorgasbord

Pop Up Shop (Open through March):

233 SMITH STREET

BROOKLYN, NY 11231

http://www.vendomemacaronbar.com/

Dana's Bakery- A Gift That Keeps on Giving

I was delighted to find that my husband, in support of my new macaron blog, had gifted me an incredibly thoughtful gift, a 3 month subscription to Dana's macarons of the month club.  So what did this include?  The membership was 3 monthly shipments of 12 macarons, including their current flavor of the month.  As one would presume, it can be difficult to eat that many macarons while they are still fresh.  With the arrival of that first delivery, I very quickly placed the whole box in the freezer as I formulated a plan of action.

Each shipment came in a refrigerated bag with an accompanying ice pack.  For extra protection, I wrapped my box in foil.  This many have been unnecessary but I was happy to take the extra precaution.  When the desire came, I would take out a number of macarons, place them in an airtight container for about 20-30 minutes as they defrosted and prepared for my treats!

One flavor was better than the next as I enjoyed all three months of the club.  While nearly impossible to choose, I did come away with some personal favorites.  The flavors shipped in each box were S'mores, Thin Mint, Molten Chocolate Mac!, Orange Creamsicle, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Red Velvet, Cookie Dough, Birthday Cake, Cup of Joe, Fruity Cereal and Key Lime Pie.  It was a lot of fun trying all of the different flavors!

Overall, every single macaron was deliciously soft with a delicate smooth shell.  Not one single flavor disappointed when it came to texture and amount filling.  Their cookie is consistently delicate with a smooth finish and soft chewy inside. Each one gave me the same feeling that moment when your teeth crunch through the shell and you reach the soft, pillow-like cookie!  Below are descriptions of some of the flavors and presentations of my favorites.

Chocolate Molten Mac!:  Right now, this is my favorite chocolate macaron! Drizzled with chocolate on the top, the milk chocolate cookie had a thick chocolate ganache filling. It was dense and extremely flavorful. I often tell people who love chocolate and are trying macarons for the first time to steer clear of chocolate flavor ones.  I feel like they have an expectation that it will be a very chocolaty cookie.  However, this is so chocolaty that a even chocolate lover will be more than satisfied!

Fruity Cereal: This macaron had flakes of fruity pebbles throughout the cookie and the cream! This one is a must try!! It's a flashback to your childhood. It had a great texture. Fruity pebble is really the only flavor that shines through and consistently with each bite. It had a good amount of filling as to not make it overly sweet. 

Red Velvet:  This macaron was amazing!  I loved the red cookie and how beautiful it looked inside.  It didn't taste chocolaty but the cream cheese filling and cookie were the perfect compliment.  This was sweet, but not overly so.

Cookie dough: This macaron had a vanilla cookie with dusting of chocolate power.  It's sweet filling, doesn't really taste like cookie dough but does kind of taste like a cookie. It had a natural flavor with slivers of chocolate pieces in the filling.

Candy corn:  This macaron was a flavor of the month.  It was so pretty and festive for the fall. It was orange on one side and yellow on the other with a orange butter cream filling. There was a delightful surprise of a candy corn hiding on the inside.

S'mores:  This macaron had a chocolate ganache filling with a dollop of marshmallow fluff accompanying it.  The cookie, one chocolate and the other white, had perfect shells.  The macaron had the flavor of what seems like a toasted marshmallow, giving that authentic campfire moment.  I really liked it!

Who Should Go There/Order:  These macarons are great as a gift (especially the macaron of the month club).  They are fun to try if you are looking for “not your ordinary macaron.” 

I'll definitely be stopping back to try:  I’d love to try the Seat Salt Caramel and I’ll keep a look out for a their take on the classic lemon macarons.

Dana's Bakery

http://www.danasbakery.com/

New Store Location:

52 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY 10014

Pierre's In Bridgehampton

On my way to East Hampton, NY, I dropped into this gem.  Right on Main street, although hard to miss, while inside it feels hidden and special.  I did not have the pleasure of eating in the restaurant, or enjoying their sidewalk seating.  I was on a mission, to sample some macarons in the Hamptons!  Beside their sit down restaurant is a delightful gourmet market.  I was excited to see that they did indeed have macarons on this day since I would not be able to stop back.  

Their macarons are sold as a 12 pack, with two of each of the following flavors: chocolate, vanilla, passion fruit, pistachio, lemon and raspberry.  The cost for the 12 was $22.

These macarons were a good size, had smooth shells and were very pretty. They especially grabbed my attention being sold altogether and sealed with ribbon.  It was like carrying around the most precious present.

While all of them had some positive attributes, there were some inconsistencies in regard to freshness.  For me, the definite highlights were the pistachio and lemon flavors.

Pistachio:  This macaron was soft inside with that perfect crunch to the shell.  The ganache gave more of a hint of pistachio, almost letting you in on its little secret with each bite.

Lemon: This macaron seemed pillow-like, and extremely fresh.  It was filled with a lemon ganache that was not overly sweet, but would have been the perfect taste for someone trying to satisfy a sweet tooth. 

Who should go here: Anyone in the neighborhood looking to try macarons or to bring a great present to a host if they are a guest.

I'll definitely be stopping by the shop to try: I would love to return and enjoy a bit more of the ambiance.  Next time I'll be enjoying a treat, or a meal, at this comfy bistro instead of just dropping by.

Pierre's

2468 Main Street

Bridgehampton, NY

Twitter: @Pierres_BH

http://www.pierresbridgehampton.com/

Bosie Tea Parlor- To Tea or Not to Tea?

Bosie Tea Parlor was another participant in the Bastille Day event on 60th Street.  I was so happy to come across them there because I had not heard of them previously.  After tasting their macarons, the fact that I did not know them sooner was shocking.  Being a coffee/espresso drinker myself, I have yet to pair a macaron with a nice cup of tea.  After tasting their treats, I am looking forward to trying macarons and tea in their shop soon.  Overall, I found the macarons to be soft on the in all the right places and extremely fresh.  Additionally, they had a very good filling to cookie ratio, which I am always excited about!  I love lemon macarons, so I was excited to try their lemon praline flavor.  Additionally, I think I have been on a pistachio kick, so it has been fun comparing the different pistachio flavors and this one was a definite contender.

Lemon Praline- This was not your typical lemon.  It had what seemed to be a lemon curd on the sides with a praline ganache in the center.  It was a delightful mix of refreshing and savory.  The combination was unique for me but felt very special.  The lemon was creamy and pale in color, which differed from the bright color you usually see in a fruit flavored macaron.  I loved how the lemon flavor lingered long after the bites were done.

Pistachio- This macaron had a strong pistachio flavor.  Some pistachio macarons are more subtle while the actual nuttiness of this one really came across.  It was a perfect cross between crumbly and solidly together.  It was just delicious and had my usual favorite; a cracking shell and moist fresh inside.  To top it off, the color in side was such a pretty green inside maintaining its beauty as I ate it.  Yum!!!

Who should go here: This is a great place for a macaron lover to try.  I think a person who particularly likes the tea flavors would appreciate their variety: Jasmine Tea, Darjeeling Tea, and Chai Tea.

I'll definitely be stopping by the shop to try: Bacon & Maple Syrup, Classic Lemon, and Dark Chocolate. 

Bosie Tea Parlor

Twitter: @Bosienyc

10 Morton Street, NY

bosienyc.com

Mad Mac Macarons NYC- Crazy About Them!!

At the Bastille Day celebration, it nice to see founders, and pastry chefs, Florien Bellanger and Ludovic Augendre behind the table, smiling and selling their beautiful macarons.  They specialize in French macarons, madeleines and caneles.

On this day, they were selling the macarons in bags on paired flavors and I was pleased to pick up a bag of classic flavors: chocolate and pistachio.  Note: They freeze amazingly!

Chocolate- This macaron literally melted in my mouth.  It has a slight crunch through shell and is full of silky chocolate ganache.  This macaron has a beautiful chocolate flavor. Sometimes when you eat a chocolate macaron, you can still taste the almond and they are not very chocolaty.  However, this is not that case with this macaron.  It was delicious and I'm so glad I had 2 more to try!

Pistachio- Upon tasting this macaron, I realize that I have been using the word "delicate" too loosely.  This was the most delicate macaron I have tasted recently.  I actually loved that because it felt so special and needed to be handled with care.  I just loved how soft and tender it was.  The amount of pistachio filling was not visually overwhelming but the flavor packed such a punch that it was perfect.

Who should order from here: These are delicious and affordable!  Great for office meetings and parties.  You can also order them and freeze them for yourself!

I'll definitely be placing an order to try: I cannot wait until their Winter Collection! The flavors are pumpkin, cinnamon, earl grey, orange/chocolate, chestnut/whiskey.  I would also want more chocolate!

Mad Mac NYC 
They ship nationwide!
Twitter: @madmacnyc
http://www.madmacnyc.com/

Macaron Parlour Patisserie - A Twist on the Classics

I think my mouth just exploded with flavor! I'm not even sure where to start.

I was very glad to come upon this stand at the Bastille Day street celebration on July 13th, 2014. In an attempt to try many different macarons from different bakeries, I walked around buying several from everyone and saving them to savor at home at my leisure. Okay, that was the back story leading up the wonderful moment when I opened up my baggy storing the macarons. I opened it up and the smell of bacon, yes bacon!, filled the air. I know, that's not your first thought when you hear about macarons. Allow me to explain.

I ordered 3 flavors: Party Time, Strawberry and Candied Bacon. 

Strawberry, with white chocolate ganache, was a very refreshing flavor. I loved the pink color inside, revealed after the first bite. The taste of strawberry lingered, which I enjoyed. It was not overly fruity since it was accompanied by the white chocolate. Yum!!  

Party Time is salted milk chocolate with dulce de leche. Unfortunately, being chocolate in the summertime, it did not make it all the way home without getting a little melty. Therefore, a picture was not included. That being said, it was such a fun flavor! The French macaron had different color specks throughout the shell. As for the filling, you taste both flavors equally which was delightful because it wasn't overly salty or overly sweet.  If you love chocolate but are looking to try something new, this is for you!

Candied Bacon with maple cream cheese was shockingly delicious! At first bite, it was a little tricky to eat since there was an actual piece of bacon in it but it was that perfect mix of salty and sweet. As I was eating it, I had wished I saved it for breakfast, imagining how good it would be with coffee in the morning. In fact, I saved half for tomorrow so that I can continue to enjoy it! While the bacon adds fun and flavor to the macaron, my favorite part was the maple cream cheese. 

I found these macarons to definitely be a new twist on the classics. They were a little larger than others which gave me the opportunity to save some and also share some. I thought that they were a bit less delicate then some other macarons, but equally as fresh and soft. 

Who should go here: Anyone interested in a modern twist on classic French macaron with a foodie palette! 

I'll definitely be stopping by the shop to try: Lemon (my personal favorite macaron flavor) and Cheetos.

Macaron Parlour Patisserie

Two Locations:

111 St. Marks Place between 1st Ave & Avenue A in NYC and 560 Columbus Avenue between 87th & 87th Streets

http://www.macaronparlour.com/

My First Time- When was yours??

I can still remember the first time I tried a French Macaron.  I was in Paris with my sisters and my mom.  We had just finished a terrific hike up the Arc de Triomphe and began to make our way down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.  We were doing our usual drop-ins and window shopping when we walked into Publicis Drug Store and began to browse around.  That is when I was struck with the beautiful macarons at a small stand in the store.  It was MACARONS & CHOCOLATS PIERRE HERMÉ PARIS- also known as my heaven on earth. Kelly, my younger sister whom at this point had become quite aware with how much I was dying to try this delectable cookie, and I scrounged up with few Euros we had in our purses.  We had just enough to purchase 4 French macarons, one for each of us.  Kelly and I decided to split ours so that we could at least try two flavors.  From that very first bite, I was in love.  With a single bite of hers, I was hooked!  Je t'aime Paris- I’ll be back one day.

Do you remember your first time??

Finding the "Perfect" French Macaron

As I sat eating my 5th French Macaron of the season I wondered if there was a website where I can find where macarons are sold in NYC and which are the best.  To my surprise, finding such a site dedicated to celebrating all the bakeries that carry this delicious treat was hard to find.  I came across many people demonstrating valiant attempts at creating these cookies at home.  I also found many people who are selling them.  But I did not find anyone who was critiquing, analyzing and just simply enjoying this delicious treat.  With that, I have decided to start my very first blog, The French Macaron Critic, in order to make these treats more accessible to everyone, at least while the boom is still here!  Enjoy!