Circle Your Way to Le Macaron in St. Armands

A walk around and through St. Armands Circle is a unique experience. As you walk around the circle, you are surrounded by beach goers, tourists, locals, street performers and art galleries.  The circle itself is full of statues reminding visitors of the area’s rich culture and youthful history while you snack, shop and relax.  A short walk from Lido Beach and a short drive to now famous Siesta Key Beach, St. Armands is a popular destination in Sarasota, FL.

At the corner of one of the circle’s “quadrants” is a delightful escape into European delights: Le Macaron.  This location is one of many throughout Florida. There are even many locations in the US.  On this corner they sell gelato, truffles, and most importantly, French Macarons.  There is both indoor and outdoor seating so when you visit, take a moment to sit, enjoy the sunshine and these delicious treats. You can expect to find macarons with soft cookies and delicious fillings.

The flavors I tried on this day were Lemon Cream, Raspberry, Belgium Chocolate, Orange Chocolate Grand Marnier, Sicilian Pistachio, and Vanilla.

Lemon Cream: This soft cookie absorbed some of the cream. The delicious lemon inside was sour and sweet.  Overall, this macaron had a great texture. Considering lemon macarons are my favorite, I liked this one.

Raspberry: This treat was filled with raspberry preserves. The filling was perfectly absorbed into the soft delicious cookies. I loved the texture of the raspberry seeds. It was not too sweet and was my favorite of the trip.

Belgium Chocolate: This macaron had a very dense and chocolatey filling accompanying a chocolate cookie. This one had a nice amount of chocolate filing, enough to satisfy anyone’s chocolate cravings. I enjoyed the whole thing.

Orange Chocolate Grand Marnier: This macaron had a clear Grand Marnier taste with a hint of orange flavor and subtle chocolate flavor. It was a beautiful orange cookie with a fun orange and chocolate cream. It had a soft delicious cookie and great cookie to filling ratio.

Sicilian pistachio: With a strong pistachio smooth filling, very soft cookie, and great after taste, I found that this cookie absorbed a lot of the cream but made it soft and tasty.

Vanilla: Finally, this had a vanilla bean cookie, with a flavorful, light, fluffy, buttery cream.  A solid macaron.

Who should go here: This is a great location for first time French macaron samplers and macaron lovers. You will not have to worry about trying something fresh, as all of the cookies are soft and delicious.

I’ll definitely be stopping back to try: Their newest flavors, since they frequently change and Basil White Chocolate and Salted Caramel.

Le Macaron

382 St. Armands Circle

Sarasota, FL 34236

Phone: 941-552-8872

http://lemacaron-us.com/

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/

Sugar and Plumm: Purveyors of Yummy Macarons!

Sugar & Plumm is my exception to the rule that if you want to be guaranteed delicious macarons, you should go to a bakery that specializes in them. Sugar and Plumm is a sweet shop with many different types of desserts and sweet treats. They also make amazing macarons! This is a delightful place and dream for a sugar lover or person with a sweet tooth. 

Like most shops on Macaron Day, March 20th, at 4pm, Sugar and Plumm were all out of samples. So I thought, "go big" and bought six. On this day they had a wide variety of macarons available to buy.  They were the perfect size macaron! Not too big or too small. The thickness of the cookie was delightful and they had a good filling to cookie ratio. There was also a cute foot on each with a nice shell and soft/chewy cookie. The flavors that I tried were raspberry, strawberry poppy, pistachio, vanilla, lemon yuzu and rosewater lychee.

Raspberry: There were wonderful preserves inside. I love when you can crunch down on the seeds and really enjoy the natural flavors of the filling. Full disclosure: I ate raspberry before taking the extra pictures.  I can't help myself sometimes!

Strawberry Poppy: This was a red cookie with poppy seeds. The poppy seeds were a good compliment to the strawberry flavor cream filling.

Pistachio: Very very nutty! It's creamy and delicious. The pistachio flavor is bursting out. I love when you bite into a pistachio macaron and you see the different shades of green throughout. If you love pistachio you will love this macaron. There's no escaping the delicious nutty flavor in every single bite. This is a true competitor for my favorite pistachio macaron so far.

Vanilla: This macaron had a vanilla bean shell with a strong vanilla flavor in the smooth cream.

Lemon Yuzu: Yuzu is a citrus plant originating in East Asia. The best thing about this macaron is the aftertaste. It's as though the flavor moves from you lips, over your tongue and when it gets to be back of your throat. It is sweet, sour and delicious. It is cream filled. I like the addition of the yuzu to the classic lemon macaron.

Rosewater Lychee: If you've read the blog before you'd see I tend to steer clear of floral macarons. After a few good nights with lychee martinis, it was hard to pass up a lychee macaron. This is perfect for someone who doesn't like their macarons overly sweet.  It has a nice subtle flavoring where the lychee is not overwhelming. I definitely recommend this one for someone wanting to try something new without steering too far from the classics.

Who should go here: Everyone!  This is a great place to buy dessert for a party, or an afternoon sweet for you.  It's also a great place to try macarons or indulge if you already have fallen in love with them.  They also serve food and dessert cocktails.

I'll definitely be stopping back to try: Violet Black Current & Chocolate macarons

 

 

Sugar and Plumm

Satellite Store- West Village

257 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10014
p. 212-388-5757

http://www.sugarandplumm.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/

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/

Chantilly Patisserie & Epicerie Boulud- Just a Peek!

There were two more notable bakeries who were selling French macarons for Bastille Day that I was able to try: Chantilly Patisserie and Epicerie Boulud.  For them, this was just a small sampling of what they have to offer and I definitely have to head to the bakery to try some again.

Chantilly Patisserie 

Chantilly sold three very mini macarons sold in a bag.  Even though they a small bite they pack a punch with flavor. They had smooth shells, were soft on the inside and were overall plump. The flavors were vanilla, pistachio, and caramel.  Each had a nice almond flavor while the vanilla, with a strong flavor, and pistachio, just soft and delicious, were the highlights for me.

I can't wait to try the bigger ones!

Chantilly Patisserie 

135 Parkway Road, Bronxville, NY 

Twitter: @ChantillyPastry

http://www.chantillybronxville.com/

Epicerie Boulud 

This vanilla marshmallow macaron was festive and beautiful for Bastille Day in its red, white and blue. It was a great preview of what's in store for me at the bakery: soft, fresh and delicious macarons! I loved how the marshmallow and vanilla were in perfect harmony. I tasted both flavors equally. I'm looking forward to trying some of their seasonal macarons in the future!

Epicerie Boulud 

1900 Broadway at 64th Street, New York, NY

Twitter: @EpicerieBoulud

http://www.epicerieboulud.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/