When I was in New York last week, I heard about the “macaron invasion” on every television in every taxi I took. With the recent opening of a Ladurée outpost in Manhattan and a spate of American-made macarons appearing in dessert cases all across the country, the assumption is that the cupcake has finally met its match. Before long, it will suffer the same fate as the American confection and end up on McDonalds and Starbucks menus.
What I saw in the taxi. I think you know you’ve been in France too long when you grimace as “macaron” is butchered as in the video above (if reading in email, click over to the blog to view!)Although they inspire puerile, sometimes exaggerated reactions and adjectives like “cute”, “dainty” and “adorable”, I’ve never been particularly enchanted by the orb-shaped specialty. If you put them in front of me I’ll indulge (especially if they’re from Pain de Sucre) but I’ll never go out of my way for them. Maybe it’s that they are too small for the flavor to last or perhaps I’m not so easily seduced by branding and packaging, but I simply prefer heartier French desserts.
Lucky for me, I had an opportunity…
