Carl Marletti :: Le Marie-Antoinette

I’d timed it perfectly yesterday morning, finding myself right at Carl Marletti’s shop for its opening at 10. The problem was the shades were drawn and it was dark inside. I knelt down just a little to peer through a small opening in the darkness; pastries were in the case. I thought he must just be a few minutes behind schedule, so I sauntered about the fromagiers on the Rue Moufetard and returned a few minutes later. No light on inside yet, but his name above the door was now illuminated. Another stroll, this time along Rue Monge. Back to the shop. Lights on, all open, I walk in, and Monsieur Marletti looks up and smiles with a, “Bonjour!” Well, bonjour to you, Monsieur Marletti! And what’s this I see in your case? The Marie-Antoinette? I’ll take it…

Honestly, I thought this pastry might just be more aesthetic and less of an exceptional piece of gustatory art. I was incorrect . . . very, very, very incorrect. The first bite was a little bit of the top raspberry-flavored macaron and part of a whole raspberry. Tasty, pleasant. The next bit caught another raspberry and more macaron, but this time I got some of the sweet and sticky raspberry confit hidden inside. The clash of the tangy acidity of the raspberry ran up against the sugary confit, while the macaron dissolved on my tongue. By this point I was thinking, “Brilliant!” But then I got to the rose crème within, and I said to myself, “This is truly what people envision as Parisian pastry.” All the flavors and textures danced around my mouth in perfect concert.

After having enjoyed a number of Carl Marletti’s pieces, I’m beginning to wonder if he’s truly THE master. His shop only opened in 2009, and he’s tucked away on Rue Censier, but he’s doing phenomenal work. Beyond just the immediate experience you have with any of his pieces, it seems as if he’s deliberate with every single component of them. They all serve a purpose, and they all serve a purpose in relation to one another. It makes for a whole that’s exponentially greater than the sum of its parts.

It goes without saying that I glowingly recommend you experience the Marie-Antoinette.

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