Ladurée :: Macarons
By Paris Patisseries in Laduree
Get the latest entries instantly with Paris Patisseries on Facebook
I was out until almost 11 Sunday night attempting to capture the perfect Louvre dusk photo. So when I woke up Monday morning with a busy day ahead of me, I wanted to take it easy with the pastry shots. I thought a little Ladurée macaron action would keep it simple. An hour and a half later, swapping in and out between 3 lenses, I felt satisfied . . . even if I’d blown my time budget. And this might well be the singular macaron entry into the blog, as so many bloggers worship them that there’s not much more to be said for the little guys. But I wanted to provide at least a bit of coverage, so here’s my expert opinion . . . Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Featured here are the Cassis, Reglisse (licorice), and Pistache. Since the Cassis was Divinely inspired, it gets an automatic 5 stars. Its shell is so perfectly fragile, and the filling will make your tongue feel like a miniature million-cassis-man army engaged your tastebuds in a hand-to-hand combat match to the death. Given the subtlety of Ladurée’s other flavors, the force of this was clearly not only intentional but highly cultivated. It is one of the ultimate cassis experiences you will ever have. In fact, I love these so much that a box of 12 is the first pastry I bought when I arrived here in Paris at the end of April. They are sublime.
The Reglisse is also a thing of beauty. What you notice first is the texture – the light, chewy, gooey excellence of the Ladurée macaron. With each bite, the flavor builds a little more. Then, once it’s all gone, magically, the flavor continues to grow and express itself. That warm licorice essence just seems to hang there for minutes afterward. It’s wonderful. Supernatural sensations aside, the filling is this incredible light warm smooth caramel, perfumed with anise. That sounds horrible, doesn’t it? Ha ha. Just kidding. You have no idea what you’re missing.
The Pistache is . . . good. Honestly, I have it in the shots more for color and composition purposes than anything. The filling is a bit sweet for my tastes, and the pistachio flavor is not quite pronounced enough. I can understand the toned-down pistachio, as something too blunt isn’t necessarily appropriate for the texture of the piece, but the sugar content could be ratcheted down a little so that the macaron comes off as a bit more refined and less eager to please.
Ladurée is a wonderful source of everything, and macarons are certainly a house specialty, so do check them out. The Reglisse and Cassis are obviously recommended. If you go for the latter, be sure you enjoy blackcurrants, as not everyone does. If you do, get ready to fall in love.
::: Leave a Comment
