Jean-Paul Hévin :: Macaron Mandar’in
By Paris Pâtisseries in Jean-Paul Hévin, Pastry Reviews
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So a couple weeks ago, I woke up and realized it was the “every other Thursday” when my cleaning lady comes. I hate these Thursdays because it means I have to stay out of my apartment for a few hours and can’t come back with pastries and croissants to do photos, until the early afternoon. Why is life so inconvenient?! I can barely take it sometimes. But rather than pout about the injustice all morning and dull my pain by jamming macarons into my face in the Luxembourg Gardens, I decided I would have a pastry lunch at Jean-Paul Hévin. Brilliant idea, wouldn’t you agree?
My full morning’s plan actually included my 5th unsuccessful attempt to buy something/anything from Aurore Capucine, which is always inexplicably closed whenever I go. So I just made a beeline straight for Hévin and plopped myself down at a table in their upstairs lounge. An éclair, hot chocolate, the Princesse, and a little Lapsong Souchong tea . . . delicious as it was nutricious 
I sucked these goodies down pretty quickly – in between games of Tiny Wings on my iPhone – and then descended to the main shop to purchase some macarons. Did the woman helping me out ever smile? No, but she scowled exceptionally well, while completely avoiding eye contact. After a couple years of going here, I just assume that’s customer service chez Hévin and laugh every time. All I want anyway is my pastries, chocolate and some macarons – or, as it was that day, a six-pack of the Macaron Mandar’in.
The shells on this little ones are quite snappy, aren’t they? Buffed to a high gloss by a team of macaron polishers, the shimmer is enchanting. The texture, hwoever, is perhaps a wee dry at times – but well within the bounds of reason. And then the interior – a fairly firm and mild caramel with vibrant mandarin orange tones. Yum. Your tongue doesn’t fully anticipate their citrus’ness, and then it just hits you. Orangey! I only wish more shops could whip out such unexpected little treats in macaron form. Hévin really should be a more respected force in the Parisian mac’ realm.
Anyway, back to the topic of customer service . . . A “little birdie” told me that Café Pouchkine, the other patisserie where service is pretty cold, is actually aware of their problem now. I won’t say any more than that, but apparently there could be some changes afoot. I still really don’t get why any place would have problems to begin with. I mean – working anywhere but Ladurée or Hermé is not constant high intensity + you’re surrounded by chocolate, candy and pastries all day. These things = smiles.
So, yeah, the Mandar’in is a good addition to your box of Hévin macarons. The highest macaron praise I can ever give is to say that you should get a 12-pack of one flavor alone. And while we’re not to that level here, it’s definitely a fun treat with a cool spin you won’t find elsewhere.
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