ISO Macaroons like Laduree (Paris)

[peachblossom]

I had the pleasure of eating macaroons from Laduree in Paris and they were phenomenal. Is there any chance of getting a macaroon even remotely close to the ones at Laduree? http://www.laduree.fr/public_en/produ...

The only macaroons that I've seen here are the ones with the desicated coconut -- the american macaroon. I want the french macaroons. I've seen a few bakeries in LA that have macaroons similar to the ones I am looking for (Boule, Jin Patisserie) but have not sampled those.

[Robert Lauriston]

Some recent topics about macarons:

http://www.chow.com/search?search[que...

[DropD]

I just went to the Laduree website and the spelled "macaroon"! Sixy's reply was so convincing though. I went to the site to see them and noticed the spelling; not just replying to be obstinate.
Hungry now, must go make some

[Robert Lauriston]

It's "macaron" on the French part of the site and "macaroon" on the English part.

That translation is technically correct but people in the US often use the French word to distinguish the filled sandwich cookie from the more common coconut macaroons.

Just as we often refer to plain almond macaroons by their Italian name, amaretti.

[abe1329]

I realize they are not the type you favor, but has anyone had the macaroons at the bakery on West Portal next to Cafe for All Seasons? I thought they were outrageously good...but not the sandwich type.

[luvness746]

I just came back from Paris and it looks like Laduree will be opening a store in NYC in 2007. It is not the Bay Area but at least it is in the US.

[peachblossom]

That sounds promising. Maybe I will have to take a jaunt out to NYC later this year

[Sixy]

i agree with melanie - there is a special box with a glass lid on top of the counter that contains the macarons neatly displayed with a different row for each flavour, n'est ce pas?

[Sixy]

they aren't refrigerated in the polk bay bread location.

pierre hermes were recommended to be eaten within 3 days, though they didnt last that long, ladurees too.

i liked the bay bread ones, for what it is worth, but i havent had one in ages. after pierre herme, giving up other macarons seemed like a better idea.

[rworange]

Aren't they stored in the glass case with the refrigerated items like the tarts? It seems the last time I was at the Polk Bay Bread that's where they were.

[Melanie Wong]

At the Polk location the macarons are on top of the glass case, or at least that was true three weeks ago when I was last there.

[ostudio]

this may sound obvious, but it is imperative that the macaron is baked the day you eat them and stored properly. improper storage (i.e. refrigeration or improper containers) or prolonged storage changes the texture completely. I think Boulette's Larder at the Ferry Building has them occasionally.

[chezchristine]

Actually, Pierre Herme (one of the most famous macaron makers in Paris and from Laduree before opening his own shops), lets the macarons sit for 2 days before they are moved into the shop for sale- he insists that the flavors meld together properly that way. I'm not sure how he stores them, but the ones you buy there are not made the same day.

[Robert Lauriston]

Do they sit for two days after filling, or before filling?

[chezchristine]

That I do not know.

[PBSF]

Pierre Herme fills his macarons before refrigerating them. The moisture softens them up so they are chewry rather than crumbly. In fact, even the best pastry shops such as Laduree sell their filled macarons the next day. They do not discard them at the end of the day.

[Anya L]

I saw some at Abigail's, the new place on Greenwich & Fillmore, but have not tried them yet.

[Windy]

They are macarons, not to be confused with macaroons made of coconut. And yes, they are "sandwiches" made of cookies.

Of course all flavors are not equally good. From Boulangerie, I like the lavender and the hazelnut.

[christy319]

I'm glad you pointed that out. Most people don't catch on that macarons are spelled and pronounced differently than macaroons.

[peachblossom]

Are macarons prounouned any differently than macaroons? Is macaron pronounced with the single o?

[Sixy]

yes - try saying it with a french accent

its not oooon its simply on

[chezchristine]

Miette in the Ferry Building.

Bouchon in Yountville (Napa).

Bittersweet Cafe has chocolate ones.

There are others I haven't tried, these are the ones that come to mind. None are that good. Bouchon might be your best bet, but it isn't nearby.

IMO, I haven't found anything close to Laduree (even though I prefer the ones at Pierre Herme in Paris), and I lived in Paris for about a year.

[dordogne]

The ones from Miette in the Ferry Building are ok--cookies have nice texture, not too chewy, but fillings are a bit bland. In the fall, they do a grapefruit filling that is subdued but wonderful.

[EnderWiggin]

I'm going to have to go with Bouchon in Yountville...they are the closest in quality you're going to get to LaDuree.

[choctastic]

do they have small ones? i haven't been there in a while and they only had the big monsters which I don't like because the texture is heavier. best ones i've had on the west coast so far have been at boule in los angeles.

[EnderWiggin]

monster? well they are like 2 - 3 inches in diameter. they definately aren't like LaDuree's bite size ones. it'll prob take you like 4 bites to finish one so i guess they aren't 'small' but they do taste damn good. especially the carmel and pistacchio

[Robert Lauriston]

Bay Bread's are probably the Frenchiest and one person in this thread said they're better than Laduree's:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/32833

They have six outlets around SF:

http://www.baybread.com/pine.php

[peachblossom]

Are Bay Bread's macaroons the sandiwch like ones? Their website shows the macaroons as cookie-like items.

[Robert Lauriston]

Right. A sandwich of two almond-paste macaroons, like the ones in the picture on the page you linked two in your original post.

[hhc]

here's a pictures I took at the La Boulange (Bay Bread) in North Beach, 543 Columbus Ave, SF

http://flickr.com/photos/bubbletea/22...

[Melanie Wong]

Good to know that the North beach location refrigerates them... to be avoided.

[Robert Lauriston]

Is that a refrigerator case or just a display case?

Putting macarons in the fridge seems very wrong, though if they have a custard filling, the health department might insist.

[Melanie Wong]

Just looked back at my post about the macarons being refrigerated at the Union Street location and see that Mari noted that North Beach does as well.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...