Story and Photo by Michelle Gourley
A figure in white is sharply bent over a large baking sheet in the hidden recesses of a busy bakery. The piping bag is held just so, and perfect tiny dots of batter appear in dizzying succession. This simple, yet carefully tended combination of ground almonds, sugar and whipped egg whites will meet a precise blast of heat, puffing up slightly into delicately domed rounds. And yet the baker worries. Just a little.
Even after countless perfect batches, there has been the occasional inexplicable failure. With so many factors swirling together, the baker has nagging thoughts. The almonds, how fresh and how moist? The sugar, how fine the grain? And the eggs. Have they lost enough elasticity to yield that signature sheen? Never mind the fixed factors of humidity, altitude or even planetary positions.
The timer’s shrill beep cuts through the worry, and the baker rushes to see the results, anxiously scanning the tray as it slides onto the rack to cool. Perfection. This time …
The iconic Parisian treat, le macaron, has finally found us—or have we finally found it? A petite luxury in France for over a century, macarons have been slowly popping up across foodie neighbourhoods worldwide as the trendy cookie du jour. Intrigued bakers challenge themselves with the seemingly endless flavour combinations. Some even proclaim them to be the next food craze. Remember cupcakes?
The shell of this whimsical treat is two crisp rounds of baked almond meringue snuggled around a teasing layer of filling, usually a traditional ganache or buttercream. It should feel incredibly light, as if it might float off your hand if you linger too long. When biting into one, the delicate shell should shatter pleasantly, giving way to a brief chewiness, with a clean hit of the chosen flavour washing over your taste buds but never overpowering them.
“You shouldn’t have to guess. You should be able to eat one with your eyes closed and know right away what flavour it is,” says Charlene Tessier of local Say See Bon patisserie.
Macarons are not to be mistaken for the common coconut confection known as macaroons. The confusion with the definition and pronunciation could be a reason this unique French treat has taken its sweet time arriving on our shores. Just when we have mastered “croissant,” along comes a new French word for us to mumble when ordering. Let’s take a moment to get it right, shall we? Take a deep breath and pretend you are going to say ‘’macaroni,” but drop the i at the last second. No need to roll the r or keep the o too long on your tongue. I promise this simple linguistic trick will greatly reduce the chances of a haughtily raised eyebrow when ordering.
Macaron. You did it!
Raspberry, pistachio, butter-caramel, green tea, cassis and, of course, the classic chocolate, were just a few of the flavours to cross my palate on a recent unofficial macaron tour of Vancouver. The boundary-pushing flavours of the adventurous French—black sesame, olive oil and ketchup (gasp!)—were nowhere to be seen. Our local bakers are wisely choosing to stick to the basics for now, focusing on educating—not shocking—us with their combinations.
Charlene Tessier became so enamoured by macarons on a trip to France in 2005 that she returned a year later to study them, determined to understand their mystique and recreate them for her friends in Vancouver. Her business card now reads Parisian Macaron Specialist, and she can be found on any given weekend at the farmers’ markets with her tidy, beribboned bundles, gently explaining the difference between a macaron and a macaroon. Again and again and again. Charlene adamantly sticks to her policy of using natural ingredients, with no dyes, resulting in a deliciously soft palette of greens and browns.
Thomas Haas is perhaps better known for his fantastic chocolates and desserts, but recently, jewel-toned macarons have been occupying a distinct spot in the gleaming display cases at his new store on West Broadway. An eye-catching cone of macarons stands tall on the counter. “If you asked me what’s the most difficult thing we do,” he says, “it is the croissants and the macarons, bar none. You can’t fake it with those two things. They’re only good if they’re perfect.”
It’s hard to believe that this energetic man standing before me in his starchy chef’s whites would ever settle for anything less than perfect. He feels his macaron quest has just begun, and a restless artistic spirit keeps him tinkering with flavours and recipes, striving for that ideal macaron. “The magic in a macaron is that you can balance the sweetness of the almond meringue with your choice of acidity, bitterness or chocolate.’’
So step up to the display case with your newly found confidence. Point to the delightful stack of curious pastel rounds, and say in a clear voice, (drop the i, drop the i !) “I’ll have a macaron, please.”
Nicely done, nicely done.
If you happen to find yourself strolling down Rue Bonaparte in Paris, slip into the très chic Pierre Hermé for a taste of where it all began.
Dreaming of France, but you wake up in Vancouver?
Say See Bon
Find the lovely Charlene Tessier at the farmers’ markets in Port Coquitlam and Vancouver, for macarons made au naturel: green tea, butter-caramel and chocolate. Ask her what the difference is between a macaron and a macaroon, just for fun.
www.sayseebon.com
Ganache Patisserie
Pastry Chef Peter Fong does a darling tribute to the macaron with his mini pastel-hued bundles of nine that cry out for a tea party with dainty china cups. Coffee, strawberry, chocolate and lemon.
1262 Homer Street, Vancouver. 604-899-1098.
www.ganacheyaletown.com
Thomas Haas Patisserie
Steal away for a café au lait and a macaron or two at this stylish getaway in Kitsilano. Beware: they sneak chocolates onto your plate when you’re not looking. Pistachio, chocolate, raspberry and my favourite, cassis.
2539 West Broadway, Vancouver. 604-736-1848.
www.thomashaas.com
La Petite France
This cozy little café offers up their version of the Parisian macaron from Thursday–Sunday. Vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and pistachio. They speak French here, so don’t be shy to say you-know-what.
2655 Arbutus Street, Vancouver. 604-734-7844.
www.la-petite-france.ca
Meinhardt
Find the authentic, French variety in the long, shiny display case, nestled beside the apple tarts. Raspberry, chocolate, mocha, vanilla and lemon.
3002 Granville Street, Vancouver. 604-732-4405.
3151 Arbutus Street, Vancouver. 604-732-7900.
www.meinhardt.com
Look for Michelle’s next article, an in-depth report on the riveting history of the celery stick, where she will also lose the five pounds she gained while researching macarons.
