Alice: If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll, 1865
When is a cupcake not a cupcake? When it’s a macaron, silly!
If I read one more online article or blog post about French macarons as the new ‘cupcake,’ I might go ballistic. Yesterday’s post in SFoodie, posed the question again because of the writer’s discovery of Kentfield's Atelier Kawashima a new macaron shop in the Bay Area. This is at least the third time in eight months here on the West Coast that a discovery of this nature has been cited as a portent, as if at any moment you can expect macaron shops to be opening on every street corner - hopefully, at least the pastry chefs aren't loony enough to think this is the case!
These little meringue sandwiches are sometimes referred to as Parisian Macarons, since it was in Paris that they gained their international fame, specifically at Ladurée. Meringue is made with flour, sugar, ground almond, egg white, and a flavoring, and the ‘stuff’ in the middle is usually butter cream, ganache, jam or some combination. The technique and skill required to make the delicate meringues is said to have arrived in France via Italy, but I suspect that the ultimate source was the masters of creating confections with nuts, eggs, and sugar, the Arabs.
As with most things, even cupcakes, many are called but few are chosen – for example, Ken’s Artisan Bakery, which produces some of the best breads in the country and some great tarts and cakes, can’t seem to get the texture right on its macarons. A macaron requires more skill than a cupcake, and it is less forgiving. More importantly, the average American doesn’t have the same childhood memories of helping mom make the macarons and licking the butter cream bowl before putting it in the sink.
Here in Seattle we have a number of shops that offer macarons, such as the Honoré Bakery in the Crown Hill neighborhood. Their macarons are pictured above, and while they are very tasty, possibly the best in town, they are not without a flaw or two, the most significant of which is their large size. Given the delicate nature of the meringue and their relatively large surface area, some tend to shatter with the first bite. The delicious fillings hold the pieces of meringue together most of the time, but I think if they were 1/3 smaller they would be easier to handle, and more of a tempting 'bite' - the current size can also be a bit overwhelming.' just wish the ‘professional’ food writers would do a little research before heralding a ‘second coming.’
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