Another egg-secret at this Hong Kong establishment is the steamed egg custard (and the ginger-egg pudding). The names do not do the food justice. Simply divine, as a choice of either hot or cold dessert, for eat-in or takeout.
Robyn makes an interesting observation...the French (and other cultures) do have a tea time practice that allows for the enjoyment of these little snacks in the afternoon. In my brief time in the U.S. I recall this behaviour to be States-side as well but the snacks are more often pre-packaged and sitting in the pantry area waiting to be unwrapped and consumed.
Store baked fresh pastries vs Twinkies...1:0 for Fresh pastries. (sorry for the generalization...just exaggerating to make a point)
It depends on location I suppose. France is literally littered with patisseries everywhere you go...city or country.
In the U.S. these are fewer and farther between...the actual penetration of bakeries is much lower, and oftentime are housed with the bakery sections of supermarkets...not quite as accessible than walking down the street and popping into a store.
The actual city planning plays a role too. Especially in places like California (say, the Bay area), where it's fairly hard to go anywhere without popping into your car and driving, going 'down the street' is a much more involved process than exiting front door and walking down the pavement.
I think there are great pastry chefs in the U.S. and there's nothing wrong with the American palate. However these legacy conditions (urban planning, retail logistics, availability and popularity of certain types of packaged foods) make it more difficult for many Americans to access and enjoy good pastries than people in other luckier locales (i.e. Paris or Tokyo).
Sorry if this bores you. Thought it might shed light.
Great series on macarons Robyn keep it up!
I would have to say Pierre (Hermé) does make the best macarons. Frankly Ladurée has him to thank as Pierre presided over Ladurée's pastry kitchen during the period of growth that saw Ladurée go from interesting sidenote to bakery behemoth.
I've tried Ispahans elsewhere but it doesn't top Pierre's (since he invented the Ispahan while at Ladurée). I visited him in his office in Paris and had a look through the underground split level kitchen where he does final assembly of the chocolates, pastries, etc, and he does run a tight ship that cranks out amazing soul-satisfying goodies.
If others visit for the first time, try a pairing of his signature passionfruit chocolate with his chocolate passionfruit macaron. Divine stuff.
By the way Robyn I really enjoy your writing and photography. Thank you and keep it up!
Robyn,
You are a god-send!!!! I just came back from Paris last month and ate my last Macaron I bought at Laduree (by suggestion of Jacques Torres at the November chocolate show) and went online to see if Laduree has mail order to the US, which they do not! I panicked, but then thought, I live in NY, I can get anything here, so, I searched and searched and came across this article. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! French Macarons are the most sublime and addicting things I have ever had!!!!!
Bravo Robyn for the great work you’ve been doing to bring us so much information about macaroons.
However, I’m afraid that in the excitement of telling you about macaroons in Paris, their abundance, their variety and the obsessive way in which Parisians follow their favorite chefs and the newest flavors, I may have given you the wrong impression about the state of macaroons in America: I think macaroons are alive and well and doing very nicely in the USA!
There are so many chefs who are making terrific macaroons – including Johnny Iuzzini, whose teensy macaroons you posted about – and there are home bakers, among them The Daring Bakers, who are turning out macaroons as beautiful as any pro’s.
I think the difference in the States is that macaroons are not as easy to find and, consequently, not as well known. (In fact, what’s funny is that macaroons of the “Parisian” type are not as easy to find outside of Paris either.)
The reason I wanted to talk about Parisian macaroons – rather than the ones made in America – was that I eat more macaroons in Paris than I do in New York and so I know them better. I’m sorry if this left the idea that I don't like Stateside macs or that I prefer one over the other, it’s not what I meant. I’m delighted to have a good macaroon on either side of the ocean and, happily, there are great macaroons to be had in both places.
"...the French (and other cultures) do have a tea time practice that allows for the enjoyment of these little snacks in the afternoon. In my brief time in the U.S. I recall this behaviour to be States-side as well but the snacks are more often pre-packaged and sitting in the pantry area waiting to be unwrapped and consumed."
Heh. So true. It's called microwave popcorn hour, based on many of the offices I've worked in. It most often happens around 4 p.m.
A friend of mine recommended to me that I go to Pierre Herme when I was in Paris last fall and I didn't make it. Then I came home and got all obsessed with Macarons, which is strange since I have only ever had the original French kind from the Atlanta bakery Henri's.
I scoured the internets for recipes and information and finally gave it a shot on my own. Not bad for a first timer I'd say. I'm going to try it again, this time doing pistachio and sea salt/caramel for Christmas gifts.
Here's the link to a post I did about making them:
http://thefoodieblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/macarons.html
@astarteny: Those macarons look good. Want.
I'd also be interested in making green tea maccies.
@maggiesara: I haven't tried his, but your experience sounds similar to what my other friends said about him. :( Sad!
@JadedOne: You WILL make it.
...You will.
Go to PH first and then check out the other places. I regret not trying Sadaharu Aoki's macarons, although I did try some of his cakes. Mm, soo gooooood.
@kaethend: Starting with the ispahan is intense, man. It all goes downhill from there...
Okay, not really.
Thanks for the rec, I'll add it to the list!
Thank you so much for posting this! I'm traveling to Paris in December and although I knew about the infamous Pierre Hermes, you've given me tons of other options if we can't make it. :)
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