Friday, May 07, 2010

Macaron Tragedies

Sometimes bad stuff happens to good people... You go to La Maison du Chocolat for a lovely box of macaronsYou carry them carefully out of the store, making sure nothing touches them. You place them under your seat on the subway, so no one steps on them. You run off the train at your stop and forget to grab your bag of macarons! Quelle tragedie non? In Paris you know better than to think these macs will get home safely in this little cello bag. You insist on a boite/box bien sur svp.In New York, a ready pre-packed box is not a good idea. You always want to pick out your macarons fraiche. How long they've been sleeping in that box? An Older French Girl tells you excitedly there is a new "French" patisserie on 30 East 68th st., and she thinks they may have macarons! YIKES Naturally you dash over camera in hand.NO MACARONS!"We might have them in a few weeks," they say. While hanging your exhibit at James Beard House Friday, you shoot the other guy's paintings and forget to shoot your own. You do not forget to shoot the trays of lemon macarons waiting nearby for the evenings' dinner. A chef comes in and asks if he can 'borrow' your ruler.You ask,
"Are you the pastry chef?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
Only a pastry chef asks for a ruler. He lets you taste a macaron or two.
At the Beard Awards Monday night, there is not a single macaron to be seen. Pretty tragique if you ask me.
While browsing in Barnes & Nobles you start to hyperventilate. A NEW macaron cookbook? Not that you bake.
No such luck. Just plain old macaron-i. c'est la vie
You do go back to La Maison for another box of macarons.You're going to shoot them this week-end. All for researche . Have YOU had any macaron tragedies?
HAVE A HAPPY MOM'S DAY!

42 comments:

  1. This story is too tragic to bare!

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  2. It is so frustrating when things like that happen. Like a bad dream you can't wake from.

    On a lighter note, I LOVE the video :) My husband sent it to me a while back when I was going through a very bleak time.

    Happy Weekend,
    Jen

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  3. Tragic, yes, but think of the lucky soul who FOUND your macs under the seat!
    I shall forevermore seek the little boites beneath the seat!

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  4. I hope I would not find one while I'm in Paris...

    Uh i don't want this little things to be destroyed.

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  5. Too true BILL C.
    Course not so tragique for the lucky duck who found my bag o' macarons in the subway.
    I hope they enjoyed them!
    Carolg

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  6. My macaron tragedy is that I've only had ONE! In San Francisco! I can't begin to know if it compares - but one day I will visit Paris.

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  7. Justine10:31 AM

    A macaron horror film waiting to be made!
    Hollywood calling...dring dring

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  8. Too funny--we're having strawberries from the farmer's market at Duke today, and whipped cream over angel food cake:

    not a macaron in sight. Quelle tragedie!

    One must make do. Happy weekend, Carol!

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  9. Does it count as a macaron tragedy to be somewhere where the only place you can get macarons is through the mail? (Still working on making my own, last try was somewhat dismal.)

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  10. Hello Carol,

    You inspired my macaron tragedy. Well, it isn't a tragedy, really. But a while ago I wrote to you, excited at an opportunity to get some macs at Bouchon Bakery, Napa. You wrote back you didn't like Bouchon's because they are too big.
    I was pretty crest fallen, (crest fallen? who talks like that?) a little miffed even, because I had been so looking forward to them.

    But, of course, you were absolutely right.
    I had the opportunity to have some well-proportioned macarons in France this year.
    I am going to begin a search for macarons in San Francisco.
    I try not to have macaron envy over all the opportunities you New Yorkers have.

    Trader Joe's grocery store does so many wonderful things, but the frozen macarons they sell are sad. I appreciate the effort but I won't be buying them.

    Your blog is the best and I am so happy to have found it. It came to me through Heidi 101 Cookbooks and while I still love what she sends, yours has been my favorite and I look forward to reading about your adventures. Your chronology with photography, painting and food is a wonderful story and I am enjoying it no end.

    Sign me Bittersweet Bouchon Macaron Realizations.

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  11. The search for macarons in this country is enough to drive one to drink and mayhem it's true :(
    Thank Gawd for La Maison or my life would be a shambles...well it is already but never mind that.
    xxcarolg :)

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  12. Genevieve11:09 AM

    I am one of your fans! A friend turned me onto your group almost a year ago. I thought, leave a comment, why not?
    I am going to Paris next week for 1 week. Alas, I am an American French Girl that speaks no French, this will be my first trip.
    Lead me to your favorite Macarons!

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  13. With a name like Genevieve your feet will lead you to all the right places.
    Je suis sur absolutement!
    Be sure to wear ballerinas just in case...

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  14. Josephine11:13 AM

    I work right up the street from the Financier. They have des macarons delicieux!
    I'm not sure how long the mac have been sleeping in the celo boxes, as you say, but I can definitely tell you that the larger
    version in the pastry case are most definitely fraiche!
    Aussi, ils ont des pains au chocolats merveilleux. C'est mon petit dejeuner en ce moment.
    I hope you try them and that they are delicious.

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  15. I did try them Josephine and thought them too high in sugar content.
    Too bumpy - the shells :(
    I'm too picky
    I love their pain au raisons though=outrageous!
    Carolg

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  16. The only macaron tragedy I've had is that the best French bakery in town won't make them because it's too hard and time consuming! I've made them once (and yes you do need a Kitchen Aid mixer) and am tempted to try again.

    Keep the macaron cards and letters coming! :)

    Laurie

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  17. That is a MAJOR Rube Goldberg machine! Wow.

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  18. gypsy lady12:17 PM

    My morning routine:
    Every morning the first thing I do is log-on to see my ParisBreakfast
    Treat.
    They are absolutely the best!
    Merci

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  19. Carol, I had to laugh when I saw your photo of the trays of macaron shells at the James Beard House! I, too, noticed those when I was there last Friday afternoon to see your work. Like a bloodhound, I can sniff out macarons wherever they may appear! I did wonder about the chefs who were there setting up for the dinner that evening, and whether the menu was French inspired, and how they knew how to make such pretty macarons. I didn't have the courage to ask for a taste, so I'm glad you got one!

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  20. Anonymous1:41 PM

    Love your blog and loved today's video!!

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  21. Alas, there are no macarons in my town so I have to make my own. PB & J macarons for a very special tea party tomorrow.

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  22. I think that the real story here is your show - congrats!!

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  23. Pamm,

    You can get good macarons at La Boulangerie on Pine at Fillmore in San Francisco. The baker is from France.

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  24. Mme, B.7:19 PM

    I love your blog -
    I wish I were in Paris RIGHT NOW!
    Merci!!!

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  25. I think my macaron tragedies always involve me eating way too many and then feeling guilty for days afterward.

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  26. hey, i had to look at the first picture twice- i thought it was some sort of weird new piercing!

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  27. Macaron Virgin Tragedie

    My daughter and I were visiting Seattle last fall and visited Le Panier Bakery in Pike Place Market. When we saw petit macaron (chocolat, pistachio, raspberry, orange-ganache, lemon, café, vanilla) on the menu we decided to order one of each and have them for desert after an alfresco lunch. We were macaron virgins--it was to be our first experience with these fragile masterpieces.

    Into a small paper bag they were carefully packed. I kept them safe in my market basket as we wandered and added the rest of the items for our lunch. Finally we got in the car & drove to our planned picnic spot. We sat down & brought everything out; and then la tragedie...I dropped the bottle of honey I had purchased directly on the bag. Quelle horreur! We were faced with macaron Armageddon.

    With heavy hearts we tasted the remains and decided which our favourites were. There was no time to head back to the market so we made plans to try them again the next time we would be in town--only this time they will not get near a paper bag-they will be consumed immediately!

    Seattle is not Paris but we're headed back to the northwest city in two weeks & plan to give macarons another try...Shall we head back to LePanier or is there somewhere else you would recommend? Countdown to macarons 14, 13......

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  28. Macaron Armageddon!!
    Love that SALLYNNE
    I have only been to Seattle briefly 10 years ago, when the macaron was not then a daily companion (at least in my head) as it is now, so I can't begin to send you somewhere other than Paris.
    My heart goes out to you, but I'm glad it was a sweet bottle of honey that crushed your macarons :)
    Carolg

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  29. Anonymous5:03 PM

    Where on E. 69th is this Bon Ami Bakery/?????

    I walked it from 5th to York today and no....

    On an Ave. at 69????

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  30. Sorry!
    BEL AMI is on 30 E.68th st
    I had to walk and walk to find it.

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  31. Cannot get enough of macarons! They are sooo delicious! Especially the chocolate ones! Love this post except from the tradegy, of course! Happy Sunday!

    Kristin :)

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  32. Anonymous10:02 AM

    Ah..Thanks for the correction!

    Probably just as well I didn't find it yesterday....for my waistline! If not macarons I would have found something!!

    My search engine says it removed "Ami" from my search for security reasons!!

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  33. Not at all a thrilling patisserie.
    Most disappointing.
    The possibilities were enormous.
    Hopes were dashed :(
    carolg

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  34. The only tragedie:

    in Avignon,
    bright early morn,
    last-born asks for
    that 'ron in the window.

    'twas no Ladurée,
    let alone Hermé.

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  35. Loosing your macarons on the train...yay...what a tragedy :-)

    I hope it will never happen to me :-)

    Hope you had a wonderful weekend dear Carol!

    Cheers: Evi

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  36. HA, I featured macrons from Pasadena CA on my Paris blog today because they were delicieux!!! That said, I resorted to eating two SQUISHED macarons that I found in the bottom of my camera bag last summer in CDG. I was so bummed, I ate them with relish. But come to think of it, squished was still good! :)
    Vive la France!!
    V

    PS Last summer I left a perfectly good parapluie and two nice prints at Nemours. Quelle dommage. Champagne made me do it.

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  37. Ohhh.It looks so delicious.Yummy.

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  38. My mouth waters for the pictures of the food.Love this post.

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  39. I crave for these foods and chocolates.Sweet treats.

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  40. The taste gets better than ever that you will surely want another one.

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  41. I love this store!!!! Is that one under the Louvre Museum? I went there and ate lots of chocolats!!! :-)

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