I, macaron – Thevenin

macarons from thevenin in paris.  never heard of this bakery, have you?  thevenin is the dark horse of the parisian macaron field of contenders.

2 passion fruit macarons smashed together – my favorite flavor.  these had an intense tart sweetness characteristic of passion fruit. I was pleasantly surprised at how flavorful these macarons were, considering that thevenin is not a famous parisian bakery, nor is it on the foodie macaron map.

chocolate macaron with chocolate ganache filling – smooth and deep chocolate flavor.  great texture.  the coffee and coconut flavors were also excellent. these are 1  1/2″ diameter.

the  caramel macaron had the deep brown nuanced flavor of caramelized sugar which is a simple but great flavor.

pistachio macaron was pretty good, as was the rose macaron, and raspberry macaron.  with each bite i was more and more fond of these macs from thevenin. i could taste and identify each flavor of every macaron without a brochure, unlike most american made macarons which taste only of sugar and not much else.

thevenin bakery is a small boulangerie-patisserie in the 14th, on the south edge of paris. 119 avenue General LeClerc. they make many types of bread, and the fact that their macarons are quite delicious is a good reminder that native foods are usually best made in their native place of origin.  thevenin is not world famous like pierre herme, and yet these macarons were still better than any macarons i’ve had in the u.s.  it’s like the ubiquitous and  iconic new york pizza slice joint, even the worst slice in new york city will taste better than pizza made in any other state of the union.  french macarons in paris are the equivalent of the quintessential new york slice.

in the macaron race, sometimes when you have no expectations, life gives you everything you want.

thevenin has 2 other branches in paris.

related:  Best Macarons – Pierre Herme !

copyright 2010 Jo Jo Kwong.  all rights reserved.

I, macaron – Arnaud Lahrer

2 dozen macarons from arnaud lahrer.  his pastry shop macarons et chocolat is behind montmartre in paris.

when i heard that pastry chef arnaud lahrer had worked for pierre herme for years at fauchon before opening up his own pastry shop, i was quite curious as to how good his macarons were, especially since he had won a pastry award in 2007.  i was sorely disappointed.

these small macarons, just slightly over an inch wide, at first seemed cute and inviting. however, as i bit into each one, i was hard pressed to find some good or distinctive flavor in any of them.  this is shocking when you consider that he worked at the side of the master for years.  it’s even more shocking when you see that baking bloggers all over the internet are making beautiful macarons with impressive and exotic flavors.  lastly, when you consider that his pastry shop is in paris – the apotheosis of french pastry skills – these flavorless macarons are totally befuddling!

the white filling is rather odd – looks more like fondant than either ganache or buttercream.

most of the flavor of a good macaron comes from its’ filling, which is typically a flavored chocolate ganache or a fruit jam.  these arnaud lahrer macarons seem to contain some kind of sweet white filling with no discernible flavor other than sugar.  the caramel flavored one did have some burnt sugar taste, but the rest were truly forgettable.

where’s the flavor ? — are these FONDANT MACARONS ??   nearly every one has this white filling except for the chocolate one.

fondant is made of sugar and water. buttercream would at least look more yellowish and taste more buttery.  skimping on your expensive ingredients to cut cost is one thing, but this is beyond stingy.  this is like being the mc scrooge of macarons !   i offered the box to 2 children, who each took one, and did not come back for more. the fact that i would even share these macarons from paris tells you that i was not the least bit enamored of them to begin with.

i was so disillusioned that i threw the remaining box away.  quel dommage !

arnaud lahrer won the meilleur ouvrier de france award 2007 for pastry, so perhaps he made great cakes and macarons for the competition but is cutting corners on the macarons in his shop.

**the caveat of buying french macarons –  they ALL  look pretty.  those perky colors, the cute almond meringue shells with their requisite ‘feet’, the lush fillings,  the sheer variety of flavors offered up is quite enchanting.   however,  the proof of a good macaron is in their TASTE.   do not let appearances fool you because ALL macarons look brightly enticing and cute…. even the bad ones.

…. and if they come from paris, the expectation for excellence is all the greater, and the more feverishly one wishes for it to be fantastic. but the arnaud lahrer macarons did not deliver on its’ promise.

when you go to paris, save your money and buy macarons from the master, and my favorite – pierre herme.  (he now has 3 shops in paris)

once you’ve had the best, you cannot stand the rest !! (if they’re mediocre)   that’s the risk one takes when trying out new and unknown macarons. obviously provenance and hype is no guarantee of goodness.  macaron lovers want to try out every new macaron maker, hoping to find another great macaron, but if it’s subpar and doesn’t satisfy,  you suddenly wish you had gotten the better one, with a poignant mixture of humbled hindsight and relentless remorse.

only the best one is where your soul will find redemption!

***see my post on pierre herme macarons. stick with the best !

other good macarons:  gerard mulot, jean paul hevin.

copyright 2009 Jo Jo Kwong. all rights reserved.