Sun 25 Oct 2009 8:57 pm
I wrote in Sunday’s Seattle Times about American macaroons vs. French macarons, as different from each other as Julie was to Julia.
I am a sucker for the easy, agreeably chewy coconut macaroons, as I’ve talked about here and here and here, but fooling around with egg whites and piping bags for the fancy French version was a great deal of fun. So was the chance to run questions past one of my baking heroines, Dorie Greenspan, and to talk with Seattle’s own Neil Robertson and Franz Gilbertson. Greenspan noted that, although macaroons and macarons don’t have much in common, “the coconut cookies that we know as macaroons do have a French cousin, congolais or rochers a la noix de coco, both made with coconut, sugar and egg whites.
“There are centuries-old recipes for French macarons that look nothing like the modern treats although they use essentially the same ingredients. The early macarons (like macarons Nancy or even Mme. Blanchez’s macarons from St. Emilion) were flat, soft, crackle-topped almond cookies often made by nuns.”
I suspect there are masters theses on the word’s origin just waiting to be written or found, but in the meantime, here’s my very brief look at the treats. While it is hard to make perfect macarons, I found it not difficult to make imperfect ones, which are quite satisfying all on their own.
Do you have any suggestions in the Seattle area for decent bakery-made French style macarons (before I try making my own)? I just had some nasty specimens at Whole Foods, and I imagine that there must be something half decent about town. But it ain’t these.
There are few places in and near Seattle that make the traditional French macarons. Try Cafe Nouveau in West Seattle. I believe they’re made daily and come in many flavors in including passion fruit and coffee. Salish Lodge also makes them, but you’ll have to try one of their desserts to get a taste. They’re currently included on their Chocolatier’s Palate dessert in the Dining Room.
I would second Bakery Nouveau, and also highly recommend Honore in Ballard (where I can say from personal knowledge, not being able to stay away, that they just added a hazelnut macaron to the lineup).
Great piece - I’ve always wondered if they were related!
I haven’t baked in weeks, but you are really making me want to pull out the coconut and my frozen egg whites and make some macaroons! I’m not sure if I’m ready to attempt macarons, though.
Is that a photo of the ones you made? They are so pretty!
Dawn, I bet your macarons would be great! And Luigia, how I wish those were ours, but the picture is from Honore. We only went for the chocolate version.