The best Macarons in Paris – according to me
My friend Stan calls me Friday afternoon. “So where are we meeting? Place des Vosges?”, I answer yes sure, but where??? “I will call you when I am there” he says.
After 13 minutes of speeding through Paris on his scooter, Stan calls me and asks me to meet him at Carette‘s.
And there, my life changes.
The decor, old Parisian Tea Parlour, stained mirrors, beautiful lantern style lamps, just take you out of time and into a retro beginning 1900s era.
We talk work and how we are going to put some really great projects into place while he devours a gorgeous tuna salad. The charming waitress comes to collect his plate and asks us if we want dessert at which point Stan leaps onto the menu and says: “2 of these, 2 of these, 2 of these….”.
A few minutes later, these gorgeous macarons arrive served on old china plates. I get served tea in old teacups and teapot. I love the ritual, the way these cakes are presented as such a treat.
Then I taste them and realised why: these macarons are a CUT ABOVE the rest. Ladurée are great, Pierre Hermé is amazing but my goodness. These macarons are better than tasting the pure ingrediant that make them.
The Pistachio macaron is more delicate than any taste I have experienced, tinted with a slight almond softness.
The Rose is so extremely floral, so light and so loyal to the taste we have in our mind of this amazing flower.
The salted butter, the vanilla are beautifully powerful.
And I end with what we both actually started with: The Chocolate Macaron. The shell was so so light it gave way to the incredibly rich, compact interior, a little like chocolate cake batter on the spoon once you have dished it into the mould.
Stan’s grandmother used to take him to Carette’s on Place du Trocadéro when he was a child and I think the memories have stayed with him forever since. And he has definitely converted me to being a fan, a real fan. I will be taking my son there when school is out for summer, just because I am certain the tastes and decor will also be part of his childhood records forever.
Carette on 25, Place des Vosges in the 3rd arrondissement or 4, Place du Trocadero in the 16th in Paris.
Also enjoy their website and the great music it is accompanied by on: Carette
to my dismay, i’ve never tried a macaron before. but the colors are so perfect and the flavors sound so delicious that i need to get my hands on one. like now.
Well I will try and post a recipe soon I promise. Until then, you need to get to Paris it seems and soon! Kisses from France, Fiona xoxoxox