yaokui: Madeleine Patisserie

Address: 132 west 23rd Street, New York (btw 6th and 7th avenue)

Phone: 212-243-2757

http://www.madeleinepatisserie.com

Macarons, the ever so popular French cookies actually originated from Italy and was introduced to France as an almond meringue type cookies similar to amaretti. This beloved French dessert was brought over to France in 1553, and made seriously popular worldwide by Pierre Desfontaines Ladurée, cousin of Ladurée founder Louis Ernest Ladurée, when he brilliantly created French macarons with two macaron shells joined together sandwiching the ganache filling. Macarons with vibrant, pretty colors are also Ladurée signature.

Now my box of macarons was not from Ladurée, it was from Madeleine Patisserie in Chelsea. You wouldn't believe me if I told you I went to Ladurée at Champs Elysee in 2006 without trying their famous macarons, only to fall in love with macarons after eating one at Stohrer in Les Halles Paris. I finally tasted some Ladurée macarons when Nan brought home some from Paris, and they were heavenly - chewy, crunchy, perfect!

Madeleine Patisserie has an impressive collection of macaron flavors, but the meringe is not as soft and chewy as I would like. They offer classic macaron flavors such as pistachio, chocolate, caramel as well as more exotic flavors such as pear brandy, lemon espresso, sangria. Chocolate Eclair there is pretty nice as well.

Now that I've tried macarons at Madeleine Patisserie, Bouchon Bakery and Cha An, next stop will be Payard, Cafe Macaron and all the other participants of Macaron Day NYC 2010!