Restraint.
It's something I usually forget to pack when I travel. Like a toothbrush that I don't ever remember to put in my toiletry bag.
I don't know if it was my subconsious, subconciously telling me: "you're on vacation! go for it! you can go back to your healthy diet when you go home!" (hey, it's a healthy diet as long as I start my day with oatmeal!)
With the artfully decorated window displays and the pastry case constantly teasing me the longer I stare at them, I decided to order one of everything.
Kidding.
6 macarons. A cafe eclair. A Rose-Raspberry St. Honore.
Parisians have a thing for packaging. There she was, standing there taking her time, folding the boxes just right and gingerly taking the Laduree embossed sticker to seal the boxes.
Here's what's going through my American head: "Oh. My. Gawd. GIMME! GIMME! GIMME!"
My St. Honore Rose-Raspberry has a choux pastry for a base and then built up with little "profiteroles" filled with rose flavored whipped cream and raspberry filling. It was so, so, so good! My picture doesn't look as perfect since my pastry got smushed during the metro ride.
The coffee eclair held up better during our commute. The custard is generous but the shell itself was a bit thicker than I'm used to. The only thing that comes to mind when I think of coffee eclair is Thomas Keller's version at Bouchon Bakery which is pretty damn awesome.
I proceeded with my sugarfest by eating all the macarons. Only interrupted by gulps of water in between to cleanse my palate, these macarons are hands down, the BESTEST (is there such a word?) macarons my mouth has ever come in contact with! I can't even begin to tell you that the macarons we have in the U.S. come nowhere compared to the ones at Laduree. Crackly exteriors, airy insides that hold glorious flavors of espresso, raspeberry, rose, pistachio, chocolate and vanilla. The flavors were very fresh and pronounced. You don't go longer than a moment thinking: "I think that was vanilla?"
Call me crazy but I wanted to go to Paris for the sole reason of getting my hands on these baked goods. I can give a rat's ass about restraint. read more