pierre herme macarons

(Paris, France).  There are macarons everywhere in Paris.  Everywhere you turn, someone is trying to sell you the pretty pastel treats.  And yet, there are two places that are consistently touted as the best in the world - Pierre Herme and Laduree.  To be honest, I love them both and I tend to lean towards Laduree (since it was the very first French macaron I ever head so I feel rather nostalgic about them), and yet, as a Parisian friend definitively stated to me "Laduree is for tourists.  My favorite is Pierre Herme."


So I set out to try Pierre Herme again and I was not disappointed.  There are now several locations - I came across one near the Jardin des Tuilleries and got a few macarons to snack on.  (tasty)  There is one in St. Germain but I was too full when I walked by so I did not partake.  Then there is one located on the first floor of the Galeries Lafayette where I ended up buying a few boxes to take home with me.  I had heard they also have an amazing rose croissant but I didn't get a chance to try. Perhaps next time.

My favorite flavors were the Infiniment Caramel (Salted-Butter Caramel) and Infiniment Chocolate Painfiras (Dark Chocolate).  The saleslady told me their bestseller is the Mogador (Milk Chocolate and Passionfruit) but I really don't like chocolate mixed with fruit flavors.  

I think what sets the high-end macarons apart from the everyday macarons, other than their special flavors (such as jasmine flower & jasmine tea, rose with litchi and raspberry, fresh mint with red berries, etc.), is the amazing texture.  A delicate crisp of the exterior met with an internal chewy creaminess.  They are not cheap, but are definitively a great souvenir or gift for the special people in your life.

Do I think Pierre Herme is better than Laduree.  No.  But then again, I am a tourist and there's no point in pretending that I am not. 

They actually sell Laduree at the airport so you can just pick some up there on your way home instead of carting it around town.