10 seconds of pleasure

The myth of the macoron was exploded today.Perhaps you have sampled one of these biscuits? They should not be confused with macaroons, those sickly coconut and jam cakes found in English cake shops once upon a time and a tea time standby.
No, the macoron is a highly coloured merinque fancy-2 discs about the size of a 50 pence piece sandwiched together by a cream (ganache), often elegantly boxed or sold wrapped in tubes, and available at 1 euro plus a piece in patisseries all over Paris, throughout France and thereafter the rest of the world. The birthplace of this delicacy is said to be Ladurée, at 16 Rue Royale, 75008 (Metro Concorde). It was here that it was invented by a distant cousin of the shop owner in the early 20th Century and sold in its original flavours of chocolate, almond, vanilla and coffee. The shop itself is a Baroque confection of gold, palest green and pink - an instantly memorable house style which has translated to 7 boutiques in Tokyo alone not to mention elsewhere in the world - Dubai, London (Burlington Arcade), New York and so on. Its products are much imitated creating a kind of macoron mania with intense competition to develop new and eagerly awaited flavour sensations -lime/basil, cassis and the very popular caramel with beurre salé for example - or colours which match the season's fashions and even a newly devised Macoron Day on 20th March. A marketing man's dream then - and this is just what it is.
Made from a finely ground paste of almonds, egg white and sugar, the macoron was also the answer to the patissier's prayer. Unlike other confections, it has a shelf - life of more than one day and must be kept at least overnight in the fridge to develop that distinctive crunchy texture, followed by the soft taste of the cream, which gives that sought after 10 seconds of pleasure. Boxed up and ready to go, these are at last patisserie which keep for several days, travel well and have as a result taken Paris and the rest of the world by storm. A Parisian tradition maybe now but only recently - it was Pierre Hermé, a pastry chef who left Fauchon for the small Ladurée shop in the 1990s - who kick started la folie. He has his own website and products now. Coach loads of tourists join other tasters at Ladurées 3 shops here each day.
Me? - belief it, or not, I prefer the scone.