Thanks to a kind friend of a family member, I’ve finally tried the legendary macarons from Pierre Herme, exclusively from Paris. My previous, one and only physical visit to The City of Light feels like eons ago already. I knew nothing about food then, much less about macarons.
Having tried the macarons from Laduree earlier this year (read about it here), it was definitely a bonus to taste Pierre Herme’s ones that soon. Now, I shall proclaim that the number 1 rank for my favorite macaron has been taken over by Pierre Herme.
Compared to Laduree and several other favorites like Antoinette and TWG, Pierre Herme’s macarons are relatively less sweet. I think that’s a good thing,especially for someone like me who eats them all at one go. I love that the ganaches are so much thicker and that the overall texture of the macarons are more consistent at the same time. Talk about that perfect ratio between the macaron shell and ganache. If you’ve always grumbled about meagre macaron fillings, it’s time to get some from Pierre Herme. I don’t think I’m in the best position to comment on their macaron shells though. They were comparably harder than the usuals out there but that’s without factoring in the time taken for them to be air-flown back.
The flavors I had were more traditional but there are really exciting ones on their flavour list. Yaourt & Rose and Yaourt & Framboise both had the flavor of yogurt in them – interesting match of sour and sweetness. Another popular choice by many would be the Rose. It emits a slight tinge of fragrance and when put into the mouth, a subtle sweetness. My favorite flavor (among those I tried) has got to be the pure dark Chocolate. As simple as it is, the filling is of rich, pure dark chocolate. Despite that, it is not overly bitter.
Of course, all these come at a price. Pierre Herme’s macarons are slightly more expensive than Laduree. But definitely worth every buck paid.
I will probably not be satisfied with macarons from elsewhere now. All I can do now is hope for Pierre Herme to set up a store on this sunny island.
4 Rue Cambon
75001 Paris, France
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