The story of Parisian macarons

You have probably already heard about the macarons. Made with almond powder, sugar, food coloring and egg white, these trendy cookies have become real stars among the pastries. Although the story says that this sweet is actually an Italian invention, it is a real French or to be more precise, a Parisian specialty. Today, it is almost impossible to visit Paris without tasting nicely colored, perfectly rounded and soft macrons. They are such a big deal in France that even the National Macaron Day was founded in 2005.

History

According to some stories, the macarons was created in 791 in an Italian monastery, and Catherine di Medici who married Henri II, the King of France, brought it in France in 1533. Since then, the macarons had a lot of success in France and especially at the court of Versailles. The macarons were made not only in Paris but also in many French cities, even if the amounts of the ingredients and the appearance varied from city to city, and from bakery to bakery. But, the original macaron was a little bit different from the pastry as we know it today. It consisted of only one biscuit and had no filling. The story of the Parisian macaron starts in the middle of the 19th century. The Maison Ladurée, a famous Parisian confectioner, made for the first time this pastry in the 1890s, and since then, they haven’t changed the recipe. 

La Maison Ladurée - rue Bonaparte, Paris

21 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France

The Maison Ladurée

Created in 1862, the Maison Ladurée was one of the first tearooms in Paris. But above all, this place became famous for inventing the modern macaron. Pierre Desfontaines, the cousin of the founder of La Maison Ladurée, had the idea to join two macaron shells and put a thin layer of cream filling between them. And you probably know how the rest of the story goes. Today, the Maison Ladurée is one of the most popular places where you can taste macarons in Paris. And probably the most popular place around the world. You will find the Maison Ladurée shops and tearooms in Paris, but also the United States, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

National Macaron Day

The story of Parisian macarons is also a story about goodwill and charity. In 2005, Pierre Hermé, another famous Parisian confectioner, founded the National Macaron Day. This event has a purely charitable aspect. Every March 20, you can come to many pastry shops all over the country, and in exchange for your donation that goes to an association, you will get a macaron.