Favorite Treats: Macarons

We have never eaten as much pastries as we did while in France. (nor have we ever enjoyed eating pastries as much) Personally, I got my recommended daily allowance of at least one croissant a day plus bites of baguettes. (We learned from our friends that the prices of baguettes are regulated, so that all people can afford to buy baguettes. In other words, it is the right of every person in France to be able to eat baguettes. Don't know how true this fact is, didn't get a chance to check it out.) We quickly learned that there is nothing more Parisian than to walk down the street with a couple of baguettes in your hands. (If you really want to blend in, then start chomping on the baguettes as you are walking along.)

And when it comes to pastry, Traci discovered the Crème de la Crème of it in the Macarons. They are little hamburger looking things that have a crunchy exterior and a soft-mushy interior. (Kinda like me.) They look like this and come in many different colors and flavors:























Traci also quickly discovered her favorite place for these little treats, which also happens to be the place that invented them, the famous Ladurée.
















Traci took me to Ladurée on my first day in Paris. What an amazing place! All the vibrant colors and beautifully decorated pastries, I wanted to try them all. (My mouth is watering right now as I type this) And all these beautiful arrays of pastries are only the appetizers leading up to the main prize which most people come here to buy, the Macarons. Ladurée has been perfecting the art of making these little macarons for about a century, not too shabby!
















On top of the beautiful and tasty treats, they have impeccable packaging! The whole experience is very aesthetically pleasing. It was not only good to eat, it was pleasing to the eyes as well. (Wait a minute... this sounds vaguely familiar...what else was not only good for food, but pleasing to the eye as well?)

















The macarons were definitely Traci's favorite treat in France (I think I would still consider myself more of a croissant man). In fact, it was so good that we decided to go out of our ways for a last minute Laduree run before we left! So if you ever find yourself in Paris, make sure you drop in for one of these delectable wee-lil' hamburgers.