Commentary by Lana Bandy
For many, one of the small pleasures of travel is experiencing new cuisines. For those with a sweet tooth, Paris should be a destination of choice. Two of Paris’ favorite treats – macarons and crêpes – have taken hold in the Indianapolis area, and it’s easy to see why.
A macaron is a small, delicate French confection. It’s not the coconut “macaroon” you knew as a child, rather a sweet double-decker, meringue-based cookie. Made of egg whites, lots of sugar, ground almond (or almond powder) and food coloring, the macaron has a jam or ganache filling. It could be consider an Oreo with class.
In Paris, macarons are everywhere. They are sold in bakeries, convenience stores, grocery stores and even McDonald’s. One special bakery in Paris, the elegant Ladurée, has been making macarons for 150 years. They sell more than 15,000 macarons a day and offer many flavors, from traditional raspberry, lemon and chocolate, to coffee and pistachio.
Sales of the two-bite treats, which are more than $1 per bite, are soaring, but they are not nearly as well know in the U.S. as another French staple, the crêpe. This treat is made of a pancake-like batter (consisting of flour, eggs, milk and butter) that ends up as flat as a soft tortilla shell. The fillings are sweet – the basic “sucre” (sugar), banana, nutella (hazelnut spread) or lemon – or savory – the ever-popular ham and cheese. In Paris, it’s the perfect snack, meal or dessert.
Tourists can watch crepe-making pros on the street or order crepes from a snack bar, a corner bistro or a five-star restaurant. Regardless of the venue or filling, a Parisian crêpe is a treat that won’t soon be forgotten.
Lana Bandy is co-editor of The Current’s puzzle page and a columnist for Carmel Business Leader. She may be reached at [email protected].
