Pierre Hermé launches National Macaron Day on March 20

Now that's a sweet idea! Pastry chef extraordinaire Pierre Hermé has declared Saturday 20th March 2010 to be France's inaugural National Macaron Day. To celebrate, he's launching a limited-edition box of 24 macarons available on the day across his 6 Parisian stores. 

You'll be able to pick and choose from brand new flavours and old-time favourites. My top 5 flavours? Salted caramel; milk chocolate & Earl Grey tea; Ispahan (rose, lychee & raspberry); Magnifique (strawberry & wasabi) and White Truffle with Roasted Hazelnut. Salivating at the mere thought of it...

The National Macaron Day will help raise funds for two medical research NGOs dear to Hermé's heart, with coin donations encouraged in every store. And you're in for an extra treat: to thank people for their patronage and donations, Pierre Hermé has created a special 'National Macaron Day' card that entitles you to a complimentary 35-macarons box (worth 68 euros). To get the box, all you need to do is collect your card from any of the 6 stores and get it stamped at the other five stores (you'll need to purchase at least one macaron per location). You'll receive the complimentary box on your 6th and last stop - brace yourself for a Saturday night macarons orgy!!

Unfortunately, going to Paris for the day is not going to be an option for me (I'm not that extravagant), so I wish we had a National Macaron Day in Australia... Maybe worth prodding our own macaron superstar Adriano Zumbo to get his thoughts and get cracking for next year?!

So tell me dear reader, where to you go to when you happen not to live in Paris and need a macaron fix? Can't wait to know. Personally, in addition to Zumbo's, I'm quite partial to the milk chocolate & passion fruit macarons at La Renaissance French Patisserie in The Rocks, Sydney. Or do you bake your own? Any recipe, baking tip or pictures you'd like to share? Let me know and I'll publish on round-up on Saturday to celebrate in my own way!

Comments

[Helen (grabyourfork)]

What a brilliant idea. Surely there's no better motivator to get moving than the promise of free macarons. Ironic yes and what a shame we all can't flit over to Paris!

[Myriam]

Helen > Thanks Helen! I know, what a pity we don't have our own Macaron Day over here... I promise I'll try to do something for next year, there's no reason we should miss out on such a treat ; - )

[Simon Food Favourites]

i've actually yet to try a macaron in sydney but have tried the laduree ones in paris. i've got zumbo, baroque and bacco on my wishlist to try :-)

[Gourmantic]

Great idea to have our own Sydney macaron day!

For me, it's Zumbo in Sydney. I have yet to try anything that comes close. As for Paris, it's Ladurée. I'm not patient enough to make my own :)

I wish I'd known about this last week when I posted 2 part Ladurée articles. I could have saved them in honour of the 20th!

[Myriam]

Simon > Hi Simon, thanks for sharing! Baroque's macarons are pretty good (made by sister business French pastry La Renaissance). I've yet to try those at Bacco, they're on my list too!

[Myriam]

Gourmantic > Thanks for your comment! I know, it's hard to beat Zumbo when comes to macarons in Sydney, right?

PS: just read your posts about Laduree (yummy!). How often do you go back to Paris?

[Gourmantic]

Absolumment!

"Not often enough" is my usual response :) I was there last October/November and try to get there every 2-3 years. I get withdrawal symptoms otherwise. I hope you do better than me!

[Myriam]

Gourmantic > Ah ah, I so understand the withdrawal symptoms!! I usually manage to go back at least once a year because of work, so feeling quite lucky. Funny, I was in Paris in November as well! We spent a couple of days in Paris to see my family, then went to the Basque Country (my boyfriend's from there) and then another couple of days in Spain - going to Bilbao, Barcelona and El Bulli. One trip to remember!!

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