Did you know there was more to macarons than the superstar 'Parisian-style' macarons, the ones you can find at Ladurée, Pierre Hermé and Sydney's very own Adriano Zumbo?
Meet the less famous Basque macarons, a three-century old regional specialty from St Jean de Luz, Biarritz and Bayonne in the south west of France, near the Spanish border. They have a more rustic look and feel than traditional macarons, and do not allow for variations in flavours.
These macarons are just divine. They literally melt in your mouth, and I absolutely love their 'in your face' almond flavour (fresh almonds from Valencia and Marcona in Spain are the main ingredients). The recipe is quite simple with egg whites, sugar and salt, and involves no artificial components whatsoever.
The best place to get Basque macarons is iconic pastry store 'Maison Adam' in Biarritz, minutes away from the main beach. Maison Adam was founded in 1660 and is an all-time local favourite, with chocolates to die for and credentials as long as your arm. Among other VIP clients, they supplied macarons to French royalty for the wedding of Louis XIV 'the Sun King' in St Jean de Luz, in the 17th century.
Wanna know more about the wonderful flavours of Basque culinary traditions? Why don't you join our "7 Wonders of Basque Cuisine" event in Sydney, on 5th February 2011?
And I strongly encourage you to try some of these yummy babies if you happen to be travelling anywhere near the Basque Country!
Thank you for a beautiful and mouthwatering post, Myriam. I love your photographs and descriptions.
Merci pour une belle et savoureuse billet, Myriam. J'aime vos photos et descriptions.
Robin :)
Posted by: Robin Dickinson | 07/06/2010 at 07:27 AM
Robin > Merci my friend!! I would have loved to bring Basque macarons back home for you to taste, but unfortunately the Australian customs wouldn't have exactly approved ;-)
Posted by: Myriam | 07/06/2010 at 08:07 AM
I really like your blog's style, and hungry to withstand friends is that: the strict test! So we can carry the absolute trust.
Posted by: Jordans Sneakers | 07/06/2010 at 01:29 PM
They sound divine! I am really intrigued by these now. Do stores tend to carry both types of macarons or just one? :)
Posted by: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella | 07/08/2010 at 12:31 PM
Lorraine > Thank you darling! I've found that stores tend to sell one type of macarons only. It's very hard to find these macarons outside the Basque Country, and the Basques being a very proud people, local pastry shops would usually feature 'their' macarons only.
There's yet another different sort of macarons you can find in France, they're from St Emilion near Bordeaux, otherwise famous for its red wine. I'll need to investigate and write something about it ;-)
Posted by: Myriam | 07/14/2010 at 05:57 PM
Basque macarons. How intriguing these sound Myriam. I love how rustic and 'pure' they sound. WOW!!
Posted by: deeba | 11/19/2010 at 09:15 PM
Aww, thanks Deeba! I'm a big fan of macarons in whatever shape or form they come from, but I have to admit the Basque macarons are pretty damn good ;-)
Posted by: Myriam | 11/22/2010 at 08:12 PM