One of the things I was most excited about eating in Paris were “les macarons” a pastry that is not widely available outside of France (nor is it the same quality elsewhere). Unlike what Americans first think of as a macaroon, a macaron (or as it is sometimes called in the US, a “Parisian macaroon”) is not a dense cookie made of coconut. Rather it is a sandwich pastry made out of two small circular almond meringues filled with a ganache or fruit filling.

Almost every patisserie in Paris sells these, and I wasted no time in trying as many flavors at as many institutions as possible. The greatest macarons have meringue that is crusty but soft and chewy once bitten into and contain a good amount of smooth ganache. Flavorings range from standard (chocolate, vanilla, pistachio) to eclectic (black truffle, balsamic vinegar, foie gras). After trying macarons at Pierre Hermé, Ladurée, Gerard Mulot, Fauchon, Angelina and Dalloyau, I can state with some authority that the best macaroons in Paris are those at Pierre Hermé. Though he offers a smaller range of flavors, the cookies have the greatest texture, and his creative and complex flavors are well executed. (-Alona)