New York has had many food wars. There has been the on-going, decades-old pizza war. The war over the best hamburger has had all different kinds of battles, including restaurants serving burgers made from Kobe and Wagyu beef(s), topped with Caviar, foie gras, and other accents, and costing several hundred dollars.
In the mid 90’s Krispy Kremes hit New York, making Dunkin’ Donuts-loving Manhattanites’ heads spin. To date, this food war may be the only one that ended with a clear winner; Krispy Kreme is all but gone in New York. In 2000, a simple scene featuring a conversation between Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon within an episode of HBO’s “Sex & The City” was shot on a bench outside of “Magnolia Bakery” on Bleecker Street and ignited New York’s cupcake war. (Incidentally, our favorite cupcake comes from Two Little Red Hens on the Upper East Side)
For the last couple of years, a new food war is being fought. This food war may be the most reserved andsophisticated. It is the war over the best macarons. For those of you not in the know, when we say “macarons” (correct spelling), we are not talking about the Kosher-for-Passover macaroons that come in a tin. We are speaking of delicate, delicious, decadent (French) macarons.
The Krispy Kreme-Dunkin’ Donuts fight aside, none of New York’s food wars ever have a clear victor. We’re not exactly authorized to declare a winner, however, we are going to cast our definitive vote for the absolute bestmacaron in New York. La Maison du Macaron on 23rd Street is our favorite.
A French macaron is a sweet meringue-based confection made with egg white or aquafaba, icing sugar,granulated sugar, and almond powder or ground almond. The macaron is commonly filled with ganache,buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies.
La Maison du Macaron has an ever-changing and expanding menu of flavors, with none standing out too far from the rest as a customer favorite. Chef Pascal Goupil has created in excess of 150 different flavors and variations. There are always at least 20 available, including Pistachio, Raspberry, Pink Champagne, Kir Royale, Salted Caramel, and others.
La Maison du Macaron’s kitchen also puts out other pastries and candies and dishes for its (café) patrons, but their macarons are what fill the purple bags being carried out the front door. Customers can walk out with boxes of all sizes to bring home and enjoy later or give as special gifts. Recently, La Maison du Macaron introduced an elegant new gift box that holds two of their macarons. This box is perfect as a favor for guests at weddings, engagement parties, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, bachelorette parties, and other events related to your wedding. Whatever the occasion- a box of macarons from La Maison du Macaron will put you on the winning side of this latest New York food war.
La Maison du Macaron is located at: 132 West 23rd Street, between 6th & 7th Avenues. For more information, go to: www.nymacaron.com, or call: 212-243-2757.