Mac(aron) Your Day

Macaroon, Macaron. However you say it, these colourful confectioneries will get you twisted.

The food world has cracked. Macaron madness has ensued.
In Sydney’s case, it’s thanks to a certain Balmain baldie, Adriano Zumbo that these treats have surged up the sweet-o-meter. But their origins lie somewhere a little beyond our backyard.

Like most renowned European recipes, the macaron’s history is debatable. But the first one was made (almost) certainly in France. Rumours reveal it happened in 791 at a Covent near Cormery. Others say that in 1533, the sweet was brought by Catherine de’ Medici’s Italian patissiers upon her marriage to Henry II of France.

The stories keep rolling just like macarons do, with historians convinced they were conceived at an Italian monastery. Apparently, they were made to mimic the monks’ belly buttons. Bellisimo!?

And since this baked good is so well-rounded, the Italian Jews also adopted it as a Passover treat back in the day. The macaron was popular during Passover as it forgoes flour and leavening, which aren’t allowed over this eight-day festival. Instead, egg whites came to the rescue – making the macarons rise. Over time, coconut was added to the recipe, either replacing or blending with the original almond flavour. It gained such a following that it got scoffed year-round.

But the macaron that we know and love was whipped up in the early 20th century by Pierre Desfontaines of Laduree; the famous French patisserie.

The current version- biscuits made of egg whites, food colouring, icing or granulated sugar and almond powder or ground almond filled with a buttercream centre (ganache), is now the sweet du jour. And their array of flavours is enough to give you a sugar rush.

Oh well, wherever they came from, we’re thankful they are on our tables and in our tummies.

Stay tuned next week for part two of our macaron marathon.

By Jenna Chaitowitz

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/titlap/5471190091/