mad 4 macarons

First thing's first. These cookies are pronounced: mah-kə-rohn. They are completely different from the sticky piles of shredded coconut called macaroon (mak-ə-roon). Those kind of look like naked Mounds bars. Now you know the difference, so don't be one of those people that say it wrong for no reason, okay.

To me, these French-famed finicky confections are just over-sweetened vehicles for ganache, caramel, buttercream, or jam to travel safely (and without judgement) into your mouth. But to each their own. Over the last few years they have undoubtedly gone viral. They're plastered on every foodie's Instagram, Pinterest, and FB page. Bakeries/ bakers that have mastered (or been able to pass off decent) macarons, have gained a cult-like following.

Honestly, I believe the real appeal of macarons lies outside the ethereal experience some claim to undergo when eating one. Think about it. What would drive someone to pay $2 a pop (low-balling here) for a tiny stack of sugar, artificial food dye, more sugar, almonds and some old egg whites?

They're HARD TO PERFECT PEOPLE! End of discussion.

Okay, new discussion, lol! But seriously, ain't nobody got time to be: measuring, whippin', mixin', deflatin', baggin', pipin', tracin', tappin', waitin', bakin', waitin', fillin', and waitin'! You notice eatin' was not listed, right? That's because these cookies "improve" if you age them a day or more after filling. I'm sorry, but if I make a cookie, you better believe I'm going to smash it as soon as the risk of taste bud burn subsides.

The first time I tried to make macarons (also the first day I read about them) was 10 years ago. YouTube was fairly new (i.e. no good tutorials) and macarons were not available at local bakeries. I was ignorant of the difficulty and technique involved. I had no professional baking experience, no point of reference, and no manifested patience when it came to failed projects. I was both ambitious and unreasonable. I quickly discarded the flat, footless, misshapen, cloying batch and chalked it up to a faulty recipe. Vowing to never waste good money on expensive ingredients like ALMOND MEAL again, I moved on- until recently.

As a professional chef and culinary instructor, I really enjoy what I do. Teaching people how to approach creating food with confidence is rewarding in a way that words can't really describe. I am no pastry chef- and I'm glad not to be. I appreciate being well rounded and having a one-size-doesn't-fit-all approach to baking and pastries. I feel like it helps me relate to people who have never attempted yeast breads, souffles, piping, and perplexing culinary unicorns like macarons.

Being a teacher makes me a better student. After all I would never have tried macarons again if I didn't need to help someone else learn them. As for METROCONFECTION, what do you guys think? Should we start making these babies for you guys? Message us if you want to special order☺

Till next time, be cool guys.