Comments on: Melbourne's not so great macarons, plus rubbish in Epicure

By: Duncan

Duncan — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:44:27 +0000

@Birgitte: velkommen. Check whitepages.com.au for their telephone number.

@Margaret: thanks for your own survey of product in Melbourne. Sounds like you struck a good day at Lindt, cos I hear increasing numbers of people complaining about how poor their quality control is.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:34:00 +0000

Just went Melbourne macaron-stalking from deprived Tassie. First stop, Noisette. It has been almost three years since my last Parisienne macaron, so I was well and truly in a state of high anticipation. Noisette was the first stop. They looked a bit puffier than I remembered, but I was hopeful. Chocolate, the obligatory pistache, and the recommended lemon. Not perfect by any means…a bit too chewy. They were just on the bland side, except for the lemon (my server's recommendation), which tasted to me strongly of lemon essence (yuk). I would never get the lemon again, but as macaron starved as I was, the others weren't terrible. I was eager to be generous. Then
Laurent. Non, non, non. All generousity departed. Inconsistently shaped and actually misshapen smaller macarons (macarooooons). Too everything. Crunchy, chewy, bland. I had to stop my server from giving me a broken one – which he then sheepishly added to my box gratis. There were several dead ends in the search for the elusive macaron: Liason's pastry chef apparently left to start Baker D Cirico (I am definitely out of the loop)…and they had sold out (of macarooooons). Lindt Cafe's "Delice" were the best of the lot. Lightly crispy, melt-in-the-mouth shell, not too chewy. Champagne and black currant were quite nice, some others a bit bland. At least I didn't have to call them macaroooons! Still, with no macarons in Tasmania, it was a fun trip. I cannot understand why we have such a hard time replicating the macaron.

By: Birgitte

Birgitte — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:10:54 +0000

Hi Duncan,
Love your sight and your honesty, it is so refreshing… I too go crazy for a macaroon and have not yet found a decent one in Copenhagen Denmark where I am writing from!
I'd like to send my Aussie sister in Melbourne some french macaroons and wonder if you have a better idea. To bad Pierre Hermé hasn't found a way to provide them to your end of the world! Can you provide a better option than la Tropézienne, internet address??? Much appreciated and thanks,
Birgitte

By: Jude

Jude — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:36:12 +0000

Definitely give Le Tropezienne a try. We went there Monday to try their macs after seeing last Sat's Age A2 revue, and found them to be VERY good – certainly better than most of the others available in Melb and equal to the best(Cacao). We met the charming pastrycook Angela, who I'm sure will be delighted to help you with your wedding macs.

By: MissShirley

MissShirley — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:03:56 +0000

Duncan thank you for your macaron wisdom. I feel reassured about the frozen product issue but will do as you say and insist on consistency of quality and non-softness.
CACAO (Fine chocolates and Patisserie) recently advertised a Strawberry and Rose version as part of their Valentines Day promotion. They have an outlet in Doncaster so I shall investigate and report.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:38:49 +0000

@MissShirley: La Tropézienne might be ok. They certainly seem most consistent in the relative quality of their product. In reality, it shouldn't be the customer who has to deal with the frozenness issue. The macarons should be delivered to you in correct edible state, post-defrosting. I would make it very clear to whichever provider you choose that you will not pay for product which is soft or inconsistent.

Freezing is just one of those necessary evils of small-turnover environments. Macarons are labour intensive, so making a large batch and freezing is expedient, and okay if done well. (There is even frozen product being imported from France, perhaps for use in hotels or catering, though not what I'd recommend for the personal touch of a wedding.)

By: MissShirley

MissShirley — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:28:57 +0000

Clearly I will no longer consider ordering from Laurent; I naively enquired with them having enjoyed some of their other baked goods in the past. But now I have seen the light and have been well and truly educated by the results of your research and will be visting La Tropézienne this weekend to see what's on offer. I should not be outraged if they too stock a frozen product? If so do you have any tips for a successful slow defrost?

By: Duncan

Duncan — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:18:02 +0000

@MissShirley: Freezing is a pretty common technique in commercial contexts and doesn't necessarily have a bad effect on the product (I've been experimenting recently). Care has to be taken in slow defrosting. However, why on earth would you buy the rubbish macarons at Laurent??. They have been so seriously substandard on most of my visits.

By: MissShirley

MissShirley — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:46:15 +0000

Re the Laurent macarons – I recently enquired at the Chadstone store regarding an order for my wedding breakfast of 30 assorted macarons. My list of questions included lead time required when ordering, shelf life and recommended storage. The reply saw me leaving the store with no further thought of ordering the product from Laurent 'Well, they come in frozen, so lead time need only be a day. You just tell us when you want them, we'll take them out of the freezer that morning and you could collect them within 30 minutes as they only take this long to thaw. As for shelf life, they are good for one day only'. I don't know a lot about macarons, except good ones look delightful and (ideally) taste the same, but the thought of a frozen product really turned me off. I think I'll have to fly to Paris for the wedding!!

By: Duncan

Duncan — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:47:25 +0000

@Corry & catgrrrl: in the end it doesn't matter who is consultant to anyone if the manufacturer can't actually produce the goods. (And increasing reports to me about Lindt Melbourne would indicate there are exactly the same awful quality issues as at Lindt Sydney.)

@baker: Fujimart's macarons look nice. I haven't tried them as I got sick of paying for crap macarons in Melbourne.

@KK: Par for the course, sadly. Thanks for the info!