It was exactly my fourth post ever…  Those who had been following my blog right from the very first day (if I did have any followers to speak of then) saw a shy Argentinean blogger producing some mauve macarons, photographed in a ring box.

The photo was picked up by Foodgawker and before I had even really understood what blogging was about, the world was looking at my blog: Singapore, Alaska, Arkansas, Russia… One thousand clicks in two hours. That was back in 2009. You can still find the recipe here, and in Audrey Hepburn’s company here.

Savory macarons are not my invention. In fact, the “father” of modern macarons, Pierre Hermé, started playing with the idea of giving traditional sweet macarons a savory twist long ago.

One day, I thought of making something elegant… Something with salmon, and something black… Yes, black macarons!

I went to G. DeTout to buy black food coloring. Back home, I started adding tiny quantities of this coloring to my Italian meringue, and it started turning…mauve. Mauve? Another half coffee spoon… deeper mauve! I paused and wondered: should I continue adding color, or stop here? I hate it when macarons dye my tongue! And this shade of mauve was so beautiful… And it matched my poppy seeds perfectly! Yes, the match was sealed.

Today, my mauve salmon macarons have become a trademark of my Menu Malbec catering service. After all this time, I decided a new photo shoot was in order. After all, two years of blogging had improved my photography skills.

I have to admit that sometimes people look at me with a skeptical eye: “Salmon in a sweet macaron? Is the crust savory at least?” Until the first bite, when all doubts vanish!

The savory macarons are here to stay… Not only with salmon, but with foie gras now as well…who could think of something more appropriate for holiday parties? Chicissime!

Basic Macaron Recipe (depending on size, you will get approx. 60 shells = 30 macarons)

almond flour, 190 gr
icing  sugar, 190 gr
egg whites, 70 gr

For the syrup:
granulated sugar, 190gr
water, 60gr
egg whites, 70gr

To make macarons, we use egg whites that have been kept in the fridge for at least one day…Why? Egg whites from fresh eggs have a firmer structure, they are less supple, and for the process of blending the egg whites with the other ingredients,  “old” whites yield better results. Mind you! Remember to take the egg whites out of the fridge a few hours before starting so that they are at room temperature.

Sift the almond flour and icing sugar together. In a large bowl, fold 2/3 of this mixture in with the egg whites, and the food coloring. Remember that colors fade with baking so don’t be afraid if the color is a little intense at first. Combine the ingredients briskly. Don’t worry, nothing dangerous can happen at this stage!

Put the whites in the bowl of your stand mixer. In a saucepan, bring the water and sugar to 115°C. When your syrup reaches 100°C, start whipping the egg whites slowly into soft peaks. The idea is the whites should be ready the moment the syrup reaches the 115°C. Slowly, pour the syrup into the whites, and continue whipping until cool. Bravo! You have made an Italian meringue!

Add 1/3 of this meringue to the remaining 1/3 of the almond powder and powdered sugar mix. Combine everything well. Yes! Don’t be afraid of actually crushing your meringue, this is what you are supposed to do here! Add the rest of the meringue in little by little. The final result shouldn’t be too firm or too runny! Congratulations! You have finished the “macaronage”!

Pipe the macarons (with a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1 cm tip) on a baking sheet with a non-stick liner. For this recipe, my macarons measured 4cm in diameter. Tip the baking sheet slightly for an even final result. Let them sit until they are no longer sticky when you touch them lightly.

Put them in the oven (150°C). After 6 minutes, rotate the baking sheet for an even result. Bake 6 more minutes, but keep in mind cooking time may vary slightly based on your oven. Take them out of the oven and let them rest on the non-stick liner (remove them from the baking sheet otherwise they will continue baking!). Desired result? Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside…

Enjoy!

Notes:

1. The syrup should be folded with the whites at 118°C, this is why we remove it from the heat at 115°C….three more degrees will be reached by the time you move the saucepan from the stove to the stand-mixer.
2. If you use two baking sheets, instead of one (one on top of the other), you will prevent excessive drying….

For the filling:

* poppy seeds
* smoked salmon, 200 gr
* Cream cheese, 300 gr (any cream cheese, not too soft in texture, or mascarpone)
* Vodka (enough to “soften the cheese” and according to personal taste)

(for 25/30 macarons, depending on size)

Related Links

• Lost in Cheeseland reports on the 2012 Macaron day in Paris!
• Adam Wayda from Paris Patisseries shares his Top 5 favorite macarons
• Are you looking for macarons in Berlin? Check out Art Sucre

Written by Cristina Lasarte for the HiP Paris Blog. All images by Cristina Lasarte. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Photo: Louisa Chu

It’s easy to be jealous of David Lebovitz when you learn how he spends his days: spreading Bordier butter on toast, browsing through Paris’ open air markets, testing recipes, hopping in and out of bakeries and chocolate shops, trying the city’s numerous restaurants, and chronicling his delicious adventures in his books and on his blog, DavidLebovitz.com. Yes, it’s a sweet life, but someone’s gotta do it, and David Lebovitz had the foresight, motivation, and chutzpah to realize (early on) that that person should be him. His many fans would agree. After all, living vicariously through David’s blog is pretty sweet as well.

A former pastry chef who earned his stripes at Alice Waters’ famous Chez Panisse in Berkeley, David left California in 2002 to pursue culinary adventures abroad. When he got to Paris, he continued work on his blog, which he had begun in 1999, long before blogging had become the phenomenon that it is today.

In addition to providing practical advice and information about the food scene in Paris, David’s blog is rife with his signature “sass,” and it is this sass that has earned him his reputation as one of Paris’ most prolific and entertaining food bloggers. At a recent book event in Paris, David listed some of the things he would miss if he had to move away from the City of Light. Among them: French butter, inexpensive-but-good wine, young men with impossibly small waistlines, and the individual’s inalienable right to cut in line (any line). Despite David’s unique perspective on Paris, his appeal extends far beyond the borders of this city, and as he continues to promote his newest book, The Sweet Life in Paris, it’s clear that his fan base stretches around the world.

Though he’s feverishly publicizing the book these days, he took a moment from his busy schedule to answer a few of HiP’s questions.

HiP: Why is blogging in Paris more fulfilling than it might be elsewhere?

DL: Because there’s so much life on the street, there’s so much material! Plus all the bakeries, ice cream shops, and chocolatiers provide endless fodder. Of course, the eccentricities of life here are fun to report on as well.

HiP: Do you have any other favorite “food cities” besides Paris?

DL: My favorites are Barcelona and San Francisco, (which I consider the best food city in the world in terms of ingredients that are available and the restaurants that highlight them in their cooking).

Photo DavidLebovitz.com

HiP: What’s the biggest “eating mistake” that visitors to Paris can make?

DL: Not making a reservation. Elsewhere it’s normal to just walk in and expect to get seated. Here, having a reservation is like being invited for dinner; when you walk in, you’ll get a much warmer welcome since they’re expecting you.

The other mistake is the kind of service that’s expected. In France, there aren’t waiters hovering every thirty seconds adding another 1/2 inch of water to your glass, nor are they breathing down your neck and grabbing your plate away before you’ve even finished your last mouthful. Some visitors think the lack of constant attention is bad service, but in fact, it’s nice to be left alone to dine with your friends. And when you want something, just flag down the waiter and ask.

HiP: Any up-and-coming Parisian food stars (chefs, bakers, bloggers) that you have your eye on?

DL: I don’t know about up-and-coming ones, but places I like are the new restaurant, Frenchie, whose chef-owner Gregory Marchand lived in New York and England. Daniel Rose at Spring is already well-known, but I admire him for creating his own niche here in Paris. And of course, Pierre Jancou at Racines is doing market-fresh foods without the pretense, and promoting natural wines.

HiP: Are there any particular Parisian neighborhoods that you think are particularly food “rich?”

DL: The 6th. It’s not my neighborhood, but it’s where the greatest concentration of top-notch pastry and chocolate shops tend to cluster. For restaurants, I’d say there’s no neighborhood in particular, but the better places are in the outlying arrondissements, since the rents are cheaper and the younger chefs, who are doing more interesting things usually, can be found there.

HiP: What’s your idea of the perfect food day in Paris?

DL: Espresso at Pozzetto, then eating a croissant from Au Levain du Marais in the Place des Vosges. Lunch of a sardine sandwich or chicken with garlic mayo at Cuisine de Bar next to Poilâne, then over to Grom on rue de Seine for lemon granita, then back to the Place des Vosges for dinner at L’Ambroisie. That, of course, is assuming that money is no object.

HiP: If you weren’t a chef and star blogger, what other career might you have liked to pursue?

DL: A psychiatrist, because I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time helping people with their problems.

If David decides to become a psychiatrist, we hope he’ll let us know. In the meantime, we’re content to drool over his culinary findings and laugh at the situations in which he finds himself. For David Lebvoitz, it’s a sweet life indeed.

Make sure to check out David’s blog here.