Hi
For those missing a Paris macarons fix, I'm on various email mailing lists, got one this morning telling me that the macarons made by Bouley Bakery (130 West Broadway at Duane St) are highly recommended. I don't know if they ship. Just passing along the info.

Well, there're Fauchon stores in NYC, and they certainly sell macarons.

And I'm pretty sure that La Maison du Chocolat carries macarons.

And by the way, the Madison Avenue store makes its own ice-cream (so I was told): $9 a scoop, or something. I was tempted to try, but I bought some chocolates instead.

And while we're at it, La Maison du Chocolat serves hot chocolate that's quite thick (both stores have a salon). I've never had it though.

I'm convinced that it's possible to find anything one needs in this city.

Maison du Chocolat sells their hot chocolate
bottled in liquid form. The bottle is about the size of a small coke, and is some obscene price like $12.00 or $13.00.
Let me be the first to tell you that if your a chocoholic, it's worth it!
It's like drinking a liquified, melted milk chocolate bar.

yes, I knew about Fauchon (and not that impressed with the items in their NYC store), just thought I'd mention another source

Are the macaroons that are served at the end of the meal at Bouley's the same macaroons that are for sale at Bouley Bakery?
If so....then I think you will be disappointed. They are pleasant, but not up to par with their french cousins!
*The rest of the meal at Bouley's is fantastic...so I was surprised when the macaroons were disappointing!

Interesting. I've never tried the macarons in Fauchon or at La Maison du Chocolat. In fact, I've only bought macarons in Paris.

I'd have thought that the macarons are flown in from Paris though, but perhaps not. I think that the chocolates are flown in?

I've bought cakes from Fauchon, and I just tried the Andalousie cake at Maison. It's Robert Linxe's signature creation (there's also a ganache called "Andalouse&quot.

Yum.

This is a bit off-topic, but I'm quite fond of the lemon tart at Ceci-Cela at Spring Street, but it's been about a year or two since I had it.

I'm not familiar with that restaurant,it's not in my Zagat either, what's it like?

Are you asking about Ceci-Cela, elaine? It's a French patisserie (I think it's opened by French people).

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7108715/

Granted, I don't know how it's changed, as it's been a while since I went there.

The other standard French patisserie in NYC is of course Payard. I fail to be impressed by it though, and I find their front cafe service snotty. There's a restaurant though, where I've never eaten, and it's supposed to be very good.

I find that these things change very quickly though. I had the funny experience of looking at restaurant listings in Time Out magazine recently and I didn't recognize most of them. There's always something new or another every week.

This is, again, off-topic for the thread, but Cafe Sabarsky is very nice for an early weekend breakfast. I was the second table on Saturday morning at 9:30 and had a nice window table overlooking the park all by myself. If you can get up early enough and are interested in seeing a museum, I recommend the cafe for a leisurely, elegant breakfast.

We have eaten at Payard....not impressed with either the bakery or the dining room.
Yes to the lovely Cafe Sabarsky...lovely room, good food & a nice little wine list!

How are these Parisian things different from Sicilian almond paste cookies or Tuscan ricciarelli? Are they less intensely flavored? Is almond paste used, or only almond flour? Drier? Less dry? Is bitter almond included in the flavoring or only the sweet almond?

Don't know anything about Sicilian pastries, cmt, so I can't compare (not that I know anything about French pastries either).

But I'm glad that someone thinks the same about Payard.

I do have to say that Sabarsky is pricey for what it is, and there's always a line when I go -- which is why I thought that the breakfast I had there was perfect. It wasn't even very good, but I beat the crowds (I wasn't even so early), and it was an elegant experience.

I bought chocolates and macarons at Maison du Chocolat in New York and the sales clerk told me that both the candy and macarons are flown in from Paris. They're quite good-- not the perfection you get from Pierre Herme or Laduree but they'll do quite nicely when you need a macaron fix.