Where did macarons come from? There we were just a few years ago, quite content with our Penguin biscuits and fairy cakes (remember when they weren't 'cupcakes'?), and suddenly this new 'must have' delicacy was blowing up blogs and Instagram feeds. Macarons really are the most photogenic of sweet treats, aren't they? Is it a biscuit? Is it a cake? Is it a meringue? Whatever it is, the macaron is essentially the Chanel handbag of the bakery world: French, timeless and in high demand.
Undoubtedly the first person to seriously bring macarons to my attention would have been my oldest friend, Emily. As well as being a hugely talented artist, she is also an amazing self taught chef and baker who has actually mastered the making of delicious macarons - something that not all that many professionals can say! In fact, those beauties in the photo above are Emily's handiwork.
On a trip to Paris a few years ago she took me to the famous luxury bakery, Ladurée, and that was where I officially jumped on the bandwagon and purchased some eyewateringly expensive macarons of my very own. I have since discovered that the much cheaper McCafé macarons sold at McDonald's over there aren't bad either...
But there isn't a McCafé in Edinburgh, and there isn't a Ladurée either, so where does one go for a macaron fix in Scotland's capital? As of this month, Mademoiselle Macaron on Grindlay Street is your answer.
After first learning about Mademoiselle Macaron through a uni pal (Melissa) Craig and I trotted along to the newly opened premises earlier this week to check it out. The shop is adorable, both outside and in. There are little Parisian touches everywhere, and being served by the lovely Caroline (of La Robe á Caro) with a genuine French accent made the experience feel all the more authentic. Caroline's beautiful dresses are on display in the shop too, giving visitors endless pretty things to gawk at.
You can choose to either sit in and savour your macarons with a drink, or take them to go (there are even special take away coffee cups that can house a couple of macarons on top - so cute!). We snagged eight delicious macarons to take away - and promptly scarfed them about ten minutes later - but choosing flavours was tricky. There are a lot to choose from! I will definitely be back in the future for some coffee and to spend more time in Edinburgh's little slice of Paris.
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Undoubtedly the first person to seriously bring macarons to my attention would have been my oldest friend, Emily. As well as being a hugely talented artist, she is also an amazing self taught chef and baker who has actually mastered the making of delicious macarons - something that not all that many professionals can say! In fact, those beauties in the photo above are Emily's handiwork.
On a trip to Paris a few years ago she took me to the famous luxury bakery, Ladurée, and that was where I officially jumped on the bandwagon and purchased some eyewateringly expensive macarons of my very own. I have since discovered that the much cheaper McCafé macarons sold at McDonald's over there aren't bad either...
But there isn't a McCafé in Edinburgh, and there isn't a Ladurée either, so where does one go for a macaron fix in Scotland's capital? As of this month, Mademoiselle Macaron on Grindlay Street is your answer.
After first learning about Mademoiselle Macaron through a uni pal (Melissa) Craig and I trotted along to the newly opened premises earlier this week to check it out. The shop is adorable, both outside and in. There are little Parisian touches everywhere, and being served by the lovely Caroline (of La Robe á Caro) with a genuine French accent made the experience feel all the more authentic. Caroline's beautiful dresses are on display in the shop too, giving visitors endless pretty things to gawk at.
You can choose to either sit in and savour your macarons with a drink, or take them to go (there are even special take away coffee cups that can house a couple of macarons on top - so cute!). We snagged eight delicious macarons to take away - and promptly scarfed them about ten minutes later - but choosing flavours was tricky. There are a lot to choose from! I will definitely be back in the future for some coffee and to spend more time in Edinburgh's little slice of Paris.
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