This is going to be a fun blog to write….because it was a great topic to research. My boss told me about this delectable place called La Maison du Macaron. He insisted I go there and write about them. Did I mention my job is totally unrelated to this blog! So I got in touch with the owners and set a meeting time. Off I went during a lunch time with my pen, my writing pad and a clean taste bud slate. I felt like a reporter!
I was greeted by Mme Crop, co-owner of the store. She graciously spoke to me and answered all my nosy questions and then offered my a little complimentary tasting. So let me share with you now my first investigative report ever!
La Maison du Macaron is co-owned by M and Mme Crop, a married couple from France. Yes, there is a love story here…a sweet one. They met while both working for Gérard Mulot, a famous bakery, in Paris. Both mastered their baking skills over the next years and then they decided to move to Montreal and see what our city could offer. They agreed on giving it 2 years, if nothing big happened they would return home. At first the prospect of returning was a strong possibility as both were shocked at how pastries were not considered an art form here as it is in France.
Eventually Mme. Crop quit her job to complete a 6 month business plan program and the couple opened their present store on September 13th, 2008. Armed with delicious macarons they waited anxiously to see how their goodies would be received by Montrealers. Within 3 weeks the couple was flooded by media interest. Business has boomed ever since and they now try their best to keep up with the high demand.
So what is a macarons exactly? Macarons are little treats made of floured almonds, sugar, icing sugar, egg whites and ganache. They come in an array of colors and flavors. Only the finest quality ingredients are used. For example the pistachio paste used to make one of their most popular flavors is purchased at 100$ per kilo. Two domed meringues are glued together with a tasty ganache. The ganache is the part that is infused with a flavor such as: chocolate, vanilla, coffee, lemon, strawberry, pistachios, blueberry, cinnamon, fleur de sel caramel, grand marnier, pear…and the list goes on. Macarons are best consumed within 5 days and can be kept in the fridge. Make sure to take them out 30 min before serving them if cold. In their shop you will find:
- 16 various flavors at all times
- the flavor of the month
- a seasonal collect of 6 special flavors. Hurry to try the Spring/Summer collection before the Fall/Winter collection arrives.
- Large maracons with fruits that can be served and cut like a cake
- Iced macarons
- Seasonal for now: salty macarons and a Christmas macaron log.
What does the future hold for M and Mme Crop? Well they assured me that macarons are not a passing fad and they will become more and more popular. Right now M and Mme Crop are looking to expand with more locations in Montreal and possibly Quebec City. They are also in discussions with 1 big buyer. And of course new flavors and products will be developed. They are incredibly busy during the holidays and get many requests from companies for corporate gifts or wedding receptions. A Christmas seasonal hit will hopefully soon become a regular year round: the salty macarons. The meringue remains sweet but the filling is a salty flavor. A popular one is foie gras and figs.
This is where I get to talk about my tasting he he. All I can say is….yummmmm! I tried the fleur de sel caramel (their most popular flavor), raspberry (my favorite), peppered mango and strawberry rhubarb. Biting into a macaron is a delightful mixture of sensations: crunchy, moist, a little crunchy, sweet, and overwhelmingly good. Let me tell you though by the end I was on a major sugar high and could not wait to get back to work and eat a vegetable. But I did taste more then one would in a serving. After all I had to sacrifice myself for you, my readers.
I asked Mme Crop what her favorite flavors were. She likes vanilla, apple cinnamon and peach a lot. And of course I asked what were her favorite cheap restaurants were so far. She is a fan of M sur Masson, Khyber Pass and Fondue Mental.
Of course I ended up leaving with a little 6-pack for me to take home and enjoy at a slower pace. I want to extend again a big thank you to Mme Crop for having me at her store. I also want to wish them a happy 1st year anniversary coming soon. Members of the dinner group will soon also have a chance to try some macarons as I am including this store on our annual all-dessert event coming up shortly.
La Maison du Macaron
4479 de La Roche (corner Mont-Royal)
Tel. 514 759-9290
Stay tuned as I will next write a separate blog dedicated to maracons alone and their history.
Hugs and Biscuits
Evelyne
Does anyone know if the macarons from this place are sans gluten? The macarons at Point G are sans gluten but I’d like to try more than one bakery up there during our visit. I’m writing a travel feature about sans gluten options in Montreal. There are many wonderful dining options, but most of the pastries are off limits for the gluten-free set, obviously.
@James
personnellement, je préfère les macarons du Point G. Y as-tu gouté ???
leur gamme de macarons bicolores est succulente, c’est un véritable régal !!! Je te les recommande vivement !
(et ils ont moins le goût du frigo qu’à la maison du macaron)
donne m’en des nouvelles !!
@+
Macarons are good but tI don’t like their way of doing business.
Since they are supporting the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation, they raised their prices from 16$ to 18$ (the box of 12 macarons)…
A donation is a personal and volunteer action and shouldn’t be done in a way to abuse the consumers.
What a place !!!!
Pour les gourmands et les gourmets…La meilleure patisserie en ville. Le macaron vaut tous les détours et toutes les excuses du monde et justifie toutes les actions que vous allez prendre pour avoir la possibilité de manger un de ses desserts. Le macaron est la meilleure gourmandise qu’il m’a été donné de manger. C’est fin, plein de saveur, avec du croquant, du plus crémeux et surtout du bonheur…
C’est bon, mais bon, ça ne se décrit pas. Vous y goutez une fois et c’est fini…vous êtes “addicted” pour le reste de votre vie.
Merci à la maison du macaron de nous faire partager leur science du bonheur en nous donnant le provilège de manger ces morceaux de paradis…le plus souvent possible.
Je vous le jure, j’ai fais la tournée des établissements parisien pour en déguster, et ceux de la maison du macaron sont du même niveau de qualité.
D’autres en font à Montréal, mais pas comme ça. J’en ai dégusté à NYC, sur Wall Street, à 2,50$ US les petits, et ceux-ci n’arrivent pas à la cheville de la Maison du macaron.
Longue vie à la maison du macaron et merci
Valerie: I asked the same question about the price….but the answer was they are a bit more because of the cost of the ingredients since they only get high quality ingredients. It is a splurge but a nice one here and there.
I will be posting a recipe soon to and try it….as you say we’ll see what the result looks like lol
A friend of mine received macarons for his birthday yesterday, and I think they came from this place (I recognize the box).
This was indeed a fun article to read, thank you! A very interesting story.
I also think macarons are here to stay. Though I have to admit I rarely buy them, because they’re a little pricey and I like to make them myself – mine don’t always come out looking perfect, but I enjoy the challenge!
Adding this place to my list of ‘must visits’ for when I am back in Montreal. Macarons are so in vogue right now, and yet Perth seems behind the eight ball. Would like to try my hand at them but I’ve seen so many others try and fail that it’s a little daunting.