The Surprisingly Italian History of the French Macaron

Macarons may be one of France’s most recognizable culinary exports, but their history is much messier than the pastel boxes suggest.

In this episode, Caroline and Emily dig into the Italian origins of the macaron and the role Catherine de’ Medici supposedly played in bringing almond cookies to the French court. They explore the roughly 40 regional versions still found around France, including macarons that look nothing like the famous Parisian sandwich cookie.

Then it’s on to Paris and Ladurée, where the macaron evolved into the polished luxury pastry tourists recognize today. Caroline breaks down exactly why macarons are so technically difficult to make, from meringue and macaronage to achieving the elusive “foot.”

Finally, they taste their way through macarons from Pierre Hermé, Lautrec, and Picard. The biggest shock isn’t a rare flavor or an expensive Parisian creation: it’s just how good the frozen supermarket macarons are.

Key Takeaways

• Macarons are generally traced back to Italian almond cookies, with Catherine de’ Medici associated with bringing them to France.
• France has around 40 regional variants, many of which are rustic, undyed and completely unlike the Parisian sandwich macaron.
• Ladurée helped create and popularize the modern Parisian form, rather than inventing the macaron itself.
• Macarons use relatively simple ingredients but require considerable technical precision to make well.
• Macarons actually benefit from aging, as moisture moves from the filling into the shell and creates the desired texture.
• In the tasting, Picard’s frozen macarons perform surprisingly well against much more expensive pâtisserie versions.