Carol Gillott’s Paris Macaron Map Fetes the Jour du Macaron

I know why top pastry chef, Pierre Hermé created Jour du Macaron back in 2005 on the 20th of the month of March. We’re having non-stop drizzle and grey, gloomy skies. It’s called ‘les giboulées de mars’ (rain/hail storms of March). Pierre Hermé must have decided we all need a lift to our spirits. Now celebrating its 11th year, the international macaron day celebrates the arrival of spring in the best possible way: pâtissiers hand out macarons in exchange for a charity donation. 1 don (donation) = 1 macaron. Have you tasted Pierre Hermé’s beautiful Montebello? Pistachio and raspberry jam. Just the sound of it makes me feel better. And the colors are celestial, no? Thanks to Relais Dessert world-wide pastry chefs you too can participate in Jour du Macaron in multiple locations all over the world… unless you live in Antarctica! Paris is macaron Mecca. You’ll find names and addresses of all the participating chefs this year on their website. You can go to as many patisseries as you like. No one is counting! This year’s Jour du Macaron has been extended to include the Saturday, March 19th, so if you hit Galeries Lafayette, there are 5 possible macarons waiting for you. (Among the fabulous eateries found inside the famous department store, there are three Pierre Hermé boutiques, one Jean-Paul Hévin store, and a Dalloyau in Galeries Maison.) Last year Relais Desserts raised 50,000€ for charity Vaincre la Mucoviscidose (a French cystic fibrosis association). You’ll want to start preparing immediately. Study over the flavors. Be prepared. Here’s a sneak peek at this years Jour du Macaron brochure hot off the presses from Hermé. About moi…ahem. As an ex-New York artist living in Paris just a bit over three years, I started drawing monthly Paris street maps to get me out of the studio. For the month of March, the challenge of painting Jour du Macaron beckoned. This past week there has been heavy research outside the studio. What flavor haven’t I tested? I am totally prepared for the 19th and 20th!