Macarons: Kicking Cupcakes to the Curb

What happens when an Oreo and a cotton candy machine combine their DNA?

Just like lumberjacks are the new vampires, something eventually has to come along to unseat the wondrous cupcake. And as D.C. is approaching total cupcake saturation, macarons are stumbling into our sugar coma-induced tunnel vision. Metrocurean discusses the impending invasion:

At Restaurant Eve, pastry chef Ed Jiloca features them on the mignardise plate in a host of creative flavors including PB&J (a brioche macaron with black currant preserves and peanut butter buttercream), chocolate with foie gras buttercream, s'mores, pecan pie, key lime pie and birthday cake.

You can also score these goodies at Ardour, says Metrocurean, all boxed up and ready to be consumed by your happy family (or all by yourself, hiding in a dark room).

A macaron consists of two thin cookies stuck together with cream -- sort of like a candy-colored Oreo, made from egg whites, almond powder, powdered sugar and normal, non-powdered sugar. And they're not to be confused with macaroons (double O!), which are made with a heck of a lot of coconut.

And, just like any trend that's new yet already on the verge of being overdone, Starbucks will offer these noshes for a scant two weeks, from Dec. 13 to 25. (And if you go to Starbucks on Christmas day, we will cry for you.)

Plenty of other spots are poised to kick cupcakes to the curb, too, courtesy of the macaron. Cacao (7129 Bethesda Lane, Bethesda) serves up about a dozen types of the sweet treat on any given day, including orange, vanilla and pistachio. ACKC Cocoa Bar (1529C 14th St. N.W.) has flavors that include chocolate, coffee and orange, We also suggest Patisserie Poupon (1645 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.) and Locolat (1781 Florida Ave. N.W.).

Oh, was that an obesity epidemic we  were  hearing about? Nah...

Contact Us