NATIONAL MACARON DAY
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NATIONAL MACARON DAY
Get ready for some serious elegance, because March 20 is National Macaron Day! This is more than a cookie--macarons are a tiny and colorful art form that is considered the fashion dessert of the world.
#NationalMacaronDay
The macaron is not the same as a macaroon. We'll point out the obvious first--a macaron has one "o" and the macaroon has two "o's". A macaron is a meringue-based sandwich cookie originating in France. Its made with almond flour, egg whites, and sugar. The most identifiable feature of a macaron is the signature "foot" found at the bottom of the cookie. In comparison, a macaroon is a dense, chewy coconut mound.
How do you identify a macaron vs. a macaroon? A macaron is a colorful little cookie burger! A Macaroon looks like a toasted snowball.
Image generated by Gemini / Google AI
Image generated by Gemini / Google AI
Macaron History
Many believe the Macaron originated in Arab countries, where almonds where considered a staple. Through trade, the cookie traveled to Italy (specifically Sicily and Venice). Italians referred to this tasty cookie as the "maccherone", which meant fine paste.
In 1533, macarons were introduced to the French court when Catherine de' Medici of Italy married King Henry II of France. Instead of bringing jewelry on her voyage to France, it is said she brought her Italian pastry chefs. Even though the delight was just a single cookie, it quickly became a hit with French aristocracy.
The macaron we know and love today wasn't born until the late 19th century when Pierre Desfontaines, (2nd cousin of the founder of the famous Ladurée pastry shop in Paris) had an idea to take two macaron shells and join them together with a creamy ganache filling. The rest is history!
5 WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL MACARON DAY
Whether you're a fan of the classic raspberry or you're feeling adventurous with a rose-water ganache, treat yourself to a little piece of cookie luxury! Here are a few more ideas to help you celebrate today's food holiday:
Find a bakery in your area and buy a box of 6. Different colors reflect different ganache flavors, so pick one of each!
Take a class or find an online tutorial that teaches you how to make the macarons.
Try some unusual flavors you normally wouldn't try with a regular cookie. Lavender, Earl Grey, or even Pistachio all sound yummy!
Send a box of macarons to a friend. Attach a note inside reminding them to celebrate National Macaron Day!
Share your macaron photos on social media using the hashtag #NationalMacaronDay.
CREATOR OF NATIONAL MACARON DAY
The creator (or founder) of National Macaron Day is pastry chef Pierre Hermé. He created the day as part of a charity drive to raise money for various charities researching rare diseases. Participating bakeries gave away a free macaron to any customer who made a donation. Pierre piked the March 20 date as a time debut new Spring flavors of his macarons. The day was officially launched in 2005.