So you know how I said I was looking for less expensive macarons? Well after a lovely afternoon tea, we went on a mission to buy some macarons as a “later in the afternoon” snack.
Soirette is a sweet bake shop and tea boutique, owned and operated by Pastry Chef Shobna located in Vancouver’s beautiful Coal Harbor. Soirette is known for not just their macarons, they also have a decent selection of artisan tea. (Cassis Noir is a personal favorite).
Like many others who have joined the macaron crazed bandwagon, I’ve experimented with a few different bakeries and shoppes to determine the exact kind of macaron I fancy. From Thomas Haas, Theirry, Bel Cafe, Urban Tea Merchant to random bakeries in Spain, I have pinpointed the exact characteristics of a macaron I enjoy. Now, this is all personal preference, everyone has different opinions and mine is in now way the be all-end all. To me, it has to have all of the following:
- Crunchy exterior, when you bite into it, it isn’t just mush, there needs to be a distinct shell
- Chewy Interior, without a gap between the shell and the cookie interior.
- Raised “feet” – the rim of the macaron rises up and not out. Smooth exterior (some places score their macs, and I don’t really go for that as it depreciates the technique into making beautiful smooth tops)
- Distinct flavor – A lot of macarons look colorful and visually appealing but if they don’t taste like what they are supposed to represent, then all those colors are a wasted effort. As well, the flavor of the ground almond is complimented, not overwhelmed by the other flavors.
Surprisingly, I found a pretty decent macaron sitting in a cafe in Spain. But it wasn’t at a specialized bakery; rather, it was at a McCafe! I had gone in to use the free wifi and bought one macaron, and was surprised at how it fit most of my criteria.
Above – Lavender, Matcha, Malibu, Passion Fruit, Lemon, Raspberry, Caramel Fleur de Sel, Chocolate Chocolat, Maple, Rose, Pink Peppercorn and Strawberry ($2 each or $22 for a dozen)
So after trying Soirette’s macarons, I have found that they are my favorite thus far. Though the flavors are slightly more muted than I would have preferred, their texture and crispy exterior makes them close to perfect.
Mar 20 is Macaron Day, so visit your favorite, participating bakeries who will be donating proceeds from the sale of macarons to very worthy causes. For more, info click here or here!
Soirette Macaron & Tea - 1433 West Pender Street
