Parisian Macaroons {Tour of Pike Place Market Part 1}

We'll be posting our little tour of Pike Place in a series because each place deserves their very own spot.

Let's start with carbs ooh la la.

There is a bakery in Pike Place that is probably the closest I will ever get to heavenly France until hubby decides to take me there. I'm just say'n. Hint. Hint.

Thankfully, for now, I can have my own France close by. Just walking by I can taste each pastry before it even enters my mouth. You are surrounded by goodness. Warmth. Bread. Sophistication. French.

Say it again.

FRENCH.

LA PANIER is truly wonderful.

(location on website)

Their bread is gorgeous and of course, tastes amazing. And don't even get me started on their amandine croissant. A lot of people just sit down and hang out. The line is usually long because of intense market traffic, but goes relatively fast regardless. We're more the hit and run type of family and it is very easy to still savor that pastry while walking around.

These Petit Macarons are a very recent fave. They come in chocolate, pistachio, lemon, orange-ganache, raspberry, coffee and vanilla. When you bite down the first thing you encounter is the consistency; a crunchy meringue with a sudden creamy softness. Then the flavor hits. I am a fan of the lemon and pistachio. They are light and airy. A real treat at $1.50 each, which I feel is a "splurging-steal" considering how fun they are to take wrapped up in a cute box and for your picnic at Kerry Park.

If you don't have access to France OR La Panier in the Seattle Area, here is a Recipe from good 'ol Martha to hopefully give you some of that same satisfaction... and make you all trendy-sophisticated for that baby shower you are throwing and want to show off at.