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‘Lette Them Eat Macarons!

Just in time to celebrate Bastille Day, a French Macaron Revolution is poised to sweep Pasadena

Published on Friday, June 17, 2011 | 5:58 am
 
Samantha Kan, the new Pasadena store's manager, with 'Lette Macaron founder Paulette Koumetz together in the Beverly Hills boutique.

Samantha Kan, the new Pasadena store’s manager, with ‘Lette Macaron founder Paulette Koumetz together in the Beverly Hills boutique.

‘Lette Macarons, a Beverly Hills-headquartered boutique food shop devoted entirely to delicious French macaron-making, will open soon in old Pasadena (possibly July 1, definitely before Bastille Day).

One bite of their very popular two-inch almond confection –  all at once crunchy yet smooth, crisp yet vulnerable, colorfully flippant yet unmistakably deliberate – will tell you there is history behind its character (befitting royalty yet suspiciously everyman).

The things taste positively unusual and absolutely delicious.

International indeed. There are 13 choices of ‘Lette Macarons, ranging from simple caramel to not-so-vanilla Madagascar vanilla, from Sicilian Pistachio to Earl Grey Tea. Then there’s Colombian Coffee and my personal favorite, Caribbean Chocolate.

Though children get their kicks from the dayglow shades of the various flavors, adults by far are the most appreciative consumers; they act as if they’re sitting up in bed and reaching dreamily for a cigarette after snacking on the macarons.

Created by a transplanted French couple, Paulette (hence the original name — a trademark lawsuit led to removal of ‘Pau’) Koumetz and her husband Gérard  in collaboration with award-winning French pastry chef Christophe Michalak, the product and the brand were born in California, in posh Beverly Hills.

The enabler for this fresh idea was Chef Christophe, the 2005 Winner of the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, the World Pastry Cup.

“I tried to find the best pastry chef in Paris and I knew it was him. I heard about him, and I called him, simply, and I said ‘Listen, I’m in California and I want to make a concept store all around the macaron, and I need your help. I need to meet you,’ and he said ‘Yes, why not?’”  Paulette says today they are the best of friends.

As it turns out, they are also the best of collaborators.  Even husband Gérard has learned a thing or two about making the delightful little pastry and does some of the baking himself, and as the public clamor has been consistent, there is reason to believe Chef Christophe has been a very good teacher to very good students.

Pasadenans will be treated to the chance to grade these pastry masters in just a few weeks when a “Lette Macaron” store is opened in Old Pasadena at 14 South Fair Oaks Avenue just below Colorado Boulevard, where Mrs. Beasley’s cookies was once.

“Pasadena is very international and the macarons will be most appreciatively enjoyed by everyone visiting this charming community” says Samantha Kan, the new store’s manager.

International indeed. There are 13 choices of ‘Lette Macarons, ranging from simple caramel to not-so-vanilla Madagascar vanilla, from Sicilian Pistachio to Earl Grey Tea. Then there’s Colombian Coffee and my personal favorite, Caribbean Chocolate.

These cookies have fans and followers crossing all genders, of all shapes and sizes, and across generations of unashamedly loyal repeat, repeat, repeat customers.

“This temple of sweet delights is opening right beneath my real estate office … and I have to go right past it to get my morning coffee.  Life is just too hard,” crabs a tongue-in-cheek West-Side ‘Lette Macaron groupie.

Asked how most customers first come to try her product, Paulette says “They heard about this cookie, they heard about how it is here. I have been [written about on] a lot of blogs and people are talking about us. They are very amazing – when they like it, they say it! People are very open minded and when something is good or new, they want to try.”

“You can find French macarons in lots of places in Paris – not every place because it is a difficult cookie to bake. There is a lot of steps [thirty six – Editor] and it’s not easy to find a good macaron,” Paulette points out.

There are very few macarons in the world that have earned the right to be called not just good but exemplary. If the superlative comments and reviews about Paulette’s are any indication, who knows? ‘Lette Macarons might one day soon be finding their way back to Paris, like delicious little coals to Newcastle.

‘Lette Macaron, 14 South Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena. Opening late June or early July, 2011. See www.lettemacarons.com/

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