SpiceLines

At Pierre Herme, an assortment of exotically flavored macarons: among them,
olive oil and vanilla, green tea and chestnut, and hazelnut and white truffle.

It’s a bright cool spring afternoon. In St. Germain des Pres le tout Paris is out for a stroll and, oops--there’s a longish line snaking out of Pierre Herme’s glossy boutique on Rue Bonaparte. But isn’t there always? Black clad sylphs, many of them Japanese, are whiling away the minutes until they can slip through the narrow door, chatting on ceil phones. I’m obsessing over the elegant sweets displayed like jewels in a pair of boxy Mondrian-esque windows.

Inside: Single origin chocolate bars to the right, and to the left, fruit-topped patisserie, twinkling against the gleaming chocolat noir walls. But, like almost everyone else in line, I’m here for Herme’s “fetish” macarons, which are arranged in colorful rows at the far end of the counter. Hmmm…what to choose? Azur, filled with tart citrus-infused dark chocolate? Pink Rose, a double shot of damask rose flavor? Or Mosaic, pale green pistacho filling sandwiched between copper-hued biscuits?

The line shifts restlessly behind me. ‘Un assortment?” asks the helpful sales girl. She’s clearly used to dithering Americans. “Douze, s‘il vous plait,” I say. Wielding a pair of tongs, she quickly plucks 10 delectable flavors, doubling up on Rose and Mutini, a nouvelle creation I know Serendipity will love.

Eating an Herme macaron is not unlike falling into a deep, luxuriously soft feather bed. When you bite into it, the shell dissolves like a cloud, melting instantly into the voluptuous filling—which might be an unctuous crème or luscious chocolate ganache, often exotically flavored. Less than two inches in diameter, each can be devoured in a few fleeting bites.

Here’s what’s in my box—and a few smudged tasting notes.

Azur: Chocolate biscuit, yuzu-scented dark chocolate crème. Bittersweet chocolate lightened with citrus. Sweet and tart, rich, balanced.

Mosaic: Vanilla biscuit with irridescent coppery finish, bright green pistachio crème. Cinnamon-dusted. Very appealing, despite its extraterrestrial appearance.

Caramel a la fleur de sel: Golden biscuit, buttery caramel, just a whisper of sea salt. Deeply seductive.

Mogador: Passion fruit-infused milk chocolate ganache. Luscious. A tropical paradise by way of Gauguin. Why did I not buy more?

Marron et The Vert Matcha: Chestnut-flavored biscuit, green tea-infused crème and marron glace. Subtle autumn flavors. Sweet, a little grassy.

Rose: Rose biscuit, rose crème. Voluptuous scent of antique damask rose. Like eating an intensely perfumed flower. I adore this one.

Chocolat: Chocolate biscuit with bittersweet chocolate ganache. Classic, sumptuous.

Truffe Blanche & Noisette: Italian hazelnut biscuit, white truffle cream. Earthy, nutty flavors. Terrific pairing.

Huile d’Olive & Vanille: Slightly acidic extra virgin olive oil preamble, with a sweet vanilla crème second act. Experimental. Odd.

Mutini: Biscuit with tiny shreds of rich coconut, milk chocolate ganache, again with coconut. Heavenly, but only till mid-March.

Pierre Herme, 72 rue Bonaparte, Paris 75006. Telephone: 01 43 54 47 77. For more locations and information, see www.pierreherme.com. I loved reading Mari Coyne’s “Consuming Pierre Herme” at www.globalchefs.com.