Macaroons and Me

For someone who repeated said 'don't like macaroons,' I've tasted my fair share of macaroons. I've never even heard of macaroons before I came to Koala Land and until now I don't know why such a small thing can fetch such a high price. The cheapest that I've even eaten was A$1.50 each. That money alone can buy 1 packet of nasi lemak bungkus near my work place.

I suspect the fame of macaroons might be single-handedly raised by Zumbo who appeared in Masterchef dunno what season. One of the highlights of my Sydney Trip last year was to taste his famed macaroons. We  - me, Aunt and Cousin Sis (the men wisely slept in) woke up to catch a bus to where his macaroons are, just outside Sydney city center at the ungodly hour of 7.00am. Apparently there will be a long queue later.

On the way back we stopped at Westfield which is just opposite QVB where we took our bus to buy another famous Macaroon franchise La-Duree (say la doo-ray) of France. I gotta said it was a bit disappointing compared to Zumbo's macaroons. It gave me the impression of a pretty face without much substance. Indeed the shop look like an upscale macaroon boutique compared to Zumbo's around the corner cafe shop.

Nite also introduced me the very famous La Belle Miette Macaroons in the City, Hardware Lane. You might be surprise to find Hardware Lane is actually a food street and not a hardware shop street. It should be more appropriately named Petaling Street given the aggressiveness of the waitresses - they remind me of Petaling Street hawker center where people just keep asking you to eat at their place if you so much as pause in front of their shop a second. Anyway I digress. La Belle's macaroons by far the best macaroons I've eaten in Melbourne and rivals Zumbo in my humble opinion. Bonus is the place is quite near my office.

There was also this time I was possessed by the evil Macaroon Spirit and decided to buy Zumbo's ready mix Macaroon kit which proclaims that you can make Zumbo's macaroon like ... well Zumbo. Bullshit.

Despite my best effort, it looks like Julie biscuit with cream cross over with Bidor Chicken Biscuit. Though the taste is still ok largely due to the pre-mix meringue, it's not something I will do again in near future.

Better to just go La Belle and get a couple. If you are still wondering, nope I don't like macaroons.