You have NO idea how excited I was to find out that Le Jour du Macaron was finally coming to Toronto this year. Hurrah! After reading posts like these about all the fun my friends were having during New York’s Macaron Days, I couldn’t wait to participate. Better still, it was taking place in my March Break so no concern spending the day pâtisserie-hopping!!
Five years ago, when Michel Firanski introduced French macarons to his lineup of fine patisserie, the owner of La Bamboche located in mid-town Toronto remembers very few knew what they were – often confusing the French macaron with the sweet, coconut based macaroon. Fast forward to today and the organizer of Toronto’s first city-wide Macaron Day will tell you that there was an absolute frenzy taking place among aficionados in anticipation of Macaron Day TO which took place on Tuesday. “Enthusiasts have been contacting me since we announced Macaron Day – some are even taking the day off work or renting cars, in order to visit all 18 locations.” said Firanski last week.
Coinciding with the Jour du Macaron taking place in Paris, NYC and other cities, Macaron Day in Toronto celebrates the delicate macaron confection in support of a local charity. On Tuesday, March 20th, 2012, eighteen participating patisseries across Toronto came together to offer one free macarons to customers who mentioned they were celebrating Macaron Day TO (with quantities limited by location). 25 percent of all additional macarons purchased on this day was donated to the Red Door Family Shelter.
Research for the classes I teach at Le Dolci and a great cause? It took little persuading my macaron class assistant Alicia to be my chauffeur for the day. Have to say withough a car, we would definitely not have hit up as many places (12/18 participating bakeries and 13 in total). And because I am A-type, I made a Google map with all the addresses of participating bakeries and their Twitter handles to share so that people could easily see which bakeries were clustered together for a quick idea of what was do-able for them on the day. It’s been viewed over 350 times so I am taking it that people liked this idea. Me, I’m visual so I like to see it all mapped out like that. Having the Twitter handles of those who had them was useful to tweet my progress throughout the day. It was a little like a sugareup Amazing Race through the city!
I won’t be able to run you through every macaron, since we collected 13 of them for free and purchased a fair few more to taste. So, yeah, in my fridge right now there are a whole lotta macarons. I’ve eaten a few but it will take me a while to get through them all. In general, the macarons we collected were much bigger than I am used to (and certainly much bigger than I make) so they’re not like a “one bite” affair (which then means you can eat more, right?).
So sit back and enjoy the pretty pictures. I know many of you will have seen many of these already on Twitter or Instagram but for those who have not, prepare for a sugar rush! Contact details for each participating bakery are listed at the end of the post. To those bakeries I did not make it to? Next year, I say, next year!!
Seven hours later…… on my front porch….
And finally, the best way to celebrate Le Jour du Macaron every day? Macarons on the lock screen of my new iPad…
Participants in Toronto’s first city-wide Macaron Day TO, 2012, presented by: La Bamboche 4 Manor Road East and 1712 Avenue Road www.labamboche.ca were:
Petite Thuet 1162 Yonge Street and 1 King Street West www.petitethuet.com
Patisserie La Cigogne 1626 Bayview Ave and 1419 Danforth Ave www.patisserielacigogne.com
Butter Avenue 3467 Yonge Street www.butteravenue.com
J’adore Cakes Co. 3308 Danforth Avenue www.jadorecakesco.com
Rahier Patisserie 1586 Bayview Avenue www.rahierpatisserie.com
Patachou 1120 Yonge Street and 835 St. Clair Ave West
Moroco Chocolat 99 Yorkville Avenue www.morocochocolat.com
Bobbette & Belle 1121 Queen Street East www.bobbetteandbelle.com
Ma Maison 4243 Dundas Street West www.ur2busy2cook.com
Ruelo Patisserie 4-6 Erskine Avenue www.ruelo.com
Cake Opera Co. 1136 Eglinton Avenue West www.cakeoperaco.com
Daniel et Daniel 248 Carlton Street www.danieletdaniel.ca
The Sweet Escape 55 Mill St. Building 47, Suite 102 www.thesweetescapedistillery.
Julio Bonilla 623 Mount Pleasant Road www.chefjuliobonilla.com
Frangipane Patisserie 215 Madison Ave www.frangipane.ca
Patisserie 27 401 Jane Street www.patisserie27.com
The Wedding Cake Shop 859 College Street www.theweddingcakeshoppe.com
*** If you didn’t make it out to Macaron Day but would like to help the cause, click here to donate to The Red Door Family Shelter.
ahhh … my first post of the day … yay! Good Work & hi5 Toronto! … [plus the time you have saved everyone – hi5 YOU!!!]
🙂 Next year you need to join in the fun!
I have iCal’d it for next year!
Fabulous!
I don’t think I know anyone as fanatic about macarons as you!! Love it. How do you think those in Toronto far against the originals in France?
Hmmm – that’s a tough question. I might need a refresher in Paris this year 😉
Ahem. I hope some have been saved for Mr. Neil – I have my eye on the Poire William, especially.
A lot of those DO appear overly-large. Seems like some had to American-ize the serving size. Egads.
Will be especially interested in Moroco, which looked great but in the past were most disappointing.
I think the marshmallow macaron from Moroco was my favourite. Of course, I still have not eaten them all yet!
I was following all the madness on Instagram, it was quite a frenzy and you must have had a serious sugar high – even though you said you were going to ration them! I really can’t believe that San Francisco can’t participate – there are plenty of peeps here doing macarons. There were individual places doing things, but nothing coordinated.
I probably only ate 3-4 on the actual day. Three days later I still have not finished them! And yes, SF needs its own Macaron Day.
Mardi – you’ve inspired me with your macaronage. I signed up for a macaron making class today. I have let these scare me for far too long. Sigh.
Okay, we need this fun in the USA. One of my best friends is a portrait artist in Toronto. They are currently at their home in France. I am forwarding this Post. She will love it. Thanks, Mary
Hi Mary………yes…..one does love the big “M” here in Toronto…..and the “M” doesn’t stand for MacDonald’s. I am here in Toronto right now and not in France……….Jean
Hi Mary, well it’s in New York if that helps….
Wow – Loving it, Mardi! Toronto looks like the place to be for macarons just now. What a fabulous looking Macaron Day – great flavours, colours and what a list! Aha – we both love Yuzu. Yuzu’ll be telling me that’s your favourite, too?
Yuzu is definitely lovely! Need to do my own macaron tour with you in July!
What a fun day you had and I love all the photos you took. Most importantly, I love that this event was in aid of a very wonderful cause (and that some businesses raised money for their own special causes)
Are you loving your new iPad?!
Yes, loving the iPad. And yay, Red Door Shelters raised nearly $7000!
And now I get the iPad 2 cast-off, so I’m loving it too. 😉
oh, the photos are beautiful! the colors!!! just the thought of a passionfruit macaron makes me want to drive to toronto right this minute. 🙂
You need to come here next year and join in the fun!
How cool! 🙂