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My first encounter with these was at a local dessert shop back home in Columbus, Ohio, called Pistachia Vera (formerly ''Pistachio''). The batter is left to air-dry for a day before baking to create a thin crunchy exterior followed by a moist bread/cake-like interior. Sandwiched between two pieces is a creamed filling. Priced at 1 USD for the size of a medallion, it's definitely an indulgence; but once you've tried one, you can't help falling in love with the mixture of texture and flavour.
Recently, I encountered them at two other shops. One was French Tart in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the macaroons were shipped daily from France. Slightly smaller and more expensive, I wanted to know why someone would go to such an extent. The second was Laduree, a famous French patisserie with a branch in London, UK, next to Harrods; this store was well-reputed for their macaroons, and at 1.20 GBP each, it was not cheap. Amazingly, neither tasted as good as the one from ''Pistachia Vera''! The one in Pittsburgh was no where as flavourful while the one in London did not have the unique texture (dare I say, bordering over-moist).
Who would have thought: a local store could produce something that surpasses internationally-reputed standards!
