If forced to select one food that personifies Paris, for me it would have to be the pastel bubble of deliciousness known as a macaroon.
So when Macaroon Boutique opened this April, it easily became Charleston’s most authentic taste of the City of Light.
You can’t help but be happy inside the petite shop run by Fabienne B. Rizzo and her husband, Fabrice, a Paris native whose resume includes study at Relais Desserts International and stints as executive pastry chef at New York City’s Tabla and Les Halles.
Alongside croissants, pain au chocolat, Pithiviers, chocolate fleur de sel cookies, and baguettes, the glass cases boast lovely macaroons. They’re everything the treats should be, with a crunchy exterior yielding to a smooth-as-butter interior and a creamy, flavorful filling.
“Making macaroons is not hard,” Fabrice says humbly. He’s wrong. I’ve made them, and I’ve made them with one of Paris’ most decorated chefs. Yet his are the best I’ve ever had. “The key to perfect pastry is to do it all by hand and use only the best ingredients,” Fabrice says. He does just that every morning with the help of Kristy, a Trident Tech graduate who pipes out the tricky meringue batter like a pro. When you’re craving a taste of Parisian perfection, make Macaroon your destination tout de suite.
—Holly Herrick
45 John St., (843) 577-5441, www.macaroonboutique.com
