Before I begin, let's be clear that I'm talking about macarons. They're those adorable - often colourful - treats seen in the photo above, not to be mistaken with the coconutty nasty "treat" known as the macaroon. Cause who the hell would write about macaroons?
Anyhow...
The last time I was in Toronto, I couldn't help but notice an abundance of macaron shops. That's right - lots and lots of shops that sell nothing but macarons. Pure magic. Up until that point, I was never a macaron fanatic by any means, but then again, I clearly had never had a good macaron. And there it was - in Toronto - that my love for (good) macarons was born.
Obviously I came home with a big box of them (and a much lighter wallet) but the sheer flavour pleasure they brought was well worth it.
Since then, I've been passively trying every macaron I come across in Montreal. If I walk by a dessert counter with one in there - I'll take it. That bakery in Old Montreal that sells macarons? Oh, I'll have one. But you know what Montreal? You really SUCK at making macarons. Some seem to think that a Marshmallow Fluff center is an acceptable filling, some of them crumble the second you lay a finger on them, and others are the size of my palm. What the hell is wrong with you?!
Another aspect where many macaron-makers in Montreal fall short: getting the flavour right. When a macaron's flavour reads mocha, it should taste like mocha. If it reads blueberry, it should taste like blueberry. I've noticed many places are guilty of having all their macarons taste exactly the same despite their rainbow variety, which is such a let down. Sure, they look pretty and colourful, but they they all taste identical.
At this point, I had to start assessing: what makes a good macaron and where the F can I find this little inch of perfection?
Macarons are essentially sweet mini-sandwiches: the "bread slices" are 2 light meringue cookies, and the filling is a light and savoury jam, ganache or cream. The cookies should be a perfect balance of flaky and crunchy exteriour and a creamier center. The filling should be a thin but quality layer in that it's got a lot of flavour and is truthful to the flavour displayed.
I wanted to surprise my momma for Mother's Day with macarons (and truthfully, I'd been craving them for the longest time.) So I started searching online for where Montrealers get their macarons. Tried it. Tried it. Tried it. Ah - here's one I did not. And it's not too far!
I hopped in my car and made my way to La Boutique Point G (aka my own personal macaron heaven.) This place is beautiful - you have to get your butt there and experience it for yourself! It's super colourful and smells sweet (literally.) There's a giant macaron pyramid when you walk in (I wish I had one in my kitchen...) and their food counter is fulled stocked with fresh and vibrant macarons. You can buy several sized boxes: I opted for a box of 20 for my momma and 10 for myself (I regretted it - I should have gone for a 20 myself) and just chose anything that sounded interesting.
Got home, unboxed these badboys and dug in. One thing's certain: they have the texture down to a science. The "shell" is a perfect blend of flaky and crunchy outside with a moist and savoury center, while the filling's flavour is on point and totally loyal to the macaron's labelled flavour.
My favourite of the bunch is hands down the Caramel Fleur de Sel flavour: I'm fairly certain it's impossible for anyone to dislike this sucker. It's that good. I also really liked the Lime-Basil and Raspberry-Rosemary flavours.
Looking for your weekend treat? This is the one. Get your butt there now and spoil yourself. I can in full confidence say it's the best macaron in Montreal.
Boutique Point G
1266 rue Mont-Royal est
Montreal, QC.
H2J 1Y3
Or...
Check them out on the web - they deliver!