Never tiring of Dominique Ansel's creations, it was now my turn to try his newest confection called the Waffogato. Hearing about this delicacy from my daily intake of DA news through my various foodie social outlets, I found out that the Waffogato is essentially another ingenious hybrid food.
Paying a visit to DA right before my Portland trip, I was hopeful but skeptical I'd score one of these babies. My doubt was sadly validated, as I soon discovered that that Waffogato went as fast as that morning's Cronut. I kept the hope alive and went back a few weeks later with my co-workers only to find the Waffogato in stock - yay! I ordered one right away and watched them assemble it with admiration.
Waffogato - What is an actual Waffogato, you may be wondering? Just like some of DA's other hybrid foods, it also consists of a bevy of different ingredients that you wouldn't normally think to put together, but that work really well. Melding together ice cream, tapioca balls and bits of Belgian waffle, the Waffogato brings together something nostalgic and luxurious at the same time.
Served chilled, it's something you must eat pretty quickly, as the ice cream melts fast, especially since it's soaked in a sweet maple espresso liquid. I let it melt a little, walking back to work, but I loved the effect, as the liquid took on a milkshake-like consistency. The tapioca balls were distinctive and added surprising texture to each vanilla-ey bite. As much as I couldn't get enough, I impatiently await his next creation.
Service and Cost:
Getting to the bakery after lunch, we were confronted by a long line and waited for about 15 minutes to be helped. And while the line went slowly, the end result was so delicious that as usual, it was totally worth it.
At $7 a pop, each Waffogato doesn't come cheap, but just like Dominique's other delicacies, you're paying for the magic. And as usual, it totally delivers.
3 Mmmms
Dominique Ansel Bakery - 189 Spring Street, New York NY 10012
212.219.2773
E/C Train to Spring Street
dominiqueansel.com
As you know, I’m always intrigued by the latest local foodie craze, the cronut being one prime example. But aside from this dessert sensation, there are other such creative eats that are keeping me up at night such as a macaron ice cream sandwich, I’m about to share with you.
I found out about the Macaron ice cream sandwich last week through my daily Scoutmob newsletter and it tickled my sweet tooth craving. For those of you who know me, can vouch for my insatiable sweet tooth in general and for my strong penchant for French macarons. Last winter, I even ventured out on an NYC macaron crawl to taste the best this city has to offer.
The idea behind the innovative macaron ice cream sandwich comes from the folks at Francois Payard Bakery, one of the first stops in fact, in my aforementioned macaron crawl adventure. Situated in the West Village, I scoped it out last week with my co-worker, Sarah.
About Francois Payard:
Known for exquisite French bread and pastries, Francois Payard is a trusty baked good staple, located on Houston Street, just East of 6th Avenue. The bakery itself is quite large and inviting, and serves as a comfortable meeting place for a small or large group of friends, or for an impromptu meeting with a co-worker, as in my case.
There’s a large colorful display up front of all the pastries, their macaron selection being front and center. I was happy to see that the macaron ice cream sandwiches advertised on the premises, assuring us we were in the right place, and giving us hope that they were still available.
Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich – A few varieties made up the macaron ice cream sandwich offering including strawberry cheesecake, coconut mango, chocolate on chocolate with cocoa nibs, and their most popular flavor, the pistachio raspberry. I was debating between that and the coconut mango, but when I asked for a staff recommendation, they pointed me to the former right away, so I went for it.
The sandwiches came wrapped in clear cellophane, adorned with a pretty sticker that displayed its unique flavor. I loved that they were super cold; helping to break the heat we were feeling from walking outside.
Once we unwrapped our treats and took a bite, I was in heaven. Loving the subtle pistachio flavor of the meringue cookie, and the way it hugged the raspberry vanilla ice cream, this was truly a different kind of ice cream sandwich. The ice cream itself was made of really good quality ingredients, which didn’t give me a tummy ache, as some rich desserts do, and once the meringue cooled down a bit, it was pleasantly chewy and even more delicious.
Service and Cost:
The staff at Francois Payard took care of us, but nothing was so out of the ordinary stellar that I feel inclined to highlight. I’d say that it’s your standard order-at-the-counter experience – however without all the crazy lines that can be found at some other neighboring bakeries that shall not be named :)
We paid $5 for each ice cream sandwich, which I think offers decent value, considering its generous size. If you’re looking for just a little sweet bite to tide you over, I’d even recommend splitting one with a friend.
3 Mmmms
Francois Payard Bakery – 116 West Houston Street, New York, NY 10012
212.995.0888
1 Train to Houston Street
www.payard.com
One of the other countries I covered on my recent European business trip is France, having the amazing opportunity to visit Paris. As it was my first time there, I was literally salivating at all the specialties I would try, especially desserts.
Deciding to take a traditional French foods tour of the Latin Quarter, it was one of the best things I did (but more on that later). Here I want to highlight a most lovely dessert I had on the last day of my trip – the almighty and these days, very trendy macaron.
For those of you not overly familiar with these treats, however I think most of you may have had one or several before, they’re little, delicate meringue cookies stuffed with different flavored fillings. What makes them so beautiful is their color, giving hints to the flavors inside.
While you’ll find macarons in most sweet shops around Paris, I was immediately drawn to the selection at Maison Georges Larnicol, which looked elegant and sophisticated. I could tell this would be no ordinary cookie.
Atmosphere:
Fortuitously stumbling upon this boutique bakery just by chance, it’s located right off the Latin Quarter near the busy Odeon metro stop. What drew me in immediately was their chic display of macarons, simply but beautifully placed into long tubular boxes, showcasing a rainbow of vibrant colors.
Once inside, I noticed the macaron display didn’t stop there, as the center of the store was graced with a huge macaron bar, with a head macaronist (if you will), helping you with your unique needs and packaging them individually for each person. What attention to detail!
I approached the display cautiously, surveying the goods ever so carefully. I knew I just wanted one precious bite, so I had to be strategic. But it was a hard task, with over 20 different flavors confronting you head-on.
Macaron – Given the 20+ different flavors of macarons including lemon, pistachio, raspberry, rose, dark chocolate, praline, coffee, salted caramel and more, I finally narrowed it down to one single one, the praline. I had some doubts about my choice, but those were all gone once I bit into this baby. Flaky, airy and wonderful as far as the cookie was concerned, it hugged the dense, richness of the praline filling like a glove. The filling was the best part, as it was creamy, slightly chilled and not overly sweet. It was the perfect way to finish off an already rich gastronomic journey.
Service and Cost:
As I mentioned, the service is uniquely individual, showcasing the high quality of this place. After you get your macarons, your macaronist places your individual baggie at the main counter for which there was a line. It was expedited quickly and in an organized fashion, giving you the perception that this is a tightly run ship.
Each macaron is 85 cents, which is about $1.10. Expensive on first glance, but given the high quality and superior taste, worth every last bite.
If you'd like to get a better idea of the other amazing goodies at this place, including their intricate chocolate sculptures, take a look at this video from Espadrilles & Champagne.
3 Mmmms
Maison Georges Larnicol - 132 Boulevard St. Germain 75006 Paris
+33 (0)1 43 26 39 38
Metro: Odeon
www.chocolaterielarnicol.fr
