Looking for something a little more idiosyncratic to give your significant other this Valentine’s. Arguably the best macarons on the planet, Pierre Herm\u00e9’s meringue-based confectionery made with egg whites and sugar are delicate delights almost too pretty to eat.<\/p>\n
Pierre Herm\u00e9 is a French pastry chef famed for his ingenious and often intriguingly inventive macarons. Following in the family footsteps of four generations of baking and pastry making before him, Herm\u00e9 began his career at the age of 14 as a chef’s apprentice. With \u201cpleasure as his only guide\u201d he eschews convention and in some ways works more like a parfumeur than a p\u00e2tissier-confectioneur.<\/em><\/p>\n For those unfamiliar with his dainty and delicious creations, consider his Jardin Pamplemousse<\/em>: a glorious morsel combining grapefruit, clove, nutmeg and candied grapefruit together to form an especially flavoursome macaron. Or how about the Jardin Merveilleux \u2013 a mix of mandarin, olive oil and cucumber water? Or maybe the Jardin dans les Nuage<\/em> \u2013 a blend of chocolate and smoked salt? These are but a few of the fancifully flavoured macarons from this master of the macaron.<\/p>\n As if offering such fine treats to the world wasn’t enough, the chef also makes a beauteous bonbon and a galet that’s as refined as it is moreish. His p\u00e2te \u00e0 tartiner infiniment pralin\u00e9 noisette<\/em> (a hazelnut pralin\u00e9 spread with bits of caramelized hazelnut) could bring a tear to a grown gourmand’s eye .. and leave good ole Nutella feeling dejected for being so bland.<\/p>\n Luckily for the sophisticated sweet tooth in London, there are two venues offering the opportunity to purchase Pierre Herm\u00e9’s macarons. There’s his own boutique in ultra upscale Belgravia as well as a concession on the ground floor of the world famous department store, Selfridges. His few other boutiques are dotted here and there in Japan, the Emirates and, of course, throughout France.<\/p>\n Pierre Herm\u00e9 \u201cParis\u201d Boutique is located at 13 Lowndes Street, SW1X 9EX. The nearest London Underground stations are Knightsbridge and Hyde Park Corner.<\/p>\n Selfridges is located at 400 Oxford Street, W1A 1AB. The Pierre Herm\u00e9 concession can be found on the ground floor. The nearest London Underground station is Bond Street.<\/p>\n