Macaron Marathon: Cakeology

Back in November, there was a weekend where I was pretty under the weather. My Dad brought me two dozen macarons that had been left over from a function he helped with. Ziggy (my chihuahua) and I spent the day nibbling on them one by one and they made me feel so much better. I thought they were excellent and wanted to get more. I asked him him to find out who made them but no one seemed to know so I resolved to go around all of Boston and its surrounding areas to try and track them down. Even if I never found them again, I would still be eating lots of macarons and hopefully finding some fantastic spots along the way. I decided to name this segment Macaron Marathon because if you say it in French, it rhymes. Whenever I go to a new place, I will report back with pictures and my thoughts.

The macaron hunt began at Cakeology, located in Boston's Downtown Crossing at 45 Province Street. It's a vibrant little shoppe with big open windows to view the workspace and the products from the outside.

Their primary specialty is cupcakes and special occasion cakes, but they make two macarons of different flavours that change every day. When I walked in, the pastry chef was in the middle of filling a fresh batch of macarons, something I really appreciated knowing that some places sell frozen ones. The inside of the shoppe is kind of small but open so that you can watch the sugary treats being made behind the counter. Metallic pink paint stains the hardwood floors and the walls are painted a vibrant purple with multi-tiered modell cakes on various shelves. There are three tables, each one with potted grass and (rainbow and chocolate) sprinkle shakers as center pieces. All in all, a very cute spot to enjoy a hot beverage and some sweets tucked away behind the hustle and bustle of downtown.

The two flavours that day were pistachio and hazelnut. I got two of each, priced at $1.75 a pop. The texture of the shells was a bit firmer than I normally expect for a macaron; these were not the type that literally disintegrate after each bite. Do not take this as too much of a negative, their being thicker made for less mess and longer enjoyment. They were both visibly grainy, a result from not grinding the almonds finely enough - a problem of aesthetics, not taste. A macaron snob would write these ones off completely because of these slip-ups but my heart is big enough that I still have room for leniency. My only issue was the filling in both of them. It was a very sugary cream, so sweet that it sadly took away from the both the pistachio and hazelnut flavours of the shells. Regardless, I did enjoy these macarons and I would recommend Cakeology if you're looking for a spot in downtown Boston.

Also in the Boston area? Let me know if there's any place you know of that I should check out by leaving a comment or tweeting me. Thanks so much for reading and stay tuned for more dainty delights!