A Nice Cuppa

Must Haves ??? Payard Patisserie Macarons

Posted by Peggy Bourjaily
July 26, 2006

Whenever my parents visit me in New York, my mother and I branch off from my father for a day filled with shopping and eating. We rejoin him each evening for dinner where we try in earnest to eat, but aren???t very convincing. Though we???ve never revealed the secret behind our full bellies, I think my father is catching on. You see, my mother and I never miss afternoon tea. New York has loads of hotels and tea salons beckoning to the lowly shopper to sink into a comfy armchair and partake of goodies. Once you???re there, the sandwiches, scones and pastries take over and it isn???t until you???re stuffed that you realize dinner is in two hours.

Payard on the Upper East Side has one of our favorite afternoon teas. When I want to go somewhere beautiful, this is it. Designed in the footsteps of 1920’s Art Deco Paris, the soft brown woods and the round yellow glass fixtures are enchanting. Up front is a beautiful rotunda rimmed in pastry counters and in the middle of it all are tiny cast iron bistro tables where you can leisurely sip a caf?? cr??me and nibble on an ??clair. Or, if you???re like my mother and me, you gobble down everything in sight and go back for more. I???m certain we could win an eating competition if it were Payard treats rather than hot dogs. We???re particularly crazy about the delicate, chewy almond macarons which are as pleasant to look at as they are to eat.

For those of you who don???t live in New York City, Payard???s sublime almond macarons can be delivered to your front door. Perfectly reminiscent of the little cookies you see all over Paris, Payard???s macarons are incredibly light with a slightly crunchy outside and a lovely chewy filling inside. Shaped as tiny little colorful sandwich cookies, they come in an assortment of flavors that change often. Host your own tea party or just hoard them for yourself.