Macaron Day NYC 2011

Window display at Macaron Cafe at 59th Street

FC Chocolate Bar at The Plaza

Happy customers enjoying free macarons from Macaron Cafe at 59th Street

Today is not only the first day of spring, but also the second annual Macaron Day NYC. Participating bake shops in Manhattan provide free macarons to customers coinciding annually with the Jour du Macaron in Paris. This tradition was started last year by François Payard, chef and owner of François Chocolate Bar and François Payard Bakery in New York who organized the first annual Macaron Day in NYC to basically introduce the French macarons to New Yorkers. Being promoted as the "new cupcake," the macaron is a delicate round pastry with a crisp and crunchy outside and soft and moist  inside, made with ground almonds, sugar and egg whites. Found in a wide variety of springy colors and different flavors, the crunchy outside is sandwiched together with a soft creamy interior. They are flourless and gluten-free. Part of today's macaron sales will be donated to City Harvest, New York's food rescue organization dedicated to feeding the city's hungry men, women and children.
Video from the Macaron Day website.