Celebrating The 2011 Bastille Day On 60th Street

Bastille Day was celebrated by New Yorkers earlier this afternoon by way of the annual three-block street fair on 60th Street from 12-5 P.M. Bastille Day on 60th Street has been the largest public celebration of the historic friendship between France and the United States commemorating France’s own Independence Day on July 14, 1789. The celebration featured tasting delicious treats, concerts, French-themed market stalls, raffle, face painting, games and crafts for kids, and other attractions provided by artists and artisans from various regions of France.

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.