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From The Desk Of Nathan Larson And Nina Persson: Macarons

acamplogo100d“We’re going to party like it’s 1699,” sings Nina Persson on Colonia, the second album the Cardigans frontwoman has released under the A Camp name with husband Nathan Larson (Shudder To Think) and Niclas Frisk. As the lyric and album title imply, the ornate Colonia is loosely based on the theme of love in the time of colonialism and is inspired by cabaret and musicals from the ’40s. Larson and Persson—king and queen of Colonia—are guest editing magnetmagazine.com all this week. Read our Q&A with them.

macarons380Nathan And Nina: No, not “macaroons,” the mushy egg-white-and-coconut deals we grew up with—macarons, probably the finest pastry-type treat ever devised by the mind of man, woman or god. They’re like little genius dessert burgers, and they come in a rainbow of colors and flavors. Kind of like two small pastry buns sandwiching a sublime sort of cream. They’re maybe three bites max, one if you just go for it, but they are meant to be savored. Ladurée in Paris is probably the one true home of the macaron. It’s wild; on a Saturday, you have a line of crotchety old Parisian ladies out the door, waiting to get in so they have something proper to serve their guests on Sunday (because it being Paris, everything is closed on Sunday, except, of course, the Burger Kings and the Starbucks). Once inside the shop, dead-serious, white-gloved attendants assemble your requested selection. This joint (there’s actually now five of them across the city) is only in Paris, and on A Camp’s recent tour, stopping here was a massive highlight. We were in town for three days, and we went three times, purchasing a total of 58 macarons (not counting the ones we ate on the spot). In between a TV taping and a radio show, with very little time to spare, we veered off halfway across town to get our paws one some. Crazy? No, because they taste so fucking good! And they’re fun to share! Sad? Yeah, because to call this stop one of the highlights of our six-week tour is kinda sad. But only in retrospect, because while you’re eating those little dudes, you are paralyzed with pleasure. Oh, how far we have strayed from the punk rock we once knew. Ah, well. A Camp won’t lie to you; we dig the finer things. Check it, here we are. We do know of a couple places in New York City that make them; most pale in comparison, but Madeline Patisserie on 23rd Street does a pretty great job. We aren’t ashamed to tell you that we have their number on speed dial; the trick is to call them in the morning, have them pack you a box and come pick it up before they close.

Mo’ Fun Facts:
• If you pay attention, macarons make a walk-on appearance in the Sophia Coppola film Marie Antoinette, which seems to be historically accurate, as the delicacy was developed for the French court around this time period.
• Partial listing of flavors from the Ladurée macaron menu: blackcurrant violet, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, praline, raspberry, pistachio, dark chocolate, liquorice, caramel with salted butter, orange blossom, lemon, rose.

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