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Best Of 2010, Guest Editors: Will Johnson On Fleur De Sel Macaroons

As 2010 comes to an end, we are taking a look back at some of our favorite posts of the year by our guest editors.

WillJohnsonEven if his name isn’t instantly familiar to you, Will Johnson has probably been a part of at least one musical project you’re a fan of. After moving to Denton, Texas, in the early ’90s for college, Johnson formed Centro-matic, which has released numerous records since 1996. In 2002, Johnson, his Centro-matic bandmates and guest musicians started issuing more introspective records under the South San Gabriel moniker; the same year, Johnson released his first solo LP. Since, Johnson has played drums with Monsters Of Folk, toured with the Undertow Orchestra (featuring David Bazan, Mark Eitzel and Vic Chesnutt) and started work on a Woody Guthrie project (with Jay Farrar, Jim James and Anders Parker) in the vein of the Wilco/Billy Bragg Mermaid Avenue albums. Johnson’s latest release is the self-titled debut by Molina And Johnson (on Secretly Canadian), his duo with Jason Molina (Songs: Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co.). As if he wasn’t busy enough already, the Austin-based Johnson will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our Q&A with him.

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Johnson: Holy fuck. Can’t say I ever gave macaroons much truck in the Crystal Kingdom of Sweets, but a recent trip to Portland, Ore.’s Pix Patisserie with the Monsters Of Folk boys turned me right the hell around on that. The sea salt is your welcoming concierge. The crackly, outer texture is your helpful and friendly desk clerk. The chewy and lingering caramel buttercream is your plush-robed, weekend lounge down in some open-minibar luxury suite. There are about 20 flavors to choose from at Pix (including curry, tawny port and scotch whisky), but these sea-salt-and-caramel wonderbombs kept me feeling like I was cozied up in some womb-like, caramel sleeping bag. Was pleased to the point where I considered hugging strangers. I found that Pix will build you a 100-count macaroon tower for 190 bucks.