Première dégustation avec Northlight Baking Co.

Two weeks ago, I attended a tasting of a selection of Northlight Baking Co.'s macarons hosted by Cocoanuts Boston. Those macarons were so impeccable, so delectable that I'm still thinking about them now! If you've never been to Cocoanuts, it's a darling little boutique off the beaten path in Boston's North End that you absolutely should take the time to venture to. Located at 28 Parmenter Street, the store is filled with gourmet sweets and treats made by local artisans available for purchase individually or in custom gift baskets. 

One such artisan is Shira Melen, the owner of Northlight Baking Company. We chatted very briefly and I learned that she tries to source the ingredients she uses as locally as possible, in particular the herbs that she grows right in her own garden! Rather than use a molded mat to make perfectly even shells, she pipes them by hand. While she doesn't have her own storefront (yet?), she works out of EHChocolatier and does tastings regularly at other specialty stores as well. 

Slightly on the larger side at about two inches in diameter, the interesting variety of flavours is definitely worth attention. It's not so much that they're outrageous, it's more that they are actually quite traditional flavour combinations that I simply would not have expected in the form of a macaron. For example, the dirty chai: chai spice shells with an espresso filling, or the green tea with red bean ganache. Unexpected but executed in a way that makes it seem like it should be the norm. 

You can purchase them individually for $2.50 or in pre-packaged sets of two for $6 and five for $14. In addition to Cocoanuts, you can also find her macarons at Follow the Honey in Cambridge and MA France in Lexington. 

I went to this tasting with a friend and we unanimously agreed that we simply could not leave without a selection for ourselves. From left to right: kalamansi, London Fog, milk chocolate coconut, milk chocolate orange blossom, salted caramel ganache, and strawberry basil. We had our own private tasting sitting by the Charles River Basin and all of these flavours were nothing short of divine.

I look forward to getting my hands on more of Shira's macarons and highly recommend you get on that too.