From Paris with Love: More Than a Macaron Tower

Today I am thrilled to introduce Amélie, Merci New York’s newly appointed special markets editor. Amélie splits her time between New York City and Paris {lucky girl!}. She will be bringing a wonderful balance of both cities’ culture to the Merci blog, and keeping her fingers on the pulse of French details that translate into stateside wedding inspiration.
Here at Merci, we adore the decidedly French focus on simple and elegant things, so we are thrilled to introduce Amélie’s unique perspective to the Merci New York site. Welcome, Amélie.
On both sides of the Atlantic, when it comes its time to cut the cake, most brides want something sumptuous, something pretty, and something grand. But they also want a cake that tastes deliciously good {and as a French girl myself, I know that the French never neglect taste}!
In France, the traditional wedding cake is called Pièce Montée. It is an architectural cake that was invented in early 1800s and became the favorite dessert of the French Kings’ Court. It is originally made of little round pastries called “choux” stuffed with flavoured cream, built up into a pyramid-shape. With time, French pastry cooks have invented countless shapes and flavors for Pièce Montée, and the concept has expanded into hundreds of creative, personalized options.

Once macarons became trendy in France, some famed pastry cooks started to create “Macaron Towers” in lieu of “choux,” further developing Pièce Montée into the popular focal point of the stateside dessert table. But so much has been lost in this concept, and there are many other creative shapes, ideas and options that you may not know are available.
Lenôtre, a prestigious French caterer known as the ambassador of French cuisine, has also developed a presence in the States, offering a scale of sumptuous Pièces Montées for every taste -- from the traditional “choux”, to the Macaron Tower, and countless concepts in between. They are both a delight for the eye as well as for your mouth, and certainly add an unexpected embellishment to your wedding!
While Lenôtre has currently expanded to the West Coast, New York girls can certainly bring their unique and creative designs to reputable French pastry shops in Manhattan {think Payard, Bouchon or Ceci-Cela} for inspiration. I’m sure they would also create a gorgeous masterpiece that will add a touch of French charm to your wedding!

All images courtesy Lenôtre.