Macaron Day PDX: March 20, 2015

If you know me at all, you know that macarons are like, my favorite thing ever. 

I first fell in love with macarons when I was studying abroad back in 2007 and have been obsessed ever since.

#TBT to little Katie in Paris:

It's been easier and easier to get a good macaron stateside since they've become so popular in the last few years- and I'm definitely not complaining! In Portland, we now have enough pastry shops making macarons that such a thing as Macaron Day PDX has reason to exist.

Here's the deal: On March 20th, participating bakeries and patisseries will give a free macaron to customers who donate to Meals on Wheels (there is a $2 suggested minimum donation). Twelve different shops are participating with some locations making special macarons for the event.

I'll include a full list of participants below, but here are my top three picks for can't-miss macarons in Portland:

Nuvrei (NW 10th Ave)

Kel and I wrote about Nuvrei recently when we checked out their new Mac Bar. Marius Pop, who owns Nuvrei, is actually the one who orchestrated Macaron Day PDX and Nuvrei will be giving out commemorative tote bags to the first 100 customers on March 20th (note: the Mac Bar opens at 9am).

Farina Bakery

I've shared my love for Farina Bakery and Laura's macarons before and I'd say that if you're only going to make one stop for Macaron Day PDX, Farina Bakery should be it. Laura's macarons are always the perfect texture (light crunch on the outside, moist and cakey inside) and she manages to pack loads of flavor into them too.

My current favorite Farina flavor is Honey Pecan (think Mexican wedding cakes but in macaron form), but you really can't go wrong.

Pix Patisserie (E Burnside St)

I will start off by saying that Pix's macarons can be hit or miss texture-wise. But, they have a lot of really fun, experimental flavors that you're not going to find at other patisseries (Meka Leka Hi Meka Hiney Ho macaron with absinthe and chocolate-covered Pop Rocks, anyone?).

Other Macaron Day PDX Participants:

The Cakery (SW Capital Hwy)

Frice Pastry (4082 N Williams)

Hungry Heart Bakery (SE 80th Ave)

Ken's Artisan Baking (NW 21st Ave)

Maurice (921 SW Oak St)

Papa Haydn (NW 23rd Ave & SE Milwaukie)

Pearl Bakery (NW 9th Ave)

Petunia's Pies & Pastries (SW 12th Ave)

St. Honoré (SE Division, NW Thurman & Lake Oswego)

Also, fun fact: Did you know I have almost as many pics of macarons on my phone as I do of my cat? Oh, did you want to see some more of them? Ok!

Doug likes canelés, so that's why there's a bunch of them in there too. Canelé Day PDX next?

Portland Bakery: Farina Bakery

What: Farina Bakery
Where: 1852 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Honeys Heart: Portland's best macarons (for reals)

Writing for AboutFace Magazine has introduced me to a number of amazing Portlanders that I otherwise would have never come in contact with, including my favorite husband and wife architecture/interior design team from Fig and the awesome owners of Viridian Farms. But usually after the interview is completed and the piece is written, contact is pretty much done and I don't hear much, if anything, from my former profile subjects- which is completely understandable.

However, that has not been the case with one of my all-time favorite profile subjects, Laura Farina. I wrote about Laura and her nascent macaron-focused bakery last summer and was struck by her unassuming and thoughtful nature... and her amazingly delicious macarons.

My love for macarons is no secret and so when I was planning my wedding, it was a no-brainer that they would be part of my dessert table. And now a month after the wedding, I think it's safe to say that I've gotten more compliments on Laura's strawberry and raspberry macarons than I have about any other single element of my wedding. The mini raspberry and lemon cake she made for Doug and me to cut into was pretty amazing too.

So obviously, I'm a big supporter of Laura and her pastries and therefore was very excited to hear that the brick and mortar shop that she had been dreaming about when I first spoke with her last April has already become a reality.

Last night Doug, Kelly, Adam, and I drove out to Hawthorne to celebrate Farina Bakery's grand opening. Tomorrow is the shop's official first day, but we got to sample some of the delicious treats that Laura will be offering.

Macarons, of course, were on the menu (lemon was our group's top choice) but the shop will branch out with cakes, muffins, cookies, and other pastries as well. 

Aren't those macaron cakes the cutest things ever? Obsessed.

I can't wait to stop back in and check out the shop once it's in full swing. Congrats, Laura!!

More coverage of Farina Bakery's opening:

• Willamette Week
• Eater PDX