Inspirational Bites

I had many decisions to make amidst the ardor and bustle of opening my macaron shop. Some were small, seemingly superfluous details–like deciding the correct shade to make my brand colors or finding the right custom-branded apron (the world of fashionable aprons is very real my friends, and my knowledge of apron fit is now bordering on concerning). Other decisions were more taxing and required the generous help of experts, like legal and financial matters. But there was one decision that I came to surprisingly quickly and easily. So easily, in fact, that the dreamer in me wants to say something cliche like, “it was meant to be” or put it down to enigmatic concepts like “fate” or “destiny.” But really, it was just a conclusion I came to that encapsulated me and my brand the best, and that I felt a deep connection to. Plus, I can’t get myself to say cliche phrases unironically without wanting to sacrifice myself to the nearest ancient God (Zeus must have a little cabin in the mountains around here, no?).

The name that I chose was Poeme, which is French for “poem” (incredibly difficult, I know). I had wanted my store to have a French name, as an homage to the macaron’s origins, but I didn’t want it to be too common or difficult to pronounce. Poeme fit the bill pretty well there–but honestly, these weren’t reasons like I’m portraying them to be, but more justifications for the name. I really just thought about my love of music, and how I wanted my shop to be intertwined with this passion; so I looked to my favorite violin piece. Can you guess the name (hint, it has five letters and requires AT LEAST level 9,000 French to say)? Those who said Poeme, you get the wonderful prize of knowing you’re right and bragging to your dog about it (hey, I’m not a game show here!). It was written by Ernest Chausson, a nineteenth-century French composer who has unfortunately gone by largely unnoticed, even in the classical music community. His most famous work is surely Poeme, however; it’s beloved by most violinists, and I’m not biased saying that (well maybe a bit, but I swear people love it, ok!).

Without boring those who don’t start everyday brimming with love for musically talented, dead White men of the 1800s (I won’t judge if you do though, I promise), the historical meaning behind Chausson’s Poeme is equal parts passion and mystery. Although Chausson himself said that Poeme is not necessarily a story or programmatic work, he did allude to his inspiration for writing the piece. The original title of the work was “Le Chant de l’amour triomphant” (song of triumphant love), named after a Russian short story that has telenovela-like proceedings. The plot is based in a love-triangle, where a painter and a musician desire the same woman; the musician is rejected and goes on an adventure through the Middle East and Asia, bringing back a song to play for the woman, inspired by these Eastern sounds. Poeme is this song in Chausson’s mind, full of melancholy but also romantic fervor and idyllic moments. It’s thrilling and incredibly satisfying to play as a violinist, but also to listen to–I urge you to check out the piece in the YouTube video below.

So when I thought about my passion for French pastry, and my desire to combine this passion with my love and dedication to music, Poeme’s beautiful tumult of sound and emotions seemed like a perfect name to represent my business. With the complete knowledge of how corny this sounds (I’m ready Zeus, I hope you’re not in the middle of skiing right now), I want people to experience this love when biting into my delicious macarons. Particularly when trying my signature flavor, named Poeme as well. It is an Earl Grey and Peach flavored macaron, an elegant if slightly uncommon combination that has always been a surprising favorite for many who have tried my macarons. It’s both vibrant and sweet from the peach compote center, but the earthy depth of the Earl Grey tea brings a unique dimension to the taste. The texture melts delightfully in the mouth from the luscious outer buttercream filling; it’s truly a labor of love eating and making this macaron. So, of course, I had to make it the namesake! I know this description might seem overly exuberant, but I urge you to try the Poeme macaron (and the others too, of course!) and experience this moment of passion and bliss, hopefully while listening to the piece that inspired it (and if you need to see Zeus after this corniness too, just let me know, I have his number now…).

To order Poeme macarons, visit poememacarons.com for more information!