Musical Macarons, Part 4
The music-macaron pairing extravaganza is back! If you haven’t been following the musical macarons series on this blog, I’ll give you a short rundown (also, how can you not be reading the musical macaron series on this blog??? Okay, shaming time over…): I talk about three macaron flavors from Poeme Macarons, and then find appropriate (usually classical) music pieces to pair with them. To catch up, read the previous posts here.
Pairing music with food isn’t a novel concept either; it forms a meaningful experience to eat good food while listening to good music (dinner-musical-theatre shows, anyone?). And at Poeme, I’m all about creating an experience when eating. That’s because memories are a formidable force in our lives; they are the essence of who we are (not that I’m trying to get into a nature vs. nurture debate here…but what we experience definitely has a powerful impact on our character).
Wow…that just got a lot deeper than I expected…really, the gist of this series is: relaxing with food and music (how can that be bad, I ask you???? Aaaand I just remembered dubstep might still exist…no offense to dubstep lovers everywhere…). So, enough talking! Let’s listen to some music:
First flavor up to bat is a Southern (American) classic: Pecan Praline!
This flavor is like if warmth and happiness had a baby and the godfather was a fluffy cloud of childhood nostalgia. It’s a comforting blend of roasted pecans (aka, my new drug of choice…), brown butter, and butterscotch. The taste is toasty, soothing tenderness in a bite; to suit this buttery, nutty flavor, I’ve chosen some musical pieces that will warm you up inside just as well as the macaron:
- Brahms, Clarinet Quintet, Op. 115, First Movement (1891)
Maybe it’s because I’m just a massive Brahms fangirl (I wrote my Master’s research paper in musicology on Brahms…enough said…), but his music is always so comforting to me; it has warmth, depth, and a certain homey feel to it–whenever I feel down, some Brahms chamber music never fails to uplift me (music therapy is a very real thing, you guys!). This Quintet is one of my particular favorites, and I think it’s a great match to the roasted, deep flavors found in the pecan praline macaron. Together, these two are like wrapping yourself in the softest blanket imaginable while sitting in front of a hearty, glowing fire. So pick a cold day (or just turn the A/C down really low if you live in Australia aka the surface of the sun) and enjoy this music with a Poeme Pecan Praline macaron:
2. Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique” in B minor, Op. 74 (1893)
Another 1890s piece (is this the right “90s” everyone wants to be a kid from?) that will warm up your heart (and ears…okay that sounds weird, but you get me, right?). Like the macaron flavor, the piece unfolds slowly, releasing more of its innate emotions and beauty with every note (or bite!). It has an indubitable amount of warmth and passion; this music is as velvety rich as the butterscotch sauce lathered on the macaron. Enjoy both at the same time for an intense sensory experience!
We’re going to move on to another American favorite that’s as fun as it is delicious: Peanut Salted Caramel!
The first thing you might notice is all that ooey-gooey caramel running down the sides of the macaron…salted caramel is a magical gift from the Gods and I may or may not have a small shrine built to honor it in my closet…These macarons are a peanut-lovers dream. There’s literally peanut EVERYWHERE and that may be the most beautiful phrase a human being could ever utter. The shells of this macaron are made from roasted peanuts (see how I flavor macaron shells here); the outer filling is a creamy peanut buttercream with peanut praline pieces; the inner filling is a peanut butter custard. Combined, this is pure ecstasy…to pair with this affable, ebullient flavor, here are some appropriate musical pieces:
- Glinka, Overture to “Ruslan and Lyudmila” (1837-1842)
This piece is peppy, fast, and spirited, just like the macaron flavor. They both are full of vitality and happiness; the zippy movment of this piece is like the crunchy surprise of peanut praline, and the moments of respite with flowing melody like the creamy, addictive caramel. This music-macaron is proven to improve your day (by me, not science, although I’m sure science would agree…).
2. Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral” in F major, Op. 68, First Movement (1808)
This is an idyllic, serene movement with bursts of jubilant energy; it’s a perfect match for the excitable, convivial macaron flavor! I also have a personal connection with this movement; it was one of the first musical pieces I seriously analyzed in musicology (the study of music), so it holds some pleasant, nostalgic memories that sweet peanut desserts probably do for many Americans (peanut butter could probably run for president, and win…). Reminisce about a happy, calm time in your life with this placid, light composition:
The last flavor for today is actually one of the first macarons I ever made; it’s remained a favorite, to say the least: Chocolate Hazelnut (if you like nutella, you might just marry this macaron…).
These macarons are beloved by every Serbian who’s tried it (my family begs for this macaron…it’s that good!). That’s probably because in Serbia, chocolate-hazelnut is akin to the chocolate-peanut combination in America; and nutella exists, too (everyone is crazy about that stuff…it’s like cat nip for humans). The chocolate-hazelnut macaron at Poeme is an indulgent delight; the shell is made form hazelnuts, and the filling is a homemade chocolate-hazelnut praline, with roasted hazelnuts and creamy swiss milk chocolate (I think I’d be about 500 pounds if I moved to Switzerland…). It’s a simple flavor that’s downright delicious; to suit this classic flavor combination, I have some compositions that are equally popular and admired:
- Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, Fourth Movement “Ode to Joy” (1822-1824)
This movement is home to the famous “Ode to Joy” theme–if you haven’t heard this, you probably haven’t been in contact with civilization (so the real question is, how did you get internet?). This symphony symbolizes the triumph over adversity and the human spirit; the final movement is the consolidation of these emotions, with the “Ode to Joy” theme coming back in D major (instead of the equivalent minor). Like the chocolate-hazelnut macaron, it’s not as simple as it seems–it holds profound meaning within the simple motif. It’s the every man’s (or woman’s!) symphony–just like the chocolate-hazelnut macaron!
2. John Coltrane, “My Favorite Things” (1961)
The chocolate-hazelnut macarons are one of “my favorite things,” so this piece is an ideal accompaniment! You’ve probably heard this song before if you’ve listened to (or watched) The Sound of Music. This version is played by John Coltrane, a jazzy version that would become one of his signature pieces (this macaron is certainly a signature favorite at Poeme!). More recently, Ariana Grande sang “7 rings,” which also used this theme (see, I can be hip with the times too!). So kick back and relax with this soothing, enjoyable song with a macaron and get ready to have the best evening ever 🙂
That’s it for this post! Stay tuned for more musical macaron mayhem 🙂
If you want to experience this pairing in real life, order some macarons from Poeme today! You could host the best cocktail party EVER…just get some macarons, play the musical selections, and serve some booze…your next event is going to be a hit 🙂
Check out the flavor profiles on the blog to find out more about some of the individual macaron flavors I’ve come up with.
Have a sweet day everyone!
