About

I’m Sandra Zupanski, the writer of this blog and owner of Poeme macarons, my musically-inspired French macaron shop! I’m a classically-trained violinist with a passion for baking, based in northern Colorado. I first met the humble macaron on a summery afternoon in Nice, France; I don’t remember the name of the store or even the location! It was truly on a whim that I walked into the small pastry shop on the busy, narrow street I was walking along. Now, hopefully I won’t lose all my credit as the macaron master (yes, this title is self-appointed and slightly arrogant but it alliterates and that’s all I care about really), but I thought that a macaron was really a macaroon. In case you aren’t up to speed on all of this hullabaloo (side note, this word really isn’t used enough anymore), let the power of pixels explain:

So yes, I was horribly confused before stumbling upon the veritable macaron in Nice; I had avoided the macaron prior to this, thinking it was the sugary coconut confection that I never really loved that much (sorry macaroon lovers!). But trying the macaron in the shop there, I realized the potential of this lovely little pastry; it had an amazing texture and unlimited flavor possibilities, a dream for the excitable home-baker that I was then. As I started making them myself and experimenting with new flavors, I found that everyone I gave them to loved them; naturally, after being told to start a business countless times, I took the plunge and did it.

As for my musical background, I studied violin performance at the University of Michigan and always had significant interest in musicology (the study of music). I’ve played around the world, and this travel has influenced my macaron flavors (sesame soy-sauce and brigadeiro are both regular flavors at my shop). Starting my business, I knew I had to incorporate macarons with my love of music, so I took my favorite violin piece (Poeme) and used its character as the inspiration behind my brand and mission to create love in every bite.

If you are interested in learning more about my business or want to order a little bliss (in the form of delightful macarons!), check out poememacarons.com.