I won’t beat around the bush. Pierre Hermé is to macarons as Hermès is to silk. Sure, there are some quality alternatives, but there is only one true winner on all accounts. Laudrée is classic. The enchanting pastels in their shops transport you to Paris and there is something so simple and elegant about biting into one of their perfect pistachio cookies. Plus, due to circumstances out of my control, I am not a Paris local so the closest I can get to macaron heaven  is a brisk walk from my office building to the Georgetown Ladurée. (To give you an idea of the frequency, let’s just say I’ve started to use the boxes as decoration). But nothing will compare to the moment I opened that bright orange box, pulled out a beautiful speckled cookie, and took a bite of pure unadulterated pleasure. The passionfruit milk chocolate combination is what Pierre is most famous  for and boy, is there a reason. Magnifique! Since the moment I returned to the states I have  been dreaming about that orange box. The filling was the perfect amount of creamy and fluffy, and the cookie so light, it was like biting into a cloud. Not to mention, Pierre isn’t afraid to branch out to flavors no normal mind could dream up. His artistry and appreciation for delicate unusual flavors is unmatched. Unfortunately for all of us U.S.A. natives, the legendary patisserie does not deliver to territories outside of Europe, causing me to consider buying an overnight flight to Paris just to get my fix. I suggest you do the same.