Pierre Herme  is one of the most famous pastry shops in Paris. Upon walking in the door, I can see why. A small, elegantly curved pastry case greets us with impeccably prepared treats. Each one is a masterpiece in and of itself. It looks as if no human hands have ever touched these delicate pastries, and they’ve been sent straight from heaven.

I soon learn that the selections before me are actually part of the 2006 collection called Fetish. Yes, just like couture, even pastry has seasonal collections (check out their web site). Inside the case I see the familiar tarte au citron (lemon tart) and feuilles (puff pastry but instead of having 1,000 layers like normal, this one has 2,000). But then there are other choices such as Herme Carre Envie – crème brulee flavored with violets, cassis compote, covered in white chocolate and a shortbread cookie. I ask the gentleman behind the counter what he recommends, and he quickly points to a deep pink tart called Ispaham. It looks quite beautiful, so I ask him to wrap one up.

I then gaze at their highly coveted selection of macarons. They have very inventive flavors, also in seasonal collections, such as huille d’olive et vanille (two vanilla flavored cookies with olive oil crème in the middle) and caramel a la fleur de sel (caramel cookies studded with fleur de sel with caramel crème in the middle). I opt for one called Americano Pamplemousse that translates to American Grapefruit. If the grapefruit growers in Florida only knew. The macaron is the size of a silver dollar. Between the two light pink cookies is a Campari and grapefruit flavored crème with little pieces of candied grapefruit rind. The bitterness of the grapefruit is a perfect foil for the sweet crème, so it’s a beautiful balance of flavors.

Back at home, I unwrap the Ispaham. It’s two large rose scented macaron cookies with a single red rose petal on top. Between the cookies are fresh raspberries, almond crème scented with rose petals and lychee fruit topped by a delicate gelee of lychee and rose petals.

I take a bite. It’s like biting into a cloud. My teeth break through the delicate macaron crust and down into the raspberries and crème. It’s like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. Each flavor is distinct yet nothing is overpowering. Who in the world thought this up? And when can I meet them. I can only guess at the type of imagination it would take to dream up such amazing works of art.

I was so taken with the pastry that I didn’t make it to the chocolates. Perhaps the next field trip will take us back for round two!

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