Rose, blackcurrant violet, and lily of the valley sound like choices available at flower stores. But with the emergence of macaron shops around the city, these flavors have become typical fare for New York pastry chefs. Ladurée—the birthplace of the modern macaron—opened a shop on the Upper East Side on Aug. 29, and there are rumors circulating about a downtown expansion. But is Ladurée’s arrival an attempt to cash in on a booming U.S. macaron market, or merely an attempt to bring the haute pastry back to its high-culture (and expensive) origins?
