Taste the Rainbow

During my days here in France, I sometimes find myself  reflecting on my initial abroad experience in Florence, Italy.  As my time in Florence was a short-lived four months and a saddening four-and-a-half years ago, I often forget the incredible times I had in such a romantic and historic city. That is - until I am reminded of them. 

I had one of these reminders just the other day as I strolled down one of the many cobblestone paths in Quimper and a sea of brightness caught the corner of my eye. I turned my head to be mesmerized by a swirl of colors resting in a squeaky-clean glass case outside of a storefront. The first thing that crossed my mind? 

"Could it be? An Italian cafe in Quimper?" I was happily stunned to see a gelato case this far away from the land of Vespas and carbohydrates. 

I did a double take, though, and I realized - far from canisters of Stracciatella and Nocciola, this case held something much more French: Macarons.  Oddly, it was the first storefront case of macarons I have ever seen.  I looked into the case and tried to decipher the flavors - chocolate, vanilla, cafe, pistachio, raspberry - or was it currant? 

The more I've been walking the streets of Quimper, the more macaron displays I see. It was then that I recalled moments of discovering Florence one beckoning gelato stand at a time. The difference between these two delicacies is obvious, perhaps - While both can be dairy-based with milk (gelato) and egg whites (macarons), one is served cold while the other is just slightly chilled. One is a meltable dessert requiring a spoon, the other consists of a layer of jam, cream or ganache sandwiched between two wafers. 

But, there do seem to exist a few common themes: 

1. Resplendent colors that can instantly bring even the "just coffee" dinner party attendee back to his or her childhood days of discovering sugar. 

2. Evidence of a sweet-tooth "brand image" for the country's natives, tourists and a population like me -  those who hope to sway somewhere in the middle.

And I was trying to picture what the United States would be like if it had this kind of constant: Something that could cause u-turns and lines of unsatiated palates. 

As I glanced down at my cafe au lait, I realized - maybe we do. While we may have vetoed the rainbow, we did settle on an appealing forest green and on an iconic, long-haired Mermaid who, seemingly on every street corner, boasts flavors of hazelnut, vanilla and chocolate. 

 . . . Well, at least the attempt is there. In the meantime, I'll stay right where I am.