Today is Macaron Day in Toronto — though most Torontonians have never heard of it.
They know of macaroons, the more famous biscuit with the similar name.
But the macaron, pronounced “mah-ka-rohn”, is “a cookie that has two outer shells that are made of sugar powder and egg whites, and inside is a treat for your sensations, for your tastebuds,” say Michael Firanski, organizer of Macaron Day for Toronto.
Owner of La Bamboche, a French/Japanese pastry shop, he began to organize this five years ago when he got an email from one of his customers about the event.
“I just went to every store. This is very simple. The whole concept is very simple. First of all, it is about charity, and it is about promoting macaron in Toronto, and promoting all these wonderful pastry shops that make macaron,” Firanski said.
The Red Door Family Shelter are involved in this event, too.
They assist battered woman in transitioning out of their abusive relationships. They have been the designated charity for all five years this event has been held in Toronto.
“He just contacted us and said that he had the idea and wanted to have one charity involved that could take all the funds. He wanted to support a local charity that was doing local work in the local community, and he liked what we did and he wanted to support us and he’s been in partnership with us ever since,” said Red Door Media Coordinator Mark Zurawinski.
Fourteen other pastry shops are involved in this event.
Today, you can visit one of them and receive a complimentary macaron. Twenty-five per cent of the proceeds from all additional macaron purchased on this day will be donated to the Shelter.