By Keryl Cryer

I’ve watched enough baking competition shows to know that it’s hard to perfect French macarons – those round, meringue-like, and often brightly colored sandwich cookies served at bridal showers and tea parties. Now, imagine what it must take to develop comparable vegan and gluten-free versions. Not only has Mac & Moon conquered this remarkable culinary feat, but its ‘karmacarons’ are gaining momentum in notoriously decadent but historically vegan-inhospitable New Orleans.

On a recent trip home, I visited the upscale Auction House Market food court and made my way to Mac & Moon’s counter against the far wall. Within a glass display case, I discovered a pastel confectionary rainbow, with salmon-hued Strawberry Cheesecake, golden Champagne, viridescent Matcha, and delicate Lavender. Not surprisingly, it was difficult to limit my selection to the half a dozen that packed my purple takeout box.

My favorite varieties were the Mojito, with its vibrant lime filling, and the Cherry Pie, which had a prominent fruit flavor and a drizzle of white icing on top for a finishing touch. Still, there was not a bad variety in the bunch. The Tangerine Dream delivered a refreshing citrus burst, while white nonpareils and a festive blue filling livened up the Birthday Cake. The Cookies & Cream was notable for its prominent vanilla flavor and cookie-flecked filling. Even the pale blue Plain Jane was patently delicious. Maybe the next time I’m in town, I can sample other recipes featured on Mac & Moon’s Instagram, such as Red Velvet Cake, Lemon Blueberry Basil, Hibiscus, and the recently added Chocolate Caramel Pretzel.

A word of caution for those with nut allergies. Like many other macarons, all of Mac & Moon’s varieties are made with almond meal. That doesn’t mean you can’t indulge there, though! Mac & Moon offers ample nut-free options, all of which are vegan and gluten-free. If you need to cool off from that infamous NOLA humidity, you can choose among milkshakes, frozen teas and lemonades, and jasmine rose bubble tea. Mac & Moon has also embraced crazes like rolled ice cream and bubble waffles, both of which contribute to endless combinations of sweet possibilities.

Mac & Moon’s home, the Auction House Market, is conveniently located on the corner of Magazine and Julia Streets in the Arts District (formerly the Warehouse District). It is mere blocks of the National WW II Museum, the Contemporary Arts Center, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and the Louisiana Children’s Museum. (It’s also only one block from my favorite vegan-friendly Big Easy eatery, Carmo.) In addition, it is only a short streetcar or taxi ride from the Superdome, the French Quarter, and many downtown hotels.

While the Auction House Market is open from breakfast to late night, Mac & Moon’s hours are more limited. You may want to contact Mac & Moon’s owner, Kristina Ostrom, at 504-323-9727 or [email protected] about that day’s hours, as well as questions about wholesale orders and catering.
Also see: https://www.instagram.com/macandmoon/