Pastry Chefs Unite to Help Community on Macaron Day - March 20, 2018

More Bakeries Sign On to Share Macarons, Raise Funds for Greater Pittsburgh Community Foodbank

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PITTSBURGH, PA – February 16, 2018 – Following last year’s Pittsburgh-wide debut of the increasingly celebrated International Macaron Day, French bakeries in Pittsburgh will again be marking International Macaron Day on March 20, 2018. Everyone who visits a participating bakery on Macaron Day will receive a free macaron and a chance to help hungry families in our community. By purchasing any quantity of macarons, customers help support the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank because each bakery will donate 10% of all macaron purchases from the day to the Food Bank.

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Macaron Day started in Paris in 2005 and was created by French pastry chef Pierre Hermé, the man voted World’s Best Pastry Chef of 2016. Observed every year on March 20th, the first day of spring, the day has spread globally and become an annual tradition. On this day each year, participating bakeries offer each customer a free macaron and donate a percentage of all macaron sales to a local charity.

 

The organizers of Pittsburgh’s celebration are the owners of Gaby et Jules Patisseries et Macarons, Chef David Piquard and Fred and Lori Rongier. They have observed Macaron Day for the last three years and last year they reached out to other bakeries to mark the first year of a coordinated city-wide initiative. “We wanted this great event to have a bigger impact for the Food Bank, so we began inviting our fellow macaron bakers to join with us,” says co-owner Lori Rongier. “This is a great way for us to help in our community and have a lot of fun with our customers and fellow bakers at the same time.”

 

Oakmont Bakery was the first bakery to get on board in 2017, and this year La Gourmandine, Jean-Marc Chatellier’s French Bakery, and Macaron Bar Pittsburgh have also joined the event. Customers can find more details and up-to-date bakery lists online at www.macarondaypgh.com. “Macaron Day is getting bigger every year, and we hope everyone will come and out help us make this another great Pittsburgh tradition,” added Gaby et Jules co-owner Fred Rongier.

 

According to Kate Laubacher, Community Fundraising Coordinator at the Food Bank, “Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is so excited for Macaron Day 2018. Gaby et Jules and other participating bakeries provide such a fun and delicious way to support the Food Bank's mission."

 

A macaron, also known as a French macaron, is a meticulously constructed confection comprised of two meringue shells sandwiching a buttercream or ganache filling inside. They are distinct from the coconut macaroon, the sticky-sweet mounded cookies sometimes covered in chocolate. Made properly in the French tradition, macarons take 3 days to prepare and bake, with a complex series of stages that involve drying, baking, filling, and freezing to achieve the sought-after consistency: shells slightly crisp on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside, melded with the creamy filling inside, and infused with delicate flavor.

 

Participating bakeries will be offering one complimentary macaron to each guest. No purchase is necessary, however, macaron lovers are encouraged to buy some and take them home, since the bakeries will donate 10% of all macaron purchases that day to the Food Bank. Customers may also make a direct donation in honor of the day. Bakeries interested in participating in the event may contact info@gabyetjules.com for more information.

 

About Gaby et Jules

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Specializing in French macarons and classic French pastries, Gaby et Jules offers Parisian-quality fine French pastry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Named for the owners’ grandfathers, the shop is “A Gift of Love” to their families, to the city, and to their customers. The exquisite and authentic French pastries created by Master Pastry Chef David Piquard are offered for all to enjoy at five area retail locations—the flagship store in Pittsburgh’s East End (Squirrel Hill), Market Street Grocery (downtown), Pittsburgh International Airport (Airside Concourse A), Whole Foods Market – Wexford, and Whole Foods Market – Pittsburgh. Gaby et Jules ships macarons and confections nationwide. For more information, email info@gabyetjules.com or visit www.gabyetjules.com.

 

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CONTACTS:

Gaby et Jules Patisseries et Macarons
Lori and Fred Rongier
fred.rongier66@gmail.com
412-996-9113

 

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Kate Laubacher
klaubacher@pittsburghfoodbank.org
412-460-3663 x201
 

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New Interview with Chef David Piquard

 
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Whole Foods Market Pittsburgh Now Carrying Patisserie’s Signature Macarons
 

PITTSBURGH, PA – February 7, 2018 – Gaby et Jules announced today that its popular authentic French macarons are now available at a fifth retail location in the area. Whole Foods Market Pittsburgh, on Centre Avenue in East Liberty, joins sister store Whole Foods Market Wexford in carrying the patisserie’s signature confections. Together with Gaby et Jules’ three locations in Squirrel Hill, Market Square, and the Pittsburgh International Airport, the new location makes it easier than ever for macaron lovers to find the macarons known in the region and increasingly across the country for their high quality and French authenticity. Gaby et Jules macarons and pastries are also offered by several local restaurants and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort.

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