Every time I walk into Draeger's, the first thing I notice is the assembly of macarons behind the display glass. And every time, I balk at the price -- $1.25 for each puny cookie. Why were these french cookies so expensive? So I did a little bit of research.
Apparently, it’s because of the preparation. First of all, macarons require the egg whites to be aged up to five days before getting mixed in -- this is to ensure that the cookie is fluffy and airy. Next, the almond powder and sugar must be refined and sieved multiple times to ensure that the domes of the cookie are perfectly smooth. After all that, chefs must mix the meringue with the dry ingredients. They must be careful; while stirring too much results in flat, hard cookies, stirring too little causes the formations of peaks and spikes. When the batter is finally ready, bakers must concentrate in precise piping; even the slightest slip can result in two atrociously uneven halves. Finally, before the cookies can be put in the oven, bakers must wait once more -- a 15-30 minute resting period is ideal in order for the cookie halves to develop the signature “foot” along the cookie edges.
With this much preparation and required skill, the price tag is kind of justified. In some places, macarons are sold up to $4 per cookie. Draeger macaroons are relatively cheap in that respect, but then again, most of their macarons had peaks, cracks, or dents. It didn’t affect the taste (I like the cafe ones the best), but an imperfection is an imperfection, and I guess that’s the reason why Draeger macaroons are only $1.25 each and not $3.
Questions:
Have you ever eaten a macaron? Favorite flavor? Other thoughts? Do you think they’re overpriced?
3 comments:
I'm an avid macaroon fan, although given the price of a single cookie, fueling this addiction is rather difficult. I'm taking a macaroon baking class in some two or three weeks, and after reading your specific description of how these delicacies are made, I'm not too sure how that'll go. Hopefully, it'll turn out well and I can make them at home for a more reasonable price.
You appear to have taught yourself that the supply curve is largely determined by the costs of production... cool.
The demand side might also have something to do with a 'willingness to pay' for luxury or luxury-branded treats. High income households spend a relatively low % of their budget on food, so doubling the cost of cookies by moving from Chips Ahoy to Macaroons doesn't move the needle for most Draeger's shoppers.
A typical teenager, OTOH, is going to be more price sensitive and might as well stick to GORP.
EVERYWHERE I go and find macaroons, you can bet that I'm buying them (to a certain extent). They have been my favorite desert forever, but they really do have a hefty price tag to them. My favorite flavors are vanilla, coffee and rose. I've made a deal with myself that if they cost below $2, I'm buying them.
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