Michael Tan Whips Up Fall's Most Fashionable Flavors At ICI Macarons & Cafe

By Connie Capone

From cakes to cupcakes and doughnuts to cronuts, no dessert has quite the confectionery cachet as the macaron.

France's finest export is in good hands with Michael Tan, owner of ICI Macarons & Café. And though raspberry, pistachio, and chocolate will always be first-choice flavors, Tan looks to the seasons to inform the more than 30 varieties on display in his Old City boulangerie.

For fall, pumpkin spice is one of Tan's favorites, while on warmer late summer days, "one should opt for a citrus-flavored cookie," he says. Hazelnut, lime basil, and milk and honey are other delectable riffs, all whipped up by Aici, Tan's wife, business partner, and the café's sole baker.

What's special about a macaron, according to Tan, is the preparation. "We put so much time into each cookie, the taste as well as the look and the texture are all important, he notes, adding that another part of the macaron's allure is that they aren't easy to make at home. "It takes a lot of practice and attention to detail to perfect the recipe."

ICI celebrates its one-year anniversary in September, and the Tans are already considering a second Philly location for their café concept.

C'est magnifique!
230 Arch St., 215-608-8938.