Macarons may be distinctly French confections, but they’re far from monolithic. In addition to the famous Parisian macaron, there are several other key regional variants. One particular kind is the macaron d’Amiens, which, as its name suggests, is a specialty from the city of Amiens in the Picardy region.
Introduced in the 16th century and said to have been a favorite sweet of Catherine de’ Medici, macarons d’Amiens are traditionally made from raw almonds, apricot marmalade, honey and vanilla. They’re rather plain-looking and quite unlike its colorful Parisian cousins, which are made from meringue and filled with ganache.
One of the most notable makers of macarons d’Amiens is Jean Trogneux, a local chocolatier founded in 1872 and currently run by the sixth generation of the family, which manufactures over 2 million macarons every year. Also known for its chocolates (some in the shape of Jules Verne’s head), jams and other regional specialties, the confectionery has a total of seven outlets within Amiens, as well as shops in Lille, Arras, and Saint-Quentin.
Though the house is not as well-known outside northern France, it made national headlines when a member of the Trogneux family, Brigitte, married President Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by an inevitable dad joke: “On avait déjà le macaron d’Amiens. Maintenant, on a aussi le Macron d’Amiens!” (We already had the macaron of Amiens. Now we also have the Macron of Amiens!)
