Going far beyond the initial wave of foodie frenzy that overtook them, macarons are a whimsical treat that have stuck around to become a firm favourite among those with a sweet tooth. Durban’s very own “Madame Macaron”, Viveshni Joseph, tells us about the magic behind the macaron.
A sweet tooth
Drawing inspiration from international chefs, Viveshni left her corporate job to work on Madame Macaron full time. But starting out can be quite daunting, and she advises budding entrepreneurs to have a vision of where they want their business to be. “Set both short-term and long term-goals,” she says, “and understand that although success may not happen overnight, you need to always keep in mind the reason that you started and the love for your craft, so that you can resist the urge to quit. Sometimes success really is just over that last little hill.”
The creative process
Viveshni draws inspiration from a range of sources, but the thing she enjoys most is spending time with her clients to get a full understanding of their delicious vision. She says, “My clients usually have an idea of what they want and will submit images or ideas that I then use to create a mood board for their order. I spend time going through the client brief and sketching out some ideas. This usually happens off the top of my head, and I draw extra inspiration from ideas I’ve seen myself and have been keen to try out. This means that no two orders are ever the same.”
A growing business
Viveshni recently expanded Madame Macaron’s line to include cakes, cupcakes and cake pops, and she now also holds regular classes too. Keen to share her sugary wisdom with people who’d like to try their hand at whipping up macarons in their own kitchen, Viveshni’s seen great interest in the lessons she gives. “These are fun, intimate classes where we help people learn how to create their very own delectable treats while having fun,” she explains. “We take the mystery out of processes that seem overly complicated and make them more doable for the everyday baker. The classes are run in Durban on a regular basis and in Johannesburg when the demand arises.”
Check out these great services from Madame Macaron:
- Macaron of the Month box: a box filled with 12 macarons in the flavour of the month, delivered to your door monthly along with a surprise. This is a service offered only by Madame Macaron in South Africa.
- Designer macarons:bespoke macarons, adorned with edible glitter and other embellishments to create edible art. They are perfect as wedding favours or gifts.
- Classes: sign up for a class to learn how to make macarons in your own kitchen.
madamemacaronsa.com
Words: Cath Jenkin
Images: Mark Loux Photography
