Macaron shop opening in Cahaba Heights

Traditional French macarons are considered one of the most challenging desserts to make. 

When Paulette Koumetz couldn’t find bakers in Los Angeles who could recreate the macarons she had growing up in Paris, she decided to try baking them herself.

“I’ve always been passionate for macarons. That’s my favorite dessert,” Koumetz said.

This summer, Koumetz’s Lette Macarons will expand its distribution to Alabama with a new store in the Heights Village shopping center in Cahaba Heights. Koumetz’s Lette Macarons will celebrate its grand opening on June 24.

Born and raised in Paris, Koumetz and her husband moved to the U.S. around 14 years ago. They had tried other businesses before deciding to recreate the confections, which are made of two meringue cookies with ganache or buttercream between them, found in the patisseries of France.

Koumetz worked with Master Patissier (pastry chef) Christophe Michalak and a family recipe to learn how to make macarons, and she opened Lette Macarons in 2007.

“I had my grandmother’s recipe for macarons because it’s a very old recipe,” Koumetz said.

She said it was challenging to build an audience at first because no one in the Los Angeles area was familiar with macarons. She said people didn’t understand why they were so small, so difficult to make and even asked if they were dog treats.

“We were very convinced that everybody will love it, but we were not sure because no one knew what it was,” Koumetz said. “What I love about America is people have very open minds.”

Once people began trying Lette Macarons, Koumetz said word began to spread and now there are five stores in California and one in Southlake, Texas.

The macarons are made by hand in store in California. Lette Macarons offers classic flavors like chocolate, caramel or vanilla; fruit flavors like coconut, passion fruit and blueberry lemon; and more unique flavors such as Earl Gray tea, rose and violet cassis. Koumetz said they also ask for customer input, which has led to specialties such as red velvet, which has become a best-seller.

One of her favorites is coffee, though Koumetz said she tends to like whichever flavor she is currently eating the best.

Koumetz said they choose ingredients carefully, from California almonds to fresh fruit purees and homemade pistachio paste. Each flavor cooks at a different temperature to get the right texture of the meringue so it’s “crunchy outside and soft inside.”

“Everything is timing, and everything is precise. We use the best ingredients that we can find,” Koumetz said. “To make something good, it has to have the best ingredients.”

Koumetz said she enjoys interacting with customers at her shops and watching them branch out from classic to adventurous flavors.

Koumetz met Crystal Lovelady, who will open the Vestavia Hills location of Lette Macarons, about a year ago. Koumetz said she had a feeling right away that Lovelady was the right kind of person to help bring her macarons to a new audience.

“I knew from the beginning that I met her that she really wanted to do it,” Koumetz said.

The Vestavia Hills location will act as a distribution point, and Lette Macarons will ship its cookies from California to Alabama to sell.

“I am very, very happy that I can expand my passion of the macaron outside California,” Koumetz said.

Lovelady said the store, located at 3112 Heights Village, will open July 12 and will be open six days a week. To find out more, visit lettemacarons.com or on Instagram @LetteVestaviaHills.

The article has been updated with the new grand opening date.