SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH LADURÉE is as enticing an experience as it sounds. Amidst the gilded interiors of the famed British shopping centre Harrods, the Ladurée café is pastry heaven. With two floors—and even an outdoor terrace for the warmer summer months—the interior is just as one would expect: marble floors, intricate mouldings, silver chandeliers, and of course, boxes and boxes of macarons in perfect pastel colours and the most delicious-looking éclairs and tartines. Our table was by the window, in plush low pink velvet chairs…
We were invited to taste the new patisserie chef Claire Heitzler’s Spring/Summer creations, of which, I selected Le Delice, a crunchy shortbread with fresh wild strawberries, strawberry jam, and a light coconut mousse; it pairs perfectly with one of the black teas on offer, such as the Thé aux Amandes, which works well with the fruity flavour.
From the traditional menu, I also selected a bubblegum-coloured pastry—an updated version of the Marie Antoinette—with raspberry, rose petal, and lychee. Given that it is the sweetest one, combining it with a green tea to balance out the flavour would entice even those without a sweet tooth. Lastly, but not least, we also selected a few seasonal macarons—melon and forest fruits stood out, for it was their fresh summer flavour that Ladurée managed to bring out so well. 
