there’s an almost ominous air in the window at adriano zumbo patissier. stark against the black drapery, a plainly typeset sheet of paper reads: new collection out 5 july. that’s today!

just over a week ago, i walked past the shop after a bout of grocery shopping. sometimes when you’re loaded down with calico bags, all it takes is a quick turn of the head as you pass the door, to see what colours of macaron there might be in the centre display case. that day, there were none. but as i faced forward again to propel myself home, a voice fell out into the street, calling my name.

counterboy was behind the counter, but crouched down low and out of sight. “we have lots of new flavours today,” he said, “but i’m just setting them up now.” timing eh? his arm surfaced first, at the end of which was a hand proffering a sparkling green macaron. like the tail of a mermaid it was (a disney mermaid), encrusted in coloured sugar. i peered into the filling, and was surprised to see it flecked with what appeared to be leaves. turns out it was basil and lime, and rather more limey than basily. i wasn’t much enamoured of the flavour, but it shure was purty.

later, cosy at home, i surrendered to the rice pudding macaron. released from its bag, it filled the surrounding air with the comforting scent of cinnamon. that’s it there, dusted just so. eating it was bliss; the light and chewy biscuit gave way to a rich filling that tasted of palm sugar, and hid crunchy grains of toasted rice throughout. it immediately became my number one favourite macaron.

the chocolate-earl grey macaron lasted quite a bit longer, two days perhaps, because i approached it with caution. because i am no great fan of earl grey tea, by which i mean, i will not drink the stuff. but the lemony bergamot flavour that i find so caustic and irksome in the beverage was far softer and rounder in the chocolate ganache. it even tasted of tea! in fact, this bronzed beauty was rather good, and you can safely have one with no hesitation.

yesterday, after a tip-off that the rice pudding macaron were back in stock, i popped back into zumbo to cancel out the awful morning that involved a moderate downpour; a bus that trundled up to the stop with its signboard showing the wrong number so i didn’t hail it and it went by and i had to wait another half hour for the next one; a temporarily misplaced bus pass; a kid who decided she didn’t want to be at school right after we arrived there; a doctor whose waiting room was so full they were no longer taking appointments for the day; the biatch driver of the BMW who decided she wouldn’t need to signal she was turning into the street i was about to cross — at a zebra crossing even — and when she saw me two steps into the street, merely slowed down and waved at me before driving straight through.

a w f u l.

the chocolate-earl grey macaron were now distinguished by a casual scatter of tea leaves, but i only had eyes for the rice pudding… and that shimmery golden one in the corner.

banana, caramel and chocolate, i was told, by the boy behind the counter. i asked him if he’d already tried it, and if it was exceptionally good, and when he nodded his reply, i bought two.

and now that i’ve had one, i can say that it is beyond exceptional — it is amazing. the insides are swollen with the soft ripeness of bananas (actual bananas, as they say), and the caramel is a warm hug for your tongue — a good thing, surely.

so the question at this stage is, how many number one favourite macaron can a person have? i haven’t had a chance to see the main couture line, but if the biscuits are any indication, this winter collection is shaping up in a most pleasing manner.