When Tamy Chung signed up for a holiday cooking class in 2014, she already knew she loved baking. She had mastered pies, cookies, brownies, and other sweet treats. What Chung didn’t know was that the class would focus on macarons and begin her love affair with the French pastries. “I loved them so much, and I could see so much more potential to make fun flavors other than you usual vanilla, lemon or pistachio macaron,” Chung says.
Fast forward to 2019 and Chung is now the owner and “macaron-maker-in-chief” at Maca. Located in Somerville’s Bow Market—a space for local makers to sell art, food, and entertainment—it's one of the only Boston-area shops dedicated to the treats.
At Maca, patrons will find an assortment of scratch-made macarons with flavors that rotate daily. The classics include chocolate mint, red velvet, Fruity Pebbles, and Chung's favorite lavender honey. But she also likes to encourage customers to try unusual flavors, like the time she made an everything bagel-flavored macaron. “I don't make a single flavor I wouldn't enjoy myself,” Chung says. “What would be the point in that?”
Chung has created more than 200 flavors for her macarons, and inspiration can strike anytime and anywhere. “I get inspired by literally everything,” Chung says. “It can be from roaming the streets of Paris or having had a tahini chocolate from Spoke Wine Bar. It can be having cotton candy at the Topsfield Fair, or bananas Foster from my favorite chain restaurant.”
While inspiration may come easy, macarons are still finicky to make. The recipe is a simple mix of almond flour, eggs and sugar, but the baking process is complex with unexpected variables to consider. “If we have a crazy New England humid day, or the batch of almond flour isn't dry enough, or I didn't whip the egg whites stiff enough, it gets difficult in this tiny 166 square foot space,” Chung says. She often has to rely on her intuition to ensure consistency and the perfection of her treats.
Chung also likes to flex her creative muscle by whipping up seasonal and holiday-inspired versions of macarons. Her unique creations, like the Unicorn Poop ice cream sandwich, give her the chance to collaborate with local vendors, like Union Square’s Gracie’s Ice Cream, and experiment with inventive dessert combinations.
As for the business side of Maca, Chung says her background is an asset. She grew up in the restaurant business and has always enjoyed the customer service side as well as the creative process. “I'm also extremely fortunate to have a background in accounting, so the ‘boring’ stuff comes more naturally to me,” Chung says. “It's an ebb and flow.”
Risk-taking and perseverance are also keys to success for a creative endeavor like Maca. “I think we're too afraid to fail these days, but that's really where and when you learn the most,” Chung said. “Trust yourself, and you do you.”
1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, 617-539-6227, macaboston.com
Maca was also featured in These Are A Few Of Our Favorite Things At Bow Market In Somerville.
