It's a sweet life

Who needs happy pills when you've got the natural alternative in sugar? I'm sure there's a proper chemical explanation but sugar is my happy carbon compound. Life is about balance, however, so I'm not sitting there with a kilo pack of CSR and a spoon. More about a treat here and there to moderate the crappy moments in life.

Treating a hectic and, at moments, stressful few days was a mid-morning visit to the Lindt Cafe at Martin Place. Whether it's the wam decor away from the outside chill, the easy-listening crooner soundtrack, or knowing that there's a paradise of chocolate within reach, there's an immediate calming effect on my harried self, increasing as I peruse the cocoa-laden menu.

Mocha from Lindt Cafe, Martin Place, Sydney

Not having a chocolate beverage at Lindt, or any other chocolate cafe, is criminal in my books. Despite my preference for a macchiato or cappuccino normally, I can't go past the lure of bittersweet chocolate melting on top and melding into my coffee. The sweet, creamy caffeine goodness warms my fingers and insides, and acts as the opening act for more sugar creations.

Lindt delice and mocha

Picture perfect morning treat? Pretty much. I'm just missing warming rays of sunshine but you can't have it all. Even though I would like to try all the 'delice' or macarons on offer, I'd decided it was too early in the morning for champagne in any way, shape or form and so settled on a nutty and a fruity flavour.

Peach delice and hazelnut delice

I'm like a kid when I receive the macarons. I pat them lightly and play favourites: which shall I eat first? The peach delice is a vividly bright orange hue, smooth and perfectly petite. The hazelnut is a bigger affair, crusted with thin brown flakes. It was a case of eenie-meenie-miney-hazelnut.

Up close with a hazelnut delice

Macarons call for delicacy. I mean, can you imagine scoffing one of these? It'd be such a waste to not savour the texture and taste. The surface cracks softly to expose the sticky crumb of the insides and the hazelnut cream filling. Sugar high? Sugar heaven! The hazelnut is anything but shy in flavour with the meringue being quite mealy verging on a fudgey brownie feel.

The peach delice, in strong contrast, is extremely delicate and melts away at the first bite. It's filled with a sweet white chocolate and peach ganache and is actually one of the newer flavours available at Lindt. I thought it was more sweet than fruity, but I've cleverly left a mouthful of the hazelnut macaron for my last taste.

Floating on the macaron/sugar high leaving Lindt, I'd completely forgotten about any earlier stresses or worries. I have new worries now: diabetes and planning my next assault on macarons.