Bouchon Bakery, Raymie Fuentes Delicately crisp on the outside with a light and almost chewy interior, Bouchon’s nearly palm-size macarons have become a staple of this iconic patisserie. Chef Thomas Keller opened Bouchon Bakery in 2003 to supply breads and pastries for his renowned restaurant The French Laundry, just down the leafy block in Yountville. The bakery soon gained a cult following for its classic French pastries. Now, more than 20 years later, it’s not uncommon to see a line begin at the bakery door and snake down the block on weekend mornings. Pastry Chef Raymie Fuentes joined Bouchon in 2015, when the macaron fan club was already well underway, and contributes many variations with each new season. This gingerbread macaron is a favorite during the holidays when the sharp flavor of ginger, and a little bit of sparkle, is appreciated.

Quail & Condor, Melissa (Yanc) McGaughey When Pastry Chef Melissa Yanc left her job and friends in Denver to pursue a culinary career in New York City in the fall of 2017, she had $800 in her pocket and a promising new restaurant management job. She had little money to spare for nightlife or dining out, but she did allow herself one small weekly luxury: a Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Cream Pie from a bodega on her way home from work. Now happily settled in Healdsburg with husband Chef Sean McGaughey, two kids and two restaurants among them, Melissa’s happy ode to her early pastry chef days is her own Oatmeal Cream Pie cookie from her popular Healdsburg Avenue pastry shop, Quail & Condor. Melissa’s classic OCP is beloved for its chewy texture, sweet oat-and-vanilla icing flavor and ample whoopie pie–like size.