February is often associated with romance, but this year I wanted to take a different approach: one rooted in community love. Welcome to My Month of Napa Love, a campaign dedicated to spotlighting the makers, bakers, chefs, and artisans of Napa Valley who bring so much creativity and soul to this place we call home.
While Napa is world-famous for its wineries, there is so much more happening beyond the vineyards. Throughout February, I’ll be highlighting local Napa businesses that showcase the diversity of our food scene here: family-run kitchens, inventive flavors, and passionate people who pour their hearts into what they create.
Kicking off Day 1 feels perfectly fitting with a business that quite literally began as a Valentine’s Day love gesture: Madeleine’s Macarons in Yountville.
Madeleine’s Macarons was born when Dennis McIninch set out to surprise his wife, Aubrey, with her favorite treat - French macarons. What started as a well-intentioned Google search (“easy macaron recipe”) quickly turned into a humbling challenge involving almond flour, meringue, and yes… even a dehumidifier. While the first batch wasn’t destined for a Parisian patisserie window, it was made with care, and that made all the difference. Encouraged by Aubrey’s enthusiasm (and appetite), Dennis was officially hooked.
Fast-forward to stay-at-home orders, and the entire McIninch family - Dennis, Aubrey, their daughter Madeleine (“Maddie”), and later their newest addition, Ruby, jumped in together. Late nights, countless test batches, and a shared obsession with perfect texture eventually led to smoother shells, softer centers, and that unmistakable macaron crunch. Just five months after that first Valentine’s batch, Madeleine’s Macarons became an official business.
Dennis now runs the kitchen and perfects every recipe, while Aubrey leads the business side, from flavor development and packaging to promotions and permits. Together, they’ve created something truly special: a family-run Napa Valley bakery with a distinctly Parisian touch.
On a sunny weekday visit, I settled in with Florentine crepes, an indulgent adult grilled cheese layered with bacon, brie, and onion jam, and a classic crepe monsieur, paired with excellent coffee. And then… the macarons. Creative flavors like curry and beet with goat cheese sit alongside beloved classics, offering something playful, refined, and unexpected.
Madeleine’s Macarons is truly a little taste of Paris in Napa Valley - and the perfect way to begin this Month of Love. Here’s to celebrating the people who make this valley so vibrant.
