Looking for an host/hostess gift this holiday season that’s sure to impress?

San Francisco’s Artisan Macaron has exactly that.

Best yet, these crunchy, cream-filled meringue confections are readily available at Whole Foods and Nugget Markets to pick up on the spur of the moment.

Chef Alex Trouan started apprenticing at a pastry shop in his native France when he was only 15 before going to work for legendary Pierre Herme in Paris. In the 1990s, he moved to California, started baking macarons, and never looked back.

The handmade macarons are made with real fruit. Their colors aren’t the result of artificial dyes, but vegetables, spices, and herbs.

I had a chance to try some recently when Trouan sent me a sample of his Classic Collection. The pretty Tiffany-blue box ($39) snaps shut securely like a jewelry box, and holds a dozen macarons.

A packing list is included that names the flavors inside. But the list doesn’t necessarily correspond to the way the macarons are placed inside the box, so you have to do your own sleuthing to figure out which macaron is which. But usually, all it takes is one bite to do so.

These sandwich cookies are crisp and delicate, as they should be. Pistachio is always one of my favorites, and it’s easy to pick that one out, owing to its green tint and finely chopped pistachios over the top. You can taste the pistachios through and through.

My other favorites were the raspberry, not only for its vivid cheery hue, but it’s potent burst of tangy fruitiness; the chocolate for its rich, dark filling; and the salted caramel, which was sweet, luscious, and had the perfect touch of saltiness.

Store the macarons in the fridge or longer in the freezer. Just be sure to bring them to room temperature before enjoying.