Pawel Pietrasinski, owner of Honey & Butter Macarons, has seen plenty of holiday seasons at Irvine Spectrum Center, as the shop opened in 2016. “I only have good things to say about Irvine Spectrum; they are great to work with.” He shares some of his favorite things about sweet treats, gift ideas and this time of year.

What’s the key to your success?

We’re lucky we have really good people, lots of fans and a good product. You can’t find something like this anywhere else. We’re making fresh macarons with a chewy bite and delicious filling that melts in your mouth.

What about these intriguing flavors?

Today we have purple yam sticky rice; who would have thought of that? We have a very international flavor. I’m from Poland, my wife is Vietnamese, and we are making French cookies with an Italian method in the U.S.!

Where do you get inspiration for the flavors?

My wife loves to garden. She has persimmons, mango, passionfruit and more. We have a lot of passionfruit variations in our macarons. It’s a really good flavor, very refreshing.

What’s special about the holidays for you?

I like to create special macarons for the holidays, like creature cookies decorated by hand. Our classic macarons are good, too. Like peppermint mocha is something people ask for every year.

Do you have a holiday tradition?

Usually, we like to work a lot this time of year. December is really good for us, and then in January, it’s time to rest. You have to make the best of the busiest times.

Are macarons good gifts?

Absolutely! The magic of macarons is they are beautiful, delicious and perfect for any occasion. Everyone likes a good treat, right?