Starbucks and McDonald's have co-opted macarons, meringue-like cookie sandwiches that shall henceforth be known as Pastry Big Macs. "I saw them at the McCafé on the Champs-Élysées—just down the street from Ladurée! What is the world coming to?!?"

Even worse: McDonald's advertisements depict people holding macarons with two hands, as though the elegant confection is a cheeseburger. To pair this delicate French dessert with a sloppy American meat wad: a gustatory sin worse, even, than red wine with fish. Le shudder. [WSJ] [Pic: CanonS3ISFlickr]